The Ultimate Monthly Rental Lease Guide, FF137

Did you know only 50% of tenants signed a lease for their last mid-term rental stay? That stat shocked us too. In this episode, we’re diving into why every landlord offering monthly furnished rentals needs a rock-solid lease agreement—and exactly how to build one that protects you and your property without overcomplicating things.

We’re joined by Deborah Holstein, Chief Growth Officer at Rocket Lawyer, to break down the essentials of a great lease for mid-term rentals. Whether you’re brand new to monthly rentals or you’ve hosted dozens of traveling nurses and corporate guests, this episode is your roadmap to creating clear, legally sound, and easy-to-manage lease agreements.

Through Furnished Finder’s powerful partnership with Rocket Lawyer, landlords have access to state-specific, attorney-approved leases that are tailored to the unique needs of the monthly rental space. We talk through the 8 things every MTR lease needs, real-world landlord data, and tips to avoid common mistakes that can cost you time, money, or your property’s reputation.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why a lease matters more than you think for monthly stays
• The 8 essential elements every MTR lease should include
• Furnished Finder data: average deposits, pet fees, cleaning fees & more
• How to handle early lease termination (ELT), utilities, shared spaces, pets & damage waivers
• Why generic leases from friends or Google just won’t cut it
• How to get started today using Furnished Finder & Rocket Lawyer tools

This episode is packed with actionable insights to help you operate like a pro. 

🔗 Ready to simplify your lease process? Access Rocket Lawyer’s MTR-optimized leases and legal docs now through your Furnished Finder dashboard.

List Your property on Furnished Finder:
https://www.furnishedfinder.com/list-your-property
(Use code LLD10 for $10 off new listings)

Trending Midterm Monthly Rental Resources:
https://www.furnishedfinder.com/Resources/PMResources

Episode Highlights:
0:00 Only 50% of tenants signed a lease in their last MTR stay
2:00 Furnished Finder + Rocket Lawyer: How this partnership is empowering landlords
3:20 Why leases matter for mid-term rentals (yes, even for 30-day guests)
7:00 The 8 must-have elements for your MTR lease
7:45 Lease terms: stay length, payment timing & due dates
9:15 75% of tenants prefer paying online—are you prepared?
10:25 Deposits, fees, damage waivers—what’s standard on Furnished Finder?
12:55 How Rocket Lawyer makes lease-building super simple
15:00 Hot topic: Security deposits & standard MTR fees
18:15 Data point: Average FF cleaning fee is $175—checked our market lately?
19:25 Early lease termination: rules, fees & flexibility
24:30 Pet policies & deposits: What works for monthly rentals
29:15 Amenities, storage, parking—yes, they should be in your lease
31:15 Why random leases from the internet are a legal risk
37:10 Lease questions? Contact Furnished Finder.

The Landlord Diaries is brought to you by Furnished Finder, where you can list your property for one low price and pay zero booking fees.