Leases & Leasing Information

Lease Contracts - The Meaning of Joint and Several


When you see the phrase "joint and several" in a legal document or contract it means that that the parties on one side of the agreement are responsible individually and collectively for the terms of the agreement.

Example: In the case of two tenants signing a lease agreement, "joint" means they are jointly responsible for the rent.

"Several" means that their joint relationship is severed.

In a contract it indicates that they have agreed that they are also responsible individually for the rent. If one does not pay his/her share of the rent the other is responsible for the entire amount.

Here's an example of a landlord who had a "joint and several" lease with the added provision that tenants must pay rent with a check, money order or cashier's check in the full amount every month.

Landlord allowed the two roommates to pay half the rent each month with two separate checks. Bad policy.

It not only creates accounting problems... but if one tenant pays on time and the other is late how do you handle the late penalty? And...

If you accept payment from one tenant and the other tenant fails to pay have you risked having accepted a partial rent payment and then not be able to evict?

Here's the good news. If you have in your lease a "non-waiver" provision it indicates that even if you allowed lease violations in the past you can at any time demand that tenants comply with the terms of the lease.

If the tenants continue to pay with two separate checks you can return the checks and give "notice for failure to pay rent".

If they then fail to provide you with a single check for the full amount of the rent you can file a forcible detainer action (eviction).

What if tenant #1 pleads that tenant #2 has moved from the property and tenant #1 should only be required to pay their own half of the rent?

Show them "joint and several" in your lease agreement and explain that tenant #1 is now responsible for the entire amount of rent.

Explain that tenant #1 can seek recovery of the other half from tenant #2 in small claims court.

If you rent property to more than one tenant be sure your lease has "joint and several" and "non-waiver" clauses.

Carefully explain each to every new tenant.

About The Author

Mark Walters is a real estate investor and author. His published works can be found at his web site: http://www.CashFlowInstitute.com


MORE RESOURCES:

How to Fix It: Stop Leasing Public Lands at Fire-Sale Prices
Mother Jones, CA - 3 hours ago
By James Ridgeway In an era of waning fossil fuel reserves and escalating oil and gas prices, it has become fashionable to rail against the power of foreign ...


Roan lease auction nets far less than expected
Grand Junction Sentinel, CO - Aug 14, 2008
By DENNIS WEBB GOLDEN — Both opponents and supporters of a federal drilling plan for the Roan Plateau are lamenting what they say is disappointing revenue ...
Rich federal energy lease sale pleases few San Diego Union Tribune
Sale of Colo. drilling rights sets onshore record Forbes
Today's the day for Roan Plateau auction Bizjournals.com
Pueblo Chieftain - Forbes
all 94 news articles


Auto Makers Hit the Brakes on Leasing Programs
Smartmoney.com - Jul 29, 2008
By Kelli B. Grant |Kelli B. Grant Archive |Published: July 29, 2008 STRUGGLING AUTO LENDERS are seeking a new lease on life — one that doesn't include ...


Why It's Getting Hard to Lease a Car
Wall Street Journal - Aug 9, 2008
By NATHAN BECKER Leasing a car used to be an easy road to travel, but $4-a-gallon gasoline has put that option -- along with the entire US auto industry ...
Car leasing hits a speed bump Kansas City Star
'Leasing Is History' Financial Post
Gas prices help dent auto leasing Seattle Post Intelligencer
Indianapolis Star
all 26 news articles


Leasing a losing deal for some automakers
Jackson Clarion Ledger, MS - Aug 6, 2008
... to offer leases. Leasing allows a consumer to pay for the depreciation of a vehicle based on predetermined value when the vehicle is returned. ...


Drive an Expensive Import? You Probably Lease It
BusinessWeek - Aug 25, 2008
Leases are falling out of favor, which is bad for import brands. They depend on leases to put people in cars they otherwise couldn't afford by Jim Henry ...


Lease is more: GMAC eliminating vehicle lease incentives in Canada
News1130, Canada - Jul 29, 2008
By: Bree Fowler, AP NEW YORK - GMAC Financial Services said Tuesday that it will no longer offer lease-related incentives in Canada, citing market ...
GMAC to stop offering leasing incentives in Canada StarPhoenix
GMAC to stop offering leasing incentives in Canada ReportonBusiness.com
all 377 news articles


Obama's Old Office For Sale
Huffington Post, NY - Sep 4, 2008
A Roseland Catholic church and rectory where Barack Obama once had an office are on the market, Chicago Real Estate Daily reports. ...
Pros: Optimistim Amid Doom and Gloom New York Sun
all 2 news articles


New-car leasing vaporizes in Canada
Financial Post, Canada - Aug 24, 2008
Earlier this month, Greg Dolson, general sales manager at Steele Chrysler in Halifax, did something that for him happens even more infrequently than his ...
DRIVEN FROM LEASING The Register-Guard
all 4 news articles


Kicked to the Curb?
GovExec.com, DC - Aug 19, 2008
By Brian Friel bfriel@nationaljournal.com August 20, 2008 A leasing crisis looms at the Interior Department, the agency's inspector general warned in a ...
White House names Williams acting GSA administrator Nextgov
all 6 news articles

Leases-Leasing - Google News

home | site map
Web Site Development - Search Engine Marketing: Dream Team Media