For the most part, the owner of the equipment will be responsible for completing the form. However, the lessee will have the opportunity to go over the entire contract with them before they sign. Additionally, the lessee will have the opportunity to ask for clarifications about any points they don’t understand or didn’t agree to.
A rental agreement does more than just note the amount of rent a person pays. Rental agreements are legally binding contracts. They’re designed to protect both the lender and the leaser. You should take advantage of the opportunity to use the agreement to preserve your equipment’s value and limit your own potential liability.
Forms will contain the standard information you’d expect: descriptions of all of the pieces of equipment, including their condition upon release to the leaser; the length of time the leaser plans to use the equipment; the dates at which operation will commence and conclude; the amount the leaser is paying for the equipment; and whether the leaser has given any consideration to a lease-to-own clause.
But they can also contain other information for your peace of mind. These contracts are a way of establishing rules regarding which parties are responsible for what, and how your equipment can be treated. You can implement clauses noting the following:
Places where the equipment can be used, along with ways it can be used
Whether the lender or renter is responsible for the maintenance and repair of their rental items
Whether the equipment rental requires a damage deposit
Whether outstanding rental balances will have interest added, along with the interest rate
If the renter intends to use the equipment for a long time, you should strongly consider adding an option to purchase clause. This gives the renter the right to buy the equipment when their leasing period expires. The rental agreement can be used to establish your purchase price or to indicate that you’re open to price negotiations after the lease ends.