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Lease agreement: free South African template

Updated 8 October 2026 by Timo van Deventer, Senior AI Product Specialist

Short answer

A lease agreement is a written contract between a landlord and a tenant that sets out the rent, deposit, length of the lease and each side's duties. The ECTA does not make a lease of immovable property for more than 20 years valid (section 4(4) and Schedule 2), so check with an attorney before signing one of those electronically.
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RESIDENTIAL LEASE AGREEMENT

This lease is entered into between [Landlord name] ("the Landlord") and [Tenant name] ("the Tenant").

1. Property. The Landlord lets to the Tenant the property at [Address].

2. Period. The lease starts on [Start date] and runs for [12] months.

3. Rent. The Tenant pays R [amount] a month, in advance, on or before the [1st] of each month.

4. Deposit. The Tenant pays a deposit of R [amount] before taking occupation…

What a South African lease should include

Use this list to check any lease before it is signed.

  • Names and ID numbers of both parties
  • The property's full address
  • Rent, due date and increases
  • Deposit amount and how it is held
  • Start date, length and notice period
  • Who pays for water, electricity and repairs
  • Joint inspection at the start and the end
  • House rules, pets and subletting

With Kwalify

Skip the printing, scanning and chasing

Kwalify takes your tenant through the whole application on WhatsApp. It asks for their details and documents, checks them against your rules, fills in this lease, gets it signed and collects the deposit.

  1. AsksDetails, ID and payslips, in the chat.
  2. DecidesApplies your rules, such as rent no more than a third of income.
  3. ChasesReminds the tenant until everything is in.
See how it works

Lease agreement questions

Can a lease be signed electronically in South Africa?
Schedule 2 of the ECTA lists an agreement for a lease of immovable property for more than 20 years among the transactions the Act does not make valid (section 4(4)). Shorter leases are not in Schedule 2. If you're unsure about a lease, check with an attorney.
What are the legal requirements for a lease in South Africa?
The Rental Housing Act sets the basics: the names and addresses of both parties, a description of the property, the rent and how it increases, the deposit, the notice period and each side's duties. The deposit must be kept in an interest-bearing account, and landlord and tenant inspect the property together at the start and the end.
What is the standard format for a lease agreement?
Parties, property, lease period, rent, deposit, utilities and repairs, inspections, house rules, notice and cancellation, then signatures. The checklist above follows the same order as this template.
What is a sublease agreement?
A lease between the tenant and someone they rent all or part of the property to. Most leases, including this one, need the landlord's written permission first.
Is a tenancy agreement the same as a rental agreement?
Yes. Lease, rental agreement and tenancy agreement mean the same thing in South Africa. The name does not change what the contract must include.

Related documents

Get the lease, and the easier way to sign it

We'll email you the template when it's ready, and message you when Kwalify opens.

This template is general information, not legal advice.

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