A Wyoming residential lease agreement (“rental agreement”) is a legal contract between a landlord overseeing a rental property and a tenant using the property. State and local laws set the rules for rental agreements, such as laws regulating the use of a tenant’s security deposit.
Wyoming Residential Lease Agreement Disclosures
These disclosures are required for residential lease agreements in Wyoming:
| Disclosure | Applicable To |
|---|---|
| Non-Refundable Fees | Units Charging Non-Refundable Fees |
| Lead Paint | All Units Built Before 1978 |
Non-Refundable Fees
Applies to any Wyoming rental which imposes non-refundable fees.
Charges not agreed by the tenant in the lease may be refundable upon lease termination. For Wyoming landlords to charge a non-refundable fee, it must be disclosed and agreed as such in the lease.
Unlike most states, Wyoming lets a landlord to make a portion of a security deposit nonrefundable, but only if this is clearly stated and agreed in the lease.
Lead-Based Paint Disclosure
Applies to any Wyoming rental built before 1978.
Wyoming residential leases for property built before 1978 must, by federal law, contain a lead-based paint disclosure. This requires landlords to do the following:
- 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 any additional records or reports about the presence or hazards of 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 and Addenda (Recommended)
The following lease agreement disclosures and addenda are not required by Wyoming law in residential lease agreements, but helps with tenant management and landlord liability.
| Optional Disclosure | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Asbestos | Informs tenants about any asbestos hazards related to the property. Tenants can reduce asbestos risk by not disturbing asbestos fibers. |
| Bed Bugs | Informs tenants whether the property or an adjacent unit has a history of suspected bed bug infestation, and reminds the tenant of the obligation to report suspected infestation immediately. |
| Fees | Specifies late fees or returned check fees related to the lease. Wyoming has no restrictions on late fees, but caps returned check fees at $30. |
| Landlord’s Name and Address | Specifies the name and address of the landlord or authorized agent. This enables smooth communication of any important legal notice. |
| Medical Marijuana Use | Informs tenants about policy related to medical marijuana use on the rental property. Some state laws allow landlords to restrict marijuana usage to non-smoking methods only, or allow use only in designated smoking areas. |
| Mold Disclosure | Informs tenants about actual or suspected mold contamination on the property, along with any remediation efforts, to help limit landlord liability. |
| Move-In Checklist | Takes inventory of existing property damage, when the tenant moves into the rental property. This ensures accurate deductions from the security deposit upon move-out. |
| Shared Utilities Arrangements | Sets terms for how to divide utility costs up on properties which share a utility meter with other units. This ensures tenants receive fair charges and understand what uses contribute to their bill. |
| Smoking | Informs tenants of designated smoking areas that do not interfere with the quiet enjoyment of other tenants. |
Consequences of Not Including Mandatory Disclosures
Mandatory disclosures outline important health, safety, and property information for the benefit of both landlord and tenant. A landlord who fails to provide federally or state-mandated disclosures could face legal consequences or monetary penalties, either from a tenant lawsuit or from state officials. Many lease provisions may be unenforceable without legally required disclosures.
Failure to comply with the federal lead-based paint hazard disclosure risks fines of tens of thousands of dollars per violation.
Sources
- 1 Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1207
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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.
Source Link - 2 Wyo. Stat. § 1-1-115(a)
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Source Link
Any person who issues a check which is not paid because the check has been dishonored for any reason has thirty (30) days following the date of a written demand mailed to the drawer of the check by United States postal service certificate of mailing at the address shown on the check or his last known address or personally served pursuant to the Wyoming Rules of Civil Procedure, to pay to the holder of the check the amount of the check and a collection fee not to exceed thirty dollars ($30.00). The demand shall state that the drawer is required to pay the value of the check and the collection fee demanded and shall state the collection fee provided for in this section.
