Rent Agreement Format in India: 11 Months, Clauses, Stamp Paper and Registration

What is a rent agreement and what should it contain?

A rent agreement (also called a kirayanama or tenancy agreement) is a written contract between a landlord and a tenant. It records who is renting what, for how long and on what terms. Banks, employers, gas agencies, schools and passport offices often ask for it as proof of address, and it is the first thing either side will point to if there is a disagreement about rent, the deposit or vacating the house.

A good residential format covers these points in plain language:

1. Parties: full names, parents’ or spouses’ names, ages and permanent addresses of the landlord and the tenant.
2. Property: the full address, type (flat, house, floor or room), and whether it is furnished, semi-furnished or unfurnished.
3. Term: the start date and the number of months, usually 11.
4. Rent: the monthly amount, the day by which it is due, and how it is paid (bank transfer or UPI is easiest to prove later).
5. Security deposit: the amount, that it is refundable, and when and how deductions can be made.
6. Utilities and maintenance: who pays electricity, water, gas and society charges.
7. Lock-in and notice: a minimum period neither side can end the agreement in, and how many months of notice are needed after it.
8. Rent increase: the percentage increase on renewal, if any.
9. Use and subletting: residential use only, and whether the tenant can sublet.
10. Repairs and inspection: who handles minor and major repairs, and how the landlord can visit with notice.
11. Schedule of fittings: a list of fans, lights, geysers, furniture and appliances handed over.
12. Signatures: of both parties and two witnesses, with the date and place.

Rent agreement 11 mahine ka kyon hota hai?

Under section 17(1)(d) of the Registration Act 1908, a lease of immovable property from year to year, or for any term exceeding one year, must be registered. Registration means visiting the sub-registrar office (or using the state’s online system), paying registration fees and stamp duty on the full term, and having both parties present. To keep things simple, most landlords and tenants sign an agreement for 11 months, which does not fall under compulsory registration, and renew it each year.

An 11-month agreement is still a valid contract. It still needs to be on stamp paper of the right value for your state, and an unregistered agreement for a longer term can create problems if you ever need to rely on it in court. If you want a longer, secure tenancy, a registered lease is the cleaner route.

Watch outMaharashtra is different. Under section 55 of the Maharashtra Rent Control Act 1999, every leave and licence agreement must be registered, whatever its term, even 11 months. IGR Maharashtra offers online e-registration with Aadhaar e-KYC. Use the leave and licence format there.

Some states have also passed tenancy laws based on the Model Tenancy Act, which require the agreement to be reported to a Rent Authority. Check your state’s rules before you sign.

Rent agreement stamp paper kitne ka lagta hai?

Stamp duty on rent agreements is set by each state, and it often depends on the rent, the deposit and the term. Rates are revised from time to time, so we deliberately do not print a number here. Any figure you read in a forward or an old article may be wrong for your city today. Look up the current rate on your state’s official registration or e-stamp website, listed below, before you buy stamp paper or an e-stamp certificate.

The full links are in the sources at the end of this article. If your state is not listed, many states sell e-stamp certificates through SHCIL e-stamping, or you can ask the state revenue or registration department.

TipAn e-stamp certificate carries a unique number that anyone can verify online, which makes it harder to fake than old pre-printed stamp paper.

How to make a rent agreement step by step

1. Agree the rent, deposit, term, lock-in, notice period and who pays which bills before writing anything.
2. Open the Rent agreement maker, choose your state and fill in the parties, property and terms. Add the list of fittings.
3. Download the Word file if you want to edit a clause, or the PDF to print it as it is.
4. Check the current stamp duty on your state’s official site and buy stamp paper or an e-stamp certificate in the name of one of the parties.
5. Print the agreement on the stamp paper (or attach the e-stamp certificate as the first page), and have both parties sign every page.
6. Get two witnesses to sign with their names and addresses. Notarisation is common but is not the same as registration.
7. Register it where the law requires it (Maharashtra always; elsewhere for terms above one year). Each party keeps a signed original.

Many cities also ask landlords to complete tenant police verification through the local police or the state police website. Keep a copy of that acknowledgement with the agreement.

Common mistakes that cause fights over the deposit

• No list of fittings, so nobody can prove what was handed over or what is damaged.
• Rent paid in cash with no receipts. Pay by bank transfer or UPI, or insist on signed receipts.
• A vague deposit clause. Write how many days after vacating the deposit will be returned and what deductions are allowed.
• Copying a format from another state, which may use the wrong stamp paper or miss a registration rule.
• Not renewing on time, so the tenant stays on without any written terms.