How to Make a Rental Agreement Online: Step-by-Step Guide with Clause Checklist

Renting out a flat, a room or a shop is simple until something goes wrong: the deposit is disputed, rent comes late, or nobody remembers who was supposed to pay the electricity bill. A clear written rental agreement prevents most of these arguments before they start.

The good news is that you don't need a lawyer's office or a paid template to prepare the first draft. In this guide you'll learn how to make a rental agreement online, which details and clauses to include, how to write the rent amount correctly, and what to check before both sides sign. We'll use the free Rental Agreement Builder on Doffl, which runs in your browser and doesn't need an account.

What a rental agreement is (and why a verbal deal isn't enough)

A rental agreement (also called a lease agreement or rent agreement) is a written contract between a landlord and a tenant. It records who is renting what, for how long, for how much, and under which rules.

A verbal understanding feels friendly, but it fails exactly when you need it. Common problems a written agreement solves:

• Deposit disputes – how much was paid, and when and how it will be returned.
• Rent increases – whether rent can go up at renewal and by how much.
• Repairs – who pays for a leaking tap versus a broken water pump.
• Notice period – how many days' notice either side must give before leaving.
• Address proof – many tenants need a rent agreement for bank KYC, a gas connection, school admission or other paperwork.

A good agreement protects both sides. Tenants know their rights, and landlords have a record of the agreed terms.

Information to collect before you start

Gather everything first so you can fill the agreement in one sitting:

1. Landlord details – full name, address, phone number and email.
2. Tenant details – full name, permanent address, phone number, and the names of other adults who will live there.
3. Property details – complete address, flat or house number, floor, and what is included (e.g. "2 BHK with two fans, one geyser, modular kitchen").
4. Lease period – start date, end date and total duration.
5. Money – monthly rent, security deposit, maintenance charges, and the rent due date.
6. Payment method – bank transfer, UPI or cheque, plus the landlord's account details if needed.
7. House rules – pets, smoking, guests, parking, subletting.

Example: Landlord Ramesh Kumar rents Flat 302, Sunrise Apartments, Pune to tenant Priya Sharma for 11 months from 1 November, at ₹18,000 per month plus ₹1,500 maintenance, with a ₹50,000 refundable deposit. Rent is due by the 5th of each month via UPI.

Having a sentence like this ready makes the next steps fast.

Step-by-step: create the agreement with the Rental Agreement Builder

Open the Rental Agreement Builder and follow these steps:

1. Enter landlord and tenant details. Use full legal names as they appear on ID documents. Spelling mistakes cause problems later when the agreement is used as proof of address.
2. Add the property address and lease duration. Enter the start date and the length of the lease. Double-check the end date it produces.
3. Set the rent, due date and security deposit. Enter the monthly rent, the day of the month it's due, and the deposit amount.
4. Choose clauses for utilities, maintenance and pets. The builder has preset sections for these. Switch on the ones that apply and edit the wording to match your deal.
5. Add custom rules. Use the custom-rules option for anything specific to your property, such as "two-wheeler parking only in slot B-14" or "no structural changes without written permission".
6. Preview and print or save as PDF. Read the formatted preview carefully, then print it or use your browser's print dialog to save it as a PDF.

Because the tool runs in your browser, the names and addresses you type stay on your device instead of being uploaded to a server.

Clause checklist: what every rental agreement should cover

Use this checklist to make sure nothing important is missing:

• Parties and property – names, addresses and a clear description of the premises.
• Term – start date, end date and whether it can be renewed.
• Rent and due date – amount, due date, payment method and any late-payment charge both sides agree to.
• Security deposit – amount, what it can be deducted for (unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear), and how many days after move-out it will be refunded.
• Rent revision – whether rent changes at renewal and by what percentage.
• Maintenance and repairs – minor repairs (bulbs, taps) are often the tenant's responsibility; major repairs (wiring, plumbing lines, structural issues) are usually the landlord's. Write down whatever you agree.
• Utilities – who pays electricity, water, gas, internet and society maintenance.
• Use of property – residential only, or also for a home office; whether subletting is allowed.
• Notice period and termination – for example, one month's written notice from either side.
• Lock-in period – if neither side can end the agreement during the first few months, say so clearly.
• Inventory list – fans, lights, furniture and appliances provided, with their condition.
• Entry and inspection – how much notice the landlord gives before visiting.
• Signatures and witnesses – both parties sign every page; add witnesses if required where you live.

Tip: attach the inventory list as a separate page and take dated photos of each room on move-in day. These photos settle most deposit disputes.

Write the rent and deposit in words, too

Agreements, receipts and cheques should show money in both figures and words, for example ₹18,000 (Rupees Eighteen Thousand only). Writing the amount in words makes it harder to alter and removes doubt if a digit is unclear.

Indian amounts use lakhs and crores, which trips people up. ₹1,50,000 is "Rupees One Lakh Fifty Thousand only", not "One Hundred Fifty Thousand". If you're unsure, type the figure into the Number to Word Converter and copy the exact wording into your agreement. Do the same for the deposit, maintenance amount and any late fee.

Duration, stamp paper and registration: check your state's rules

Many residential agreements in India are written for 11 months and then renewed. Whether your agreement needs stamp paper (or e-stamping), how much stamp duty applies, and whether it must be registered depend on the lease duration and on your state's rules, and these change from time to time.

Before signing:

• Check the latest official rules on your state's registration or revenue department website.
• Ask a local lawyer or registered document writer if the rent is high, the term is long, or the property is commercial.
• Keep the agreement terms the same when moving them onto stamp paper or an e-stamp certificate. The draft you made online is your source text.

A note on stamps: if your business adds a company seal to documents, you can design one with the Digital Stamp Creator. A visual seal is not the same as government stamp paper or stamp duty, and it does not replace a signature where one is legally required.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Vague deposit terms. "Deposit will be returned" isn't enough. State the amount, what can be deducted, and the refund timeline.
• No notice period. Without one, either side can claim surprise when the other wants to leave.
• Missing occupants. List every adult who will live in the property.
• Unsigned pages. Ask both parties to initial every page, not just the last one.
• Only one copy. Keep a signed copy with each party and a scanned PDF in your email or cloud storage.
• Copying another state's template blindly. Rules and customs differ, so adapt the wording to your situation and check local requirements.

After signing: keep records simple

A rental agreement works best alongside good records:

• Collect rent by bank transfer or UPI so every payment has a trail.
• Give or request a rent receipt each month with the amount in figures and words.
• Diary the end date one month in advance so renewal or move-out talks don't become last-minute.
• At move-out, walk through the property with the inventory list and the move-in photos before settling the deposit.

Conclusion

A clear rental agreement takes about 15 minutes to draft and can save months of argument. Collect the details first, build the draft with the free Rental Agreement Builder, run through the clause checklist, write money amounts in words, and confirm your state's stamp duty and registration rules before both sides sign. A few minutes of care now gives both landlord and tenant a smoother tenancy.