How can leases be more of a useful tool to manage the landlord-tenant relationship? At the start of this relationship, a lease could:
- lay out responsibilities and obligations clearly
- let people know what to do if things go wrong
- connect people to services in case they’re anticipating a problem (like around rent payments, especially)
- give a sense of trust and mutual respect
This lease from the information design agency Hey Plain Jane shows what a lease could be.
Model visual design lease
What makes a well-designed lease?
- Grouping into strategic sections, so that a person can scan for the most important messages & dig into the details where they’re most concerned.
- Light illustrations that complement the text, and help the reader visualize & understand what’s being discussed
- Plain language that reflects how people normally talk about these issues
- Streamlining into a cover sheet like this one that summarizes the key points — and text afterwards, in subsequent pages can detail more
- Use of lists and bullet points to break apart large passages into actionable steps
