The Wyoming residential lease agreement (“rental agreement”) is used to formalize an agreement between a landlord and tenant to rent real property in exchange for a fee. The contract includes terms and conditions outlining the responsibilities of each party. A common lease term is for one year.
Wyoming Lease Agreement Disclosures
The following disclosures are required for all or some residential lease agreements in Wyoming.
| Disclosure | Applicable to |
|---|---|
| Non-Refundable Fees | Units Charging Non-Refundable Fees |
| Lead Paint | All Units Prior to 1978 |
Non-Refundable Fees
Applicable to any unit where the landlord imposes non-refundable fees in Wyoming.
If fees are charged in the lease for pets or other one-time expenses like access to amenities, they must be stated as “non-refundable” in the lease.
Lead-Based Paint Disclosure
Applicable to any rental units built prior to 1978.
It is a federal law in the United States that any home built prior to 1978 must disclose the risks posed by lead-based paints. This law requires landlords in Wyoming to:
- Fill out and attach this lead-based paint disclosure form to the lease agreement.
- Provide the tenant with an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved pamphlet about the dangers of lead-based paint.
- Provide additional records or reports about the presence or hazards of any known lead-based paint in the unit. For multi-unit buildings with common areas, this includes information from building-wide evaluations.
Download: Wyoming Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Form (PDF)
Optional Disclosures & Addendums (Recommended)
The below lease agreement disclosures and addendums are not required by Wyoming law. These disclosures can be helpful to include to help reduce future conflicts with tenants or reduce legal liability for landlords.
| Optional Disclosure | How the Disclosure is Helpful |
|---|---|
| Asbestos | This disclosure informs tenants if there is asbestos at the property. If there is asbestos a tenant can take certain precautions to minimize the chance of disturbing the asbestos fibers. |
| Bed Bugs | If the rental unit has a history of infestation, landlords should provide information on how to handle a bed bug infestation. This disclosure notifies the tenant of their obligation to cooperate with bed bug prevention and immediately report any sign of infestation to the landlord. |
| Fees | In Wyoming there are no restrictions on late fees. Additionally, a landlord can charge $30 for returned checks. |
| Landlord’s Name & Address | Creates a line of communication for important notices and demands between tenant and landlord. Landlords or any authorized individual to act on behalf of the property should provide contact information (including their address) within or alongside the lease. |
| Medical Marijuana Use | Inform tenants if medical marijuana use on the property is permittable. Some state laws allow landlords to restrict marijuana usage to non-smoking methods only or inform tenants of designated smoking areas to not interfere with other tenants’ enjoyment of the premises. |
| Mold Disclosure | Informing the tenant of the current mold status of a property protects the landlord against future liability of mold damages. |
| Move-in Checklist | A move-in checklist holds the tenant accountable for future damages that they may cause. |
| Shared Utilities Arrangements | For rental units with shared utilities, a landlord should disclose the specifics of how they are shared, and how each party’s bill is calculated. Providing this information to tenants will give them a reasonable expectation of what they owe each month. |
| Smoking | Inform tenants of designated smoking areas to not interfere with other tenants’ enjoyment of the premises. |
Consequences of Not Including Mandatory Disclosures
Disclosures outline the important health, safety, and property information and vary by state. If a landlord does not provide the tenant with the federally or state-mandated disclosures, they could face legal repercussions or monetary penalties.
If a landlord fails to disclose the lead-based paint hazard disclosure, they can face fines of up to $18,364 per violation. (24 CFR § 30.65)
It’s best to check with your local and state laws on which disclosures you must provide to your tenant.
Sources
- 1 WY Stat § 1-21-1207 (2019)
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Any rental agreement shall state whether any portion of a deposit is nonrefundable and written notice of this fact shall also be provided to the renter at the time the deposit is taken by the owner or his designated agent.
