How do you write house rules for tenants with ChatGPT or Claude?
Tell your assistant the property type, the real problems you want to prevent and your state, and ask for short numbered rules in plain words with the reason for each. Then cut every rule you will not enforce, check each one for fair housing and state law, and attach the final list to the lease as an addendum the tenant signs. A rule that is not in the lease or addendum is hard to enforce.
Why write rules down at all
Most disputes with tenants start with an unwritten expectation: where to park, when a party must end, what goes in the trash room. A short list of rules gives both sides the same answer before an argument starts. It also gives you a fair, consistent reason when you ask a tenant to change something.
An assistant is useful here because the hard part is wording, not ideas. It can turn "people keep leaving bikes in the hallway" into a clear sentence a tenant can follow, and it can produce the same list in a calmer tone if the first draft sounds harsh.
A prompt that gives usable rules
- Write house rules for a [type of property, for example 6-unit apartment building or single-family rental] in [state]. These are the real problems I want to prevent: [list, for example noise after 10 pm, trash left in hallways, parking in the wrong space].
- Write each rule as one short numbered sentence in plain words, then one line saying why the rule exists. Do not add rules I did not ask for.
- Do not write any rule about who may live here, visitors' backgrounds, children, religion, or anything tied to a protected class. Flag any rule of mine that could be read that way.
- End with a short list of the rules most likely to need a state-specific check, and say what to check.
The third line matters. House rules can break fair housing law by accident, usually through rules about children or about who counts as a guest.
Keep only the rules you will enforce
A long list you do not enforce teaches tenants that rules are optional, and it makes the ones you do enforce look arbitrary. Go through the draft and cut anything that is not tied to a real problem at your property. Aim for a page.
| Keep | Cut |
|---|---|
| Quiet hours, with start and end times | A rule about how tenants decorate their own unit inside, unless it affects safety or damage |
| Trash and recycling days and where bins go | A rule you have never checked |
| Parking: assigned spaces, no storage of unregistered vehicles | Duplicated lease terms in different words |
| Common areas: no storage in hallways or stairs (fire safety) | Anything that mentions family size or visitors |
Check the draft before it goes out
- Fair housing. Read every rule and ask: does it treat some tenants differently, or could it limit families with children, people with disabilities or assistance animals? The Fair Housing Act protects race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status and disability, and many states add more. For pools and playgrounds, see rules for children and pools.
- Your lease. A house rule cannot contradict the lease. If the lease says you may enter on 24 hours' notice, the rules cannot say 48.
- State and local law. Noise, quiet hours, smoking and short-term rentals are often set by city or state rules. Look up the local rule and make sure yours is not stricter than the law allows.
- Plain words. Hand the list to someone who is not in the business. If they have to ask what a rule means, rewrite it.
Make the rules part of the lease
Attach the final list to the lease as an addendum and have the tenant sign it, so the rules are part of the agreement. Add the date, the property and the unit. When you change the rules later, issue a new version for tenants to sign at renewal or follow your lease and state rules for changing terms during a tenancy.
Example a made-up 6-unit building has a rule "Quiet hours are 10 pm to 7 am. Why: neighbors work early." The next month a tenant plays loud music at 11:30 pm. With a signed addendum, the first message you send can say "Rule 1 in the house rules you signed on March 1 sets quiet hours at 10 pm. Please keep the music down after that." Without one, you are asking a favor, not pointing to an agreement.
How DoorKeeping handles it
With your assistant connected to DoorKeeping, you can ask it to draft a notice to a tenant, and the draft waits in your approvals queue until you review and send it. Signed lease documents and who signed them are kept with the lease, so you can find the version with the addendum later. Rent stays in your own bank account, and anything involving money waits for your approval. DoorKeeping gives no legal advice: house rules that touch on state law or fair housing deserve a check against the statute or by your own attorney.
Sources
- HUD: Fair Housing Act overview, read Oct 30, 2026
- DoorKeeping: Connect Claude or ChatGPT (steps and tools list), read Oct 30, 2026
Questions
- Can a landlord set house rules after the lease is signed?
- Often only with the tenant's agreement or by following the lease and your state's rules for changing terms. The safest way is to include the rules before signing or add them at renewal.
- Are house rules legally enforceable?
- A rule in a signed lease or addendum that is lawful and applied equally to everyone is usually the strongest footing. Whether a particular rule holds depends on your state, so check local law.
- Can ChatGPT check my rules for fair housing problems?
- It can point out wording that looks risky, but it is not a legal reviewer. Treat its flags as a reason to look closer, then check HUD guidance and your state law.
- How many rules should a rental have?
- Only as many as you will enforce, usually a page or less. Each rule should answer a problem that actually happens at your property.