Seven Places Your Lease Template Falls Out of Compliance.

A plain-English checklist for independent landlords and property managers — the deposit cap, late fees, notice rules, and move-out language most likely to be out of date.

• ✓Security deposit cap — one month's rent as of January 1, 2026
• ✓Deposit return & itemization requirements (and the treble-damages risk)
• ✓Prohibited clauses: jury-trial waivers and one-way attorney-fee language
• ✓Late fee cap, the 7-day grace period, and the "additional rent" trap
• ✓Repair-and-deduct notice windows (24hr emergency / 96hr non-emergency)
• ✓Rent-increase frequency and non-renewal notice rules
• ✓Move-out and damage-assessment language that actually holds up