Create a lease

Who this is for

Landlords and property managers putting a tenant on a unit. Only an account owner can create, edit, renew or end a lease.

Before you start

• Add the property and unit. See Add properties and units.
• eSamaHomes doesn't write leases. A local real estate attorney or your state's real estate association can provide one. You can fill your own lease in eSamaHomes; see Lease templates.
• For a tenant who already lives in the unit, see Move your tenants in.

Steps

1. Go to Rentals → Leases and click New lease.
2. Select Tenants: search for a tenant, or fill in First name, Last name and Email and click Add tenant. Click Add another tenant for more, up to 4. The first tenant is the primary. Click Next: Select Unit.
3. Select Unit: pick the property and the unit. The rent is filled in from the unit. Click Next: Lease Terms.
4. Lease Terms: choose the Lease Term: Fixed term (ends on a set date), Fixed, then monthly (continues month-to-month after the end date) or Month-to-month (no end date). Fill in Start Date, End Date, Monthly Rent, Security Deposit, Late Fee, Due Day (1–28) and Grace Period (days). Add any occupants who aren't tenants.
5. Answer How will this lease be signed? - Start now: signed on paper. The lease starts and rent is billed as usual. Click Create Lease. - Send for signing: saved as a draft that starts when every signer has signed online. Click Save Draft. See Sign a lease online.
6. On the lease page, upload the signed lease under Documents so your tenants can see it.

Example

Lena Park creates a lease for Omar Velez at 40 Cedar Street, Unit 3: Fixed term, November 1, 2026 to October 31, 2027, Monthly Rent $1,450.00, Security Deposit $1,450.00, Late Fee $50.00, Due Day 1, Grace Period 3 days. She chooses Start now.

The lease is Active at once. Two invoices are created: rent of $1,450.00 due November 1 and a deposit of $1,450.00. Rent is then billed for December 1, January 1 and so on. If Omar hasn't paid the November rent by the end of November 4, a $50.00 late fee can be charged.

What happens next

• When a lease starts, the unit is marked occupied, its listing comes down, the first rent is billed on the start date, and a Deposit invoice is created if there is a security deposit. See How rent billing works and Security deposits.
• Edit Terms changes the lease term, end date, rent, late fee, due day or grace period.
• Renew Lease (fixed terms only) sets a new end date and, optionally, a new rent. Click Confirm Renewal once the tenant agrees.
• Move Out ends the lease. See Move out and archive.
• Several tenants: see Several tenants and occupants.

If something looks wrong

• "All required fields must be filled." Fill in every field marked with *.
• "endDate is required for FIXED and FIXED_WITH_ROLLOVER leases." A fixed lease needs an end date. Choose Month-to-month if it has none.
• "A lease can have at most 4 tenants." Add anyone else as an occupant.
• "Give a reason for going over the unit's limit." The tenants and occupants are more than the unit allows. Give a reason, or change the unit's limit.
• A unit can be given a second lease by mistake. eSamaHomes doesn't stop you creating a lease on a unit that already has an active one. Check the unit first.
• No buttons on the lease. Only an account owner can change a lease.