Rider to Lease Agreement

Signing a lease includes signing a rider as well.

Riders supplement leasing agreements. The pages of a rider add or change items that are listed in the original lease. A landlord gives both the lease and the rider to the tenant at the time of signing.

Size

The size of a rider averages between three and five pages depending on how many items the landlord needs to include. This is at the landlord's sole discretion. A standard residential and commercial lease starts at five pages, while a lease for a retail space can be 60 to 100 pages. Riders are small compared to leases.

Types

Riders are lease supplements for commercial spaces. Riders are also used in residential apartment rentals and work/live loft spaces. The landlord writes the rider specifically for the tenant and the tenant signs at the same time he signs the standard lease.

Features

Topics covered in a lease rider include the amount of security deposit needed to secure the space, construction or repair work going on in or around the space including what is the responsibility of the landlord and the tenant, and behavior while residing or renting in the building. Behavior includes quiet hours, if any, and when the renter has access to the building. A rider covers what is and what is not covered by the landlord. For example, if the electricity must be turned on by the tenant, the rider would explicitly state that. The rider includes an early termination clause stating when the landlord or tenant can terminate the lease, if given the option.

References

• Findlaw: Rider
• University of Pennsylvania: Rider
• Peak Properties: Sample Rider