What a solid rent contract should include

A written lease protects both landlord and tenant. At minimum, write: full names and IDs, exact address, rent amount and currency, payment dates, deposit amount and conditions for return, who pays utilities, duration, and how either side may end the contract. Attach a simple inventory of furniture and meter readings on move-in day. Keep WhatsApp chat as backup, but do not rely on chat alone for the core terms. If you pay months in advance, record every receipt. Ambiguous verbal deals are the most common source of disputes we see on Aqar Iraq inquiries.