New and Improved Rental Agreement, Rules + Regulations, and NSRP Forms Now Available

Written By Atty. Tristan R. Pettit

I recently completed drafting several new and improved rental forms for Wisconsin Legal Blank (WLB). Specifically, I revised the Rental Agreement, Rules + Regulations, and Nonstandard Rental Provisions (NSRP) rental forms.

The changes to the Rental Agreement and Rules + Regulations were pretty extensive. The changes include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Adding a “Definitions” section to streamline the forms.

  • Highlighting “Joint and Several Liability” within the forms.

  • Adding a new “Fair Housing” disclosure section in the Rental Agreement

  • Modifying the “Security Deposit” section of the Rental Agreement to address issues that arise with co-tenants.

  • Adding a new section to the Rental Agreement that explains what happens when a tenant vacates before the end of the Rental Agreement and outlines both the landlord’s and the tenant’s legal obligations.

  • Inserting additional language throughout all three forms to better protect you from Koble-type allegations that the rental documents violate the “10 Deadly Sins” contained in Wis. Stat. sec. 704.44 and Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.08.

  • Revising the “Use of Premises” section to include language allowing a tenant to run certain types of businesses conducted via computer, mail, or telephone to better address the work-from-home situation that has become so prevalent post-COVID.

  • Adding a “Subordination” section.

  • Adding a new section entitled “Obligation to Vacate,” setting forth both the tenant’s and the landlord’s legal obligations.

  • Adding a section prohibiting tenants from living in the basement or attic, where applicable.

  • Adding a new section requiring the tenant to notify the landlord if they will be absent from the Premises for more than seven (7) consecutive days, to (hopefully) prevent issues that I have seen increase over the last few years.

  • Beefing up the “Vehicles” section of the Rules and Regulations.

  • Adding a “Houseplants” section to the Rules to address many tenants’ interest in turning their rental home into the Domes.

Please review these updated forms and consider using them for your new tenants and at renewal time. renewals and with new tenants.

Take care

T

Atty. Tristan R. Pettit

Tristan is the President of Pettit Law Group S.C. and focuses his practice in the area of Landlord-Tenant law representing landlords and property management companies throughout Wisconsin.

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