A rental contract is a legal contract, usually written, that governs the rental agreement that is made between renter and lessor. If property is to be rented, a rental contract is provided by the lessor to set the terms of rental. A rental contract, also called a rental agreement, usually includes these components: payment dates, amount of payment, length of the rental, and other conditions that apply while renting the property. Other conditions may be limitations such as no pets, no smoking, or that utilities are paid by the tenant. Additionally, the contract should specify the property that is being rented and name the two parties involved. Without a rental contract, there is no legal basis for a rental, meaning that neither side has evidence of what was or wasn't promised in the agreement.