The Utah rental agreements are real estate contracts between the landlord who oversees the property and a tenant who wants to use it in exchange for regular rent payments. These documents contain other terms and conditions associated with the use of the property and must follow Utah’s landlord-tenant law.
Utah Rental Agreement Types
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Common Rental Agreements in Utah
- Utah Association of Realtors Residential Rental Agreement – this template, for use by members of the Utah Association of Realtors only, is heavily used by residential rental properties throughout Utah. It provides an extensive list of rules and procedures, including specifics that go as far as outlining rent increases, fees and smoking policies.
- Utah Association of Realtors Lease Agreement with Option for Purchase – this form, for use by members of the Utah Association of Realtors only, is heavily used by residential rental units that have the option for tenants to purchase the property. This template outlines both leasing terms (i.e., landlord disclosures, lease payments, late charges) and purchasing terms (i.e., purchase price, fee obligations, notice of intent).
Utah Required Lease Disclosures
- Landlord’s Name & Address (required for all) – Utah requires landlords to provide their contact information (or the contact for an authorized agent) in the lease so demands and notices can be properly delivered.
- Move-In Checklist (required for all) – Utah landlords are required to provide a move-in checklist that outlines the current condition of the home so that the security deposit may be recovered appropriately upon move-out.
- Methamphetamine Contamination Disclosure (required for some) – If the Utah landlord has any knowledge of potential methamphetamine contamination, they must disclose this information and withhold from leasing the unit until remediation occurs to protect tenants from exposure.
- Lead-Based Paint Disclosure (required for some) – If the rental unit resides in a building built prior to 1978, the landlord must provide a lead-based paint disclosure in the Utah lease agreement alongside an informational pamphlet and disclosure of any known hazards to limit the chances of lead paint toxicity affecting a new tenant.
To learn more about required disclosures in Utah, click here.
Utah Landlord Tenant Laws
- Warranty of Habitability – Utah landlords are required to provide the following to tenants: HVAC, plumbing, electric outlets, cold/hot running water, and more. The landlord must make repairs within 24 hours if the rental unit has a dangerous condition, 3 calendar days to correct a habitability requirement, or 10 calendar days for any requirements in the rental agreements. If these repairs are not made, an effected tenant may use the repair and deduct method. Tenants may not withhold rent.
- Evictions – Utah landlords may evict tenants for a number of reasons including, but not limited to failure to pay rent, a violation of a leasing term, or committing an illegal act. Landlords must provide tenants with prior notice to pay or quit, depending on the type of eviction. As such, most evictions in Utah are completed in one to four months.
- Security Deposits – Utah does not maintain a limit for security deposits. It does maintain a standard for returning the unused portions of security deposits which is 30 days after a lease termination.
- Lease Termination – Month-to-month renters in Utah need to provide 15 days of notice to legally break off their lease. Meanwhile, fixed-term renters will need to supply proof of one of the following exceptions to terminate their lease prematurely: active military duty, landlord harassment, unit uninhabitability, or domestic violence.
- Rent Increases & Fees – In Utah, a landlord may raise their tenants’ rent rates as much as they see fit. They are not required to provide advanced notice of these increases. This same type of freedom extends to most fees, which do not have a statewide limit; only returned check fees are limited at $20 for insufficient funds plus $35 for outstanding charges.
- Landlord Entry – By default, all Utah landlords must provide 24 hours of notice when they intend to enter a tenant’s unit. This standard does not apply in an emergency situation.
- Settling Legal Disputes – Utah’s small claims courts accept a fair number of cases arising between landlords and tenants. While this does not include eviction cases, it does include most other disputes valued at up to $10,000.
To learn more about landlord tenant laws in Utah, click here.
