California Lease Drafting and Review for Landlords Who Want to Get It Right the First Time
What We Cover in Every Lease We Draft or Review
A well-drafted lease does more than set a rent amount and a move-in date. The provisions that matter most are often the ones landlords overlook — and those gaps are where disputes start.
When we draft or review a lease, we address:
- Rent, due dates, grace periods, and late fee structures compliant with California Civil Code
- Security deposit limits, conditions, and itemization requirements under AB 2801 and current law
- Pet policies, parking, storage, and unit-specific addenda
- Maintenance and repair obligations for both parties
- Entry notice requirements under California law (Civil Code § 1954)
- Lease term, holdover provisions, and month-to-month conversion language
- Subletting and assignment restrictions
- Termination conditions, notice periods, and just-cause requirements where applicable under AB 1482
- Illegal activity, nuisance, and lease violation clauses that support an unlawful detainer if needed
We also flag provisions that are unenforceable under California law — clauses that appear in many standard templates but that courts will not uphold.
California landlord-tenant law is among the most tenant-protective in the country, and a lease that works in another state — or one downloaded from the internet — can leave you exposed in ways you won't discover until a dispute is already in front of a judge. Our attorneys draft and review residential and commercial leases that are built for California compliance from the ground up, not adapted from a generic form.
We work with individual landlords, investors managing multiple units, and property management companies throughout the Long Beach area. Whether you need a lease drafted for a new tenancy or want an existing agreement reviewed before you sign, we make sure the document reflects current law and actually protects your position if something goes wrong.
A Lease Is Your First Line of Defense — and Most Templates Don't Hold Up in Court
Why a Lease Drafted by a Litigation Attorney Is Different
Most lease templates are written to document an agreement. Our leases are drafted with an eye toward what happens if that agreement breaks down.
Our senior partner has practiced real property law since 1996 and brings more than 30 years of real estate industry experience to every document she touches — including prior ownership of a real estate company and leadership of the sales department at First American Title Insurance Company. That background means she understands how transactions, titles, and tenancies intersect in ways that a general-practice attorney typically does not.
Because our firm both drafts documents and litigates disputes, we know exactly which lease provisions courts scrutinize, which clauses fail under cross-examination, and where ambiguous language creates problems for landlords. A lease we draft is designed to support your position from day one — not just to get a signature.
Who We Work With
We represent landlords and property owners across a range of situations:
- First-time landlords renting a single-family home, condo, or ADU for the first time and needing a lease they can rely on
- Self-managing investors with two to ten units who have been using the same template for years and want it reviewed against current California law
- Property management companies operating in Long Beach, Torrance, Lakewood, Cerritos, Seal Beach, and the surrounding corridor who need compliant lease templates for their portfolio
- Landlords converting month-to-month tenancies to fixed-term agreements and needing language that holds up under AB 1482 just-cause requirements
- Commercial landlords leasing retail, office, or light industrial space who need a lease that addresses CAM charges, tenant improvements, exclusivity, and renewal options
If your situation doesn't fit neatly into one of these categories, that's fine. Call us and we'll tell you quickly whether we can help.
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Common Questions About Lease Drafting in California
Can't I just use a lease template from the California Association of Realtors or a legal forms website?
CAR forms are widely used and generally better than generic internet templates, but they are designed to be broadly applicable — not tailored to your specific property, tenancy type, or local requirements. A lease attorney can customize provisions, add enforceable addenda, and flag clauses that don't reflect current law or that create risk for your particular situation.CAR forms are widely used and generally better than generic internet templates, but they are designed to be broadly applicable — not tailored to your specific property, tenancy type, or local requirements. A lease attorney can customize provisions, add enforceable addenda, and flag clauses that don't reflect current law or that create risk for your particular situation.How do I know if my existing lease is still compliant with California law?
California landlord-tenant law changes frequently. AB 1482, AB 2801, local rent control ordinances, and security deposit rule changes have all modified what landlords can and cannot include in a lease. If your lease hasn't been reviewed by an attorney in the past two years, there's a reasonable chance it contains provisions that are no longer enforceable or that expose you to liability.California landlord-tenant law changes frequently. AB 1482, AB 2801, local rent control ordinances, and security deposit rule changes have all modified what landlords can and cannot include in a lease. If your lease hasn't been reviewed by an attorney in the past two years, there's a reasonable chance it contains provisions that are no longer enforceable or that expose you to liability.What's the difference between a lease review and a lease drafting?
A lease review means we read your existing agreement, identify provisions that are unenforceable, missing, or legally risky, and give you a written assessment with recommended changes. Lease drafting means we build the document from scratch based on your property, tenancy type, and goals. Both are useful — drafting is typically the better investment when your current lease has significant gaps or is based on an outdated template.A lease review means we read your existing agreement, identify provisions that are unenforceable, missing, or legally risky, and give you a written assessment with recommended changes. Lease drafting means we build the document from scratch based on your property, tenancy type, and goals. Both are useful — drafting is typically the better investment when your current lease has significant gaps or is based on an outdated template.Do you handle commercial leases as well as residential?
Yes. We draft and review both residential and commercial leases. Commercial lease work often involves additional provisions — CAM reconciliation, tenant improvement allowances, exclusivity clauses, renewal options, and personal guarantees — that require a different level of drafting attention than a standard residential agreement.Yes. We draft and review both residential and commercial leases. Commercial lease work often involves additional provisions — CAM reconciliation, tenant improvement allowances, exclusivity clauses, renewal options, and personal guarantees — that require a different level of drafting attention than a standard residential agreement.If a tenant violates the lease, can you handle the eviction too?
Yes. Because we draft leases and litigate unlawful detainer actions, the same team that prepared your lease can handle the eviction if it comes to that. We file the same day a deadline expires — there's no delay while a new attorney gets up to speed on your situation.Yes. Because we draft leases and litigate unlawful detainer actions, the same team that prepared your lease can handle the eviction if it comes to that. We file the same day a deadline expires — there's no delay while a new attorney gets up to speed on your situation.
Serving Landlords Across Long Beach and the Surrounding Area
Our office is based in Long Beach, and we work with landlords and property owners throughout the South Bay and Orange County corridor. Clients come to us from Torrance, Lakewood, Cerritos, Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Anaheim, Garden Grove, and beyond.
If you're a landlord in the Long Beach area who needs a lease drafted or reviewed, contact our office by phone or through our contact form. We'll tell you what we need from you and give you a clear sense of what the engagement looks like before any commitment is made.
Call Potier Law Group:
562-986-9900
You'll hear back from an attorney — not an assistant — the same day.