The apartment rental agreement is the agreement that is made to govern an arrangement of tenancy between a landlord and tenant. This agreement, which must be written or oral, is usually set to be month to month (30 days), unlike leases, which are usually of a long term nature. The agreement serves as a contract for all legal purposes of the tenancy. This agreement defines the terms of the agreement that will apply during the lease, and also seals both parties to abide by these terms. Since an apartment rental agreement is short term, it can also prove to be more flexible than other agreements, such as leases. However, due to the fact that many rental agreements are month to month, the terms of the agreement may be modified between months. This can be a problem if the landlord is inclined to change the terms irregularly, especially rent. Other important terms of the apartment rental agreement will probably include names of tenants, property being rented, payment for rent, the deposit, and other terms that apply to using the property.