Legitimate Free Legal Blog.
You be the judge and jury of the latest news!

Sep 20, 2024

Which Power of Attorney Form will Serve Your Needs Best?

You don't need the broad permission typically found in a general power of attorney if you only wish your agent, for example, to sell a vehicle on your behalf.

It's very easy to stipulate exactly what, how and for how long you would like your appointed agent to perform any functions for you.

Start off by going through our general guidelines and then choose from our variety of free power of attorney forms to download the specific document that is most suitable for your requirements.

Continue reading "Which Power of Attorney Form will Serve Your Needs Best?"

Sep 18, 2024

Rental Applications - Legal Guidelines

Landlords need to find the best tenant for a rental property but also need to show no bias or discrimination.

So, on what basis can you reject an applicant and how do you need to word your rejection notice?

And how do you assess affordability or should you consider having a third party sign as guarantor?

We'll guide you through many of these (and other) questions and supply the relevant free legal forms and documents.

Continue reading "Rental Applications - Legal Guidelines"

Sep 16, 2024

Important Facts About Your Last Will and Testament...

When you draft or review your document or you've been appointed as executor in the will of someone who passed away, you may want to consider the following:

• What can make a will invalid?
• When can a person be disqualified from inheriting?
• Can another person sign a will on behalf of the will maker?
• What is a Testamentary Trust?

Continue reading "Important Facts About Your Last Will and Testament..."

Sep 13, 2024

Buying or Selling a Boat Privately?

It's very simple to spell out the terms and conditions of your transaction.

Take a look at the two free templates we've compiled:

• Where a single payment will conclude the transaction. We've also added an optional clause if a holding deposit will be paid initially.
• Where multiple payments will be made.

Review the guidelines and download or print your sample document.

Continue reading "Buying or Selling a Boat Privately?"

Sep 11, 2024

How to Manage Your Renovations or Constructions

If you're planning to do alterations or a new building project, then cast your eye over our checklist to see whether you've covered:

• Warranty on materials and workmanship
• Insurance by both parties
• Progress payments and the issuing of lien waivers and releases
• The scope of the work
  ...and so much more.

We also provide a variety of free printable contracts and forms for every step or your project.

Continue reading "How to Manage Your Renovations or Constructions"

Sep 09, 2024

Time to Become a Landlord?

There's always a buzz in various media about investment property opportunities - whether commercial or residential - and whether you should or should not put your money in bricks and mortar.

We have always maintained that there's never a really bad time to invest in property. One would try not to buy when the market favors the sellers, but not having a crystal ball, it will be difficult to predict when the market will be at the optimum for buying.

The bigger question is WHERE to invest.

COVID caused many more people to work from home with an increased need for home office space. People also increasingly look towards suburbia because there is no need to commute to city offices.

Take a look at our tips and free legal forms for landlords to assist you with managing your tenants and rental portfolio.

Continue reading "Time to Become a Landlord?"

Sep 06, 2024

Progress Payments to a Contractor - Why and When and How!

Apart from managing your cash flow and contractor effectively, there are a number of other very important reasons for determining the payment stages of your building or renovation project:

• Will you have anything to show (building materials) for the deposit you paid?
• Will you be getting receipts and more importantly, lien releases at every progress payment?
• Will the work pass the relevant inspections by the authorities prior to your paying for that work?
• How much money will be retained to cover items on the snag list and within what timeframe must that be addressed?
  etc.

We also supply a free contractor agreement and lien waiver forms to assist you with your project.

Continue reading "Progress Payments to a Contractor - Why and When and How!"

Sep 04, 2024

Lawn Care Contracts

Are you thinking of handing this chore over to a professional company?

Or are you an independent contractor offering this service?

We consider the interests of both parties when drafting our legal documents.

Take a look at our free Lawn Care Contract and the accompanying Lawn Care Schedule that outlines the scope of the work and details the obligations of both parties.

Continue reading "Lawn Care Contracts"

Sep 02, 2024

Hands-on Landlord vs Handing Over to a Property Management Company?

Although we believe in hands-on management of our properties, there are instances where it makes sense to use a property management company.

For example, you may not have the time or the properties may be in a different city etc.

To help you decide, we take a look at:

• Which services are on offer and how much does a Property Management Company charge for their services?
• Will vacation rentals be charged for at a higher rate?
• Who makes the payments for property repairs?

And we supply a number of free contract forms to formalize your service agreement.

Continue reading "Hands-on Landlord vs Handing Over to a Property Management Company?"

Aug 30, 2024

Free Instalment Sale Agreement

You may be selling property where an initial down payment will be made with the balance payable over a period of time.

• Would you be adding interest, and how much interest can you charge?
• How would you address late payments?
• Would you record a lien on the property?
  etc.

We provide answers to these questions and supply a free template for your use to formalize your transaction.

Continue reading "Free Instalment Sale Agreement"

Aug 28, 2024

Group Model Release Forms

Do you need a model release for people at an event?

Can you take photographs of people in public without a release form?

Where and when are you allowed to use images of groups of people without their written consent?

Take a look at our legal guidelines and use our free release forms where you need to.

Continue reading "Group Model Release Forms"

Aug 26, 2024

How to Sublet a Property - Easily Done With a Sublease Agreement

Our free templates make provision for you to sublet a property in its entirety or sublet a portion or portions e.g. a room in a house, shared kitchen etc.

There are 4 important steps to follow when subletting:

• Review the original lease agreement to ascertain if you are allowed to sublet and what is required of you and how you can facilitate the agreement.
• Submit a written request to your landlord. We show you how to go about it with our sample letter.
• Negotiate the rental and security amounts.
• Download the best suitable free agreement and forms.

We cover all the above with our legal guidelines and as always provide the applicable forms for you to print or download.

Continue reading "How to Sublet a Property - Easily Done With a Sublease Agreement"

Aug 23, 2024

Room Rental Agreement - How to Cover the Important Points

Our free room rental agreement is a simple form that addresses the pertinent points in this type of lease contract.

It makes provision for other agreements such as maintenance and cleaning, conduct rules of the Homeowners Association, inventory etc. to be attached and recognised as part of the whole agreement.

It is available as a printable room rental template, or it can be downloaded as a fillable PDF or Word Doc.

If you need to make provision for a substitute tenant at any time, simply use the free room rental addendum and attach that to your original agreement.

Continue reading "Room Rental Agreement - How to Cover the Important Points"

Aug 21, 2024

Roommate Rules Agreement

Creating harmonious accommodation is key when a number of people are sharing a property.

Our free roommate lease agreement is a legal document which identifies the rights, liabilities and duties of roommates.

We also supply a separate rotating chore chart showing the daily, weekly and monthly cleaning schedule.

Continue reading "Roommate Rules Agreement"

Aug 19, 2024

Renting Out a Room

Renting out a room in your home, a basement room or garage apartment can be of financial benefit to a homeowner.

A landlord could generate more income if he's renting a property by the room to a number of tenants.

And tenants could afford better quality accommodation and the lifestyle that comes with it, when they collectively rent a property.

Take a look at our guidelines for calculating the room rental, house rules and various free room rental agreements.

Continue reading "Renting Out a Room"