How to write a fair guest policy for your lease
A guest policy sets how long a visitor can stay before they count as an occupant, for example 14 days in a row or 30 days in a year. Put the limit and the process for adding an occupant in the lease, apply it to every tenant the same way, and treat anyone staying past it as someone who must apply, not as a reason to punish.
Why does a guest policy matter?
A guest who lives in the unit without being on the lease is an unscreened occupant. They add wear, may breach your occupancy limit and are not bound by the lease. A clear policy gives you a fair way to say "they need to apply or leave" instead of arguing about what "guest" means.
What should the policy say?
- A time limit with a clear count, such as "no more than 14 consecutive nights or 30 nights in any 12 months for the same guest".
- That a guest staying longer must be approved in writing and apply as an occupant.
- That the tenant is responsible for guests' behavior and any damage.
- That total occupants cannot exceed the limit for the unit (see occupancy limits).
- That a guest cannot sublet, rent a room or list the unit on a short-term rental site.
Choose numbers that fit how people really live. A two-week limit allows for visiting family and a partner staying often without making either an occupant overnight.
What does fair housing law limit?
Rules that look neutral can still discriminate. Under the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3604) a landlord may not treat tenants differently because of protected traits such as familial status, disability, religion or national origin. A rule that only the landlord enforces against tenants with children, or against a tenant who has a live-in aide, is a problem. A live-in aide for a disabled tenant may need an accommodation instead, which is covered in reasonable accommodation requests.
Treat the policy as a document, not as a feeling. Enforce it with the same notice for everyone, and keep the dates you relied on.
Be careful about how you learn that a guest has overstayed. Watching tenants' comings and goings, or asking neighbors to report on them, creates its own risk. Rely on what you see in the ordinary course of managing the property: a mail pile addressed to the guest, a second car registered in the lot, a utility change, or a repair visit where you meet the person. Then raise it in writing and ask the tenant to explain.
What if someone stays too long?
- Confirm the facts: dates, who saw the person, and whether they receive mail or park a car.
- Send the tenant a written reminder quoting the clause and offering the application for the guest.
- If the guest applies, screen them the same way as any applicant and add them with a lease addendum if they qualify.
- If they do not apply, send a notice to cure under your state's rules.
Example a made-up lease allows 14 consecutive nights. A visitor has been seen daily for five weeks. The owner sends a reminder with the application link. The visitor applies, passes the same checks as everyone, and is added to the lease with a new rent split.
How DoorKeeping handles it
The lease, any addendum adding an occupant, and the written reminder are stored as documents on the lease, and you email the tenant from DoorKeeping so the date is kept. Ask Claude or ChatGPT to list each lease's occupants and end date. The owner decides who is added and approves the addendum before it goes out. Rent and payments stay in your own bank accounts. DoorKeeping never holds your money and sends a payment only when you approve it.
Sources
- Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. 3604 (Cornell Legal Information Institute), read Oct 30, 2026
- DoorKeeping: Connect Claude or ChatGPT (steps and tools list), read Oct 30, 2026
Questions
- How long can a guest stay in a rental?
- Whatever your lease says. Common limits are 7 to 14 consecutive nights or about 30 nights a year. State law can add rules, so check yours.
- Can I ban overnight guests?
- A total ban is hard to defend and hard to enforce. A time limit is easier, fairer and more likely to hold up.
- Can I charge extra rent for a long-term guest?
- Only if the lease allows it for additional occupants and your state permits it. Adding them to the lease is the cleaner way.
- What if the guest is a live-in aide?
- A live-in aide for a disabled tenant may be a reasonable accommodation, which changes how the rule applies. Read the request carefully before acting.