Rent agreement (11 months): clause by clause
Every clause of an 11-month rent agreement, what it does and why it is there, with a sample you can read before you make your own. Includes the clauses people forget.
- ✓A rent agreement needs eleven clauses: parties, property, term, rent, deposit, charges, use, repairs, notice and lock-in, renewal, and stamp and signatures. Leave one out and the Transfer of Property Act's default rule fills the gap.
- ✓Write the rent as a monthly figure and the term as 11 months. A lease reserving a yearly rent, or for more than one year, must be registered in every state.
- ✓The agreement must state the rent, deposit and term truly, because the stamp duty is worked out from them, and it must be stamped before or when it is signed.
What this document is
A rent agreement records a lease: the landlord (the lessor) gives the tenant (the lessee) the right to live in a property for a fixed period in return for rent (Section 105, Transfer of Property Act, 1882). The 11-month form is used because a lease for more than one year, from year to year, or reserving a yearly rent, must be registered (Section 17, Registration Act, 1908). An 11-month agreement with a monthly rent does not, except in Maharashtra, where every leave and licence agreement must be registered. The rent agreement guide explains why, and why no notary is needed.
Clause by clause
1. Parties. Full names, parents' names, ages and addresses of the landlord and the tenant. If there are two owners, both should be parties.
2. Property. The full address, floor and flat number, and what is included: parking, furniture, fans, geysers. Attach a list of fittings if there are many.
3. Term. The start date and the length, "11 months from 1 November 2026". Section 110 of the Transfer of Property Act excludes the first day when counting a term that runs "from" a date, so name the end date too.
4. Rent. The monthly amount in figures and words, the due date, and how it is paid (bank transfer is best). Write it as a monthly rent, not a yearly figure: a lease reserving a yearly rent must be registered.
5. Security deposit. The amount, the date it was paid, when it will be returned (for example within 15 days of the tenant handing back the keys), and the only things that may be deducted.
6. Charges. Who pays electricity, water, gas, maintenance and society charges, and from which meter readings.
7. Use. Residential use only, who may live there, and whether sub-letting is allowed. By default the Transfer of Property Act lets a tenant sub-let (Section 108(j)), so if the landlord does not want that, the agreement must say so.
8. Repairs and condition. Who handles small repairs and who handles structural ones. By default the tenant must hand the property back in the condition received, apart from normal wear and tear, and must let the landlord inspect at reasonable times (Section 108(m)).
9. Notice and lock-in. How much written notice either side must give to end the agreement early, and any period during which neither may end it. Without this clause, a house let for living in runs month to month with 15 days' notice (Section 106).
10. Ending and renewal. What happens at the end of the term: vacate, or renew by a new agreement with an agreed increase. A lease also ends early if one side breaks a condition that the agreement says allows the landlord to re-enter, after written notice (Section 111(g)).
11. Stamp and signatures. The stamp duty is paid before or at signing (Section 17, Indian Stamp Act). The rent, deposit and term must be stated truly, because the duty is worked out from them (Section 27). The tenant pays the duty unless you agree otherwise (Section 29). Landlord and tenant sign, and two witnesses sign.
Sample
This is a short sample to show the shape of the document. Your own agreement should be drafted from your actual terms.
RENT AGREEMENT
This agreement is made on [date] at [city] between [landlord's name], son/daughter of [name], residing at [address] (the Landlord), and [tenant's name], son/daughter of [name], residing at [address] (the Tenant).
1. Property. The Landlord lets to the Tenant the residential premises at [full address], with [fittings / parking] (the Premises).
2. Term. The tenancy is for 11 months, from [start date] to [end date].
3. Rent. The Tenant shall pay a monthly rent of Rs. [amount] (Rupees [amount in words]) on or before the [day] of each month, by bank transfer to the Landlord's account.
4. Deposit. The Tenant has paid a security deposit of Rs. [amount] by [mode] on [date]. The Landlord shall return it within [number] days of the Tenant handing back vacant possession, less only unpaid rent, unpaid charges and the cost of damage beyond normal wear and tear.
5. Charges. The Tenant shall pay electricity and water charges as per the meters from [date]. Maintenance charges of the society shall be paid by the [Landlord / Tenant].
6. Use. The Premises shall be used only as a residence for the Tenant and family. The Tenant shall not sub-let or part with possession of the Premises.
7. Repairs. Minor day-to-day repairs are the Tenant's responsibility; structural repairs are the Landlord's. The Tenant shall hand back the Premises in the condition received, subject to normal wear and tear.
8. Notice. After a lock-in of [number] months, either party may end this agreement by [number] month's written notice.
9. Renewal. The tenancy may be renewed by a fresh agreement on mutually agreed terms, with the rent increased by [percentage].
10. Stamp duty. The stamp duty on this agreement is borne by the [Tenant / Landlord / both equally].
Signed by the Landlord: ________ Signed by the Tenant: ________
Witness 1: [name, address] ________ Witness 2: [name, address] ________
How to use it, step by step
1. Agree every number first: rent, deposit, term, notice, lock-in, increase.
2. Draft the agreement with every clause above filled in. Read it together.
3. Buy stamp paper or an e-stamp for your state for the correct duty, before anyone signs.
4. Landlord, tenant and two witnesses sign. With Aadhaar e-sign, each person signs from their own phone. The Information Technology Act treats an electronic signature as reliable only if any change made after signing can be detected (Section 3A).
5. Each side keeps a full copy. In Maharashtra, register it at the Sub-Registrar's office.
Costs
eMunshi's rent agreement is ₹599, all-inclusive: drafted from your answers with a free preview, the government e-stamp issued in your name, Aadhaar e-sign for landlord, tenant and two witnesses, the signed PDF on WhatsApp and email, and two revisions. The only extra is your state's stamp duty, passed through at cost and shown before you pay. See the state-by-state guide or the calculator.
Mistakes in the wording
- A term over one year, or a yearly rent, in an unregistered agreement.
- A deposit clause with no return date and no list of deductions.
- No notice clause, so 15 days' notice applies when neither side expected it.
- Saying nothing on sub-letting when the landlord does not want it.
- Understating the rent to save duty. The agreement must state the facts truly, and an understated agreement is a weak one to rely on later.
Questions people ask
Is there an official government format for a rent agreement?
No. The law does not prescribe a format. What matters is that the agreement states the parties, the property, the term, the rent and the other terms clearly, carries the right stamp duty for your state, and is signed by both sides.
What is the difference between a rent agreement and a leave and licence agreement?
A rent agreement is a lease: it transfers a right to enjoy the property for a period. A leave and licence agreement only gives permission to occupy, without transferring an interest in the property. Maharashtra uses the leave and licence form, and there it must be registered whatever its term.
Can the agreement say the deposit will not be returned?
Write down exactly when the deposit is returned and what may be deducted from it, such as unpaid rent, unpaid bills or damage beyond normal wear and tear. A vague deposit clause is the most common cause of disputes when a tenant leaves.
What notice period should we put in?
Anything you both agree. One month is common. If the agreement says nothing, Section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act applies: a house let for living in can be ended by 15 days' written notice.
Can rent be increased during the 11 months?
Only if the agreement says so. Most agreements fix the rent for the term and state the increase that will apply on renewal.
Do we have to sign every page?
On a paper agreement, signing every page is good practice so no page can be swapped later. With Aadhaar e-sign, the signature covers the whole document, and any change made after signing can be detected.
Making a rent agreement: what to put in it, and why you never needed a notaryGuideStamp duty on rent agreements, state by stateReferenceStamp duty calculator for rent agreementsTool
Landlord won't return the deposit: the three steps that workGuide
Eviction noticeGet an advocateRent agreement (11 months) — ₹599DocumentUpdated 26 October 2026 · Awaiting review by a panel advocate · General information, not legal advice for your specific matter.