A lease contract creates rights and obligations for both the landlord and the tenant. The latter must, for example, pay the price due to the owner, in the form of a monthly annuity, since this is a rental, this includes rent and rental charges.
In order to avoid any litigation, it is strongly advised to protect oneself with documents which can testify to the payments. These include rent receipts.
What is a rent receipt used for?
As mentioned above, all tenants should protect themselves from potential litigation, through documents proving that they have indeed made the payments due to them.
Thanks to the rent receipts that are given by the owner to the tenant, the latter has the indisputable means to prove the payment of his rents. Thus, in case of accusation of unpaid rent, the tenant can be recognized innocent thanks to this document.
This is why it is strongly advised to ensure that you keep the rent receipts for five years, in case these are the only means of proof at your disposal to prove the payment of your obligations as a tenant. Indeed, there are other means of proof such as bank transfers and payments by check. These have the same value as a rent receipt.
If five years and not more are specified, it is because the landlord cannot sue you for unpaid rent dating back more than five years.
On the other hand, if you are looking for a home to rent, you can strengthen your file with your potential owner by inserting your old rent receipts, because this is proof demonstrating your seriousness, -to your former owners.
Thus, the future owner will notice your reliability, something that will give him confidence, which gives you more chances of obtaining the rental of the dwelling.
Form requirements
To be validly used as evidence, the rent receipt must contain certain elements, considered mandatory in order to retain its probative value.
First, the rent receipt must contain the name and address of the landlord and those of the tenant. It is also necessary to mention the amount paid for the occupation of the dwelling, without omitting the charges.
Finally, it is necessary to add the signature of the owner, otherwise it would no longer have any legal value, especially in the event of a dispute. It is therefore essential to ensure that the owner affixes his signature.
Note that it is possible to find on the internet, free models of rent receipt to download. This makes it possible to have complete content so as not to be mistaken. Above all, do not let a landlord refuse to give you your rent receipt, because he has an obligation to let you know, if you ask for it, even after the termination of the lease contract between you.
