Forms
Disclaimer: The forms on this page may be used by landlords and their staff members or agents, but it is highly recommended that they first be reviewed by an attorney to ensure they are appropriate for the particular situation. No liability is assumed by Jones, Powell and Stevens, LLC or its personnel for defective notices unless we have been specifically consulted with regard to a particular notice being given.
Notice: Selection of appropriate forms and proper completion of forms is crucial to obtaining good legal results. Therefore, please carefully read the “Notes on Use” which accompany each form.
All forms are available in Portable Document Format (PDF). Most are also available in Word formats so they can be edited.
Available Forms:
Tenant-Screening Forms
• Form 1 – Rental Application
• Form 2 – Resources for Background Checks
• Form 3 – Statement of Credit Denial
Forms Needed by JPS for Lawsuits/Evictions
• Form 4 – superseded and no longer used
• Form 5 – Request to File Landlord-Tenant Lawsuit (superseded – see notes below)
• Form 6 – Verification of Petition
Security Deposit Forms
• Form 7 – Security Deposit Guidelines
• Form 8 – Notice of Security Deposit Inspection
• Form 9 – Security Deposit Statement
Abandonment Forms
• Form 11 – Abandonment Notice-Statutory
• Form 12 – Abandonment Notice-Statutory-Guidelines
Rent-and-Possession Forms
• Form 13 – Demand for Rent and Possession
• Form 14 – Notice of Successor Owner
Non-Renewal of Lease Form
• Form 15 – Notice of Non-Renewal of Lease
Pre-Suit Notices for Unlawful Detainer Cases
• Form 16 – Trespass Notice
• Form 17 – Demand for Possession-No Lease or Squatter
• Form 18 – Demand for Rent-Common Law Forfeiture
• Form 19 – Notice to Terminate Month-to-Month Lease
• Form 20 – Notice to Terminate Mobile Home Lot Lease
• Form 21 – Notice Terminating Lease-No Cure
• Form 23 – Notice to Terminate Tenancy at Sufferance
Expedited Eviction Form
• Form 24 – Notice of Intent to File Expedited Eviction
Execution for Possession Form
• Form 25 – Request for Execution for Possession
Other Forms
• Form 26 – Conditional Agreement to Refrain from Execution for Possession
Form 1 – Rental Application
Notes on Use
This form is designed to collect information from prospective tenants so you can decide whether or not to rent to them. By signing this form, the prospective tenant authorizes you to perform background checks including a credit report.
This 2-page form can be printed back-to-back to save paper. You can edit the Word version of this form to include your name at the top – for example, “AB Rentals – Rental Application.”
Top of PageForm 2 – Resources for Background Checks
Notes on Use
This form repeats the information available on the Screening Tenants page. It is included here in PDF format to provide an easy way to print the information on one sheet of paper.
Top of PageForm 3 – Statement of Credit Denial
Notes on Use
If you obtain a credit report on a prospective tenant and decide not to rent to that person at least partially because of something you saw in the credit report, you are required by federal law to provide this form to the prospective tenant.
For “Description of Account, Transaction or Requested Credit,” insert the words “residential lease.”
For “Description of Action Taken,” insert “residential lease denied.”
Use the blanks below to check off the applicable types of information from the credit report that you found unacceptable. Be sure the sign the form and keep a copy for your files.
Top of PageForm 5 – Request to File Landlord-Tenant Lawsuit
Notes on Use
JPS requests that cases be submitted through our online Client Portal instead of submitting them on Form 5. Read about the Client Portal here.
However, there are two continuing uses for Form 5:
- You can review the form to see what information will be requested on our Client Portal.
- If for some reason, you are unable to use our Client Portal, we will accept a case submission using this form, but we will process the case through the portal because the portal creates the documents needed for our cases.
You can get Form 5 from one of these links:
- Plain PDF – suitable for printing and filling out by hand or on a typewriter
- Fillable PDF – can be filled out and saved in Adobe Acrobat Reader or other PDF programs (see note below)
- Tip #1 – Download and save the form. Fill out the first page and re-save the form. Then use that version for future cases.
- Tip #2 – Some browser PDF viewers will not allow you to fill out a PDF form online. In that case, you need to download the form to your computer and open the saved form in your PDF application.
Important notes
- In various places, Form 5 inquires whether particular documents exist, and, if so, asks you to attach copies of the documents. Don’t forget to provide those documents when you submit Form 5.
- Make absolutely sure the premises address you provide on Form 5 is correct. Double-check the street number, apartment number or letter if applicable, and the correct name of the street (e.g., “street,” “road,” “avenue,” “drive,” etc.). If there is any error at all in the premises address, the Sheriff’s Department may refuse to enforce an execution for possession. Good resources for checking street names are the U.S. Postal Service ZIP code lookup page and map services such as Google Maps.
- Be sure to name all adults living at the premises as defendants because the sheriff will only evict persons against whom you have a judgment for possession. If you do not know the names of some of the adult occupants, you can use John Doe, Jane Doe, etc. Do not name any minor children as defendants because they cannot be sued without having a court-appointed attorney represent them, which will entail additional time and expense. (We have observed that minor children depart when the adults leave.)
- Starting with Version 8 of Adobe Acrobat Reader, it is possible to complete and save a fillable PDF form if the form has been set up by the designer to allow saving. The fillable PDF form above was set up to allow saving. If you have problems saving the fillable PDF form using Acrobat Reader, we recommend that you update the program. To do so, click “Check for Updates” on the help menu in the program. Starting with Version 11 of Acrobat Reader, the program allows saving filled-out PDF forms whether or not the designer set up the form to allow saving. If you do not have Acrobat Reader, it is a free download. PDF programs from companies other than Adobe also may allow filling out and saving a fillable PDF form.
Form 6 – Verification of Petition
Notes on Use
The verification form is attached to a lawsuit petition. By signing this form, the landlord or agent verifies that the information to be included in the lawsuit is true. Not only is a verification a legal requirement for most types of landlord-tenant lawsuits, but also it serves as a form of evidence which allows the court to enter a default judgment in your favor if the tenant fails to appear at the first court appearance. We must have an original handwritten signature on this form.
While it is legally possible to file a verification form after the lawsuit is filed (but before the first court appearance), there will be a surcharge of $10 for the additional work involved in doing so.
Top of PageForm 7 – Security Deposit Guidelines
Notes on Use
This informational form repeats the information on the Security Deposits page and is provided here so you can print the information in a compact format. These guidelines should be carefully reviewed and used in conjunction with Form 8 and Form 9 below.
Top of PageForm 8 – Notice of Security Deposit Inspection
Notes on Use
The security deposit statute requires you to given written notice, or oral in-person notice, of the date and time when you will conduct an inspection after the end of the lease to determine what deductions, if any, will be made from the security deposit. You can use this form to give written notice. The blanks in the form are self-explanatory.
Top of PageForm 9 – Security Deposit Statement
Notes on Use
Within 30 days after the end of a lease, the security deposit statute requires you to either refund the tenant’s entire security deposit or provide the tenant with a written statement itemizing the deductions from the security deposit and refund the balance of the deposit (if any). Find more information about security deposits on the Security Deposits page.
This form will suffice as the required written statement. The blanks in this form are self-explanatory. Be sure to keep a copy of the statement for your files, noting the date it was mailed.
Top of PageForm 11 – Abandonment Notice – Statutory
Notes on Use
See the discussion of “Removal of Property from Abandoned Premises” on the Missouri Law page.
This form can be used by a landlord to provide protection against property-loss claims when a tenant has abandoned property at the leased premises and the statutory conditions are met.
Study Form 12 below to determine if the statutory conditions have been met. The blanks in Form 11 are self-explanatory. Be sure to post and mail the notice in strict compliance with the guidelines in Form 12 below and keep a copy for your file with the certified mail receipt attached.
Top of PageForm 12 – Abandonment Notice – Statutory – Guidelines
Notes on Use
This informational form repeats and expands upon information in the discussion of “Removal of Property from Abandoned Premises” on the Missouri Law page. Be sure to study the guidelines carefully to understand what is required by the statute so you can properly post and mail the notice.
Top of PageForm 13 – Demand for Rent and Possession
Notes on Use
Missouri law requires that before a rent-and-possession lawsuit can be filed, the landlord must demand from the tenant payment of the amount of rent due at the time of the demand if the amount of unpaid rent is less than one month’s rent (pre-suit demand is not required if at least one full month’s rent is due).
However, even if more than one full month’s rent is due, it may be wise to make a formal demand for rent before suing to avoid the time and expense of a lawsuit if the tenant pays promptly after the demand is made.
A demand for rent can be made orally, but may be easier to prove if a written demand is served. This form will serve as a written demand for rent.
The blanks in this form are self-explanatory. Fill out the original of the form to fit the particular situation.
If there is more than one tenant to be served, make copies for the additional tenants.
Also make two more copies – one for your office file and one for your attorney if it becomes necessary to file suit. The service information at the bottom of the form does not have to be completed on the copy or copies served on the tenant(s); however, the service information should be completed on your office copy and attorney’s copy.
Service Instructions
Again, this form is not legally required if at least one full month’s rent is unpaid. However, it is often a good idea to give this notice to the tenant to see if payment is forthcoming before going to the time and expense of a lawsuit. In this situation, because there is no legal requirement for the notice, it can be served by any convenient means, including regular mail, email, and posting on the door.
If less than one month’s rent is unpaid, a pre-suit demand (request) for payment must be made. However, the demand can be made orally in person or over the telephone. If the notice form is used in this situation, the notice must actually be handed in person to the tenant. However, if the lease says that all tenants are agents of other tenants for the purpose of receiving notices, the notice can be handed to only one of the tenants. Further, if your lease provides for other methods of serving notices, you can use any method authorized by your lease.
Top of PageForm 14 – Notice of Successor Owner
Notes on Use
Missouri law requires that when property subject to existing leases is transferred to a new owner, the new owner must give a written notice to the tenants before the new owner is entitled to sue them for rent-and-possession. This form is designed to meet that legal requirement.
Note that a copy of the new owner’s deed must be attached to the notice.
The blanks at the top of this form are self-explanatory. In the first paragraph, in order, the information needed for the blanks is as follows:
- Name of former owner
- Date of deed
- Date deed was recorded
- Date rent obligation to new owner started (should be same as date of deed in most cases)
If a tenant owes rent at the time the notice is to be given, the lower part of the notice can also be used; if so, the details of the tenant’s rent arrearage should be set out at the end of paragraph “a.”
Fill out the original of the form to fit the particular situation.
If there is more than one tenant to be served, make copies for the additional tenants.
Also make two more copies – one for your office file and one for your attorney if it becomes necessary to file suit. The service information at the bottom of the form does not have to be completed on the copy or copies served on the tenant(s); however, the service information should be completed on your office copy and attorney’s copy.
Service Instructions
You must be able to prove (if it is disputed) that this notice was received by the tenant. The best way to do this is to personally hand the notice to the tenant. Alternatively, you can try certified mail with return receipt requested, but you won’t be able to prove receipt by the tenant unless the tenant signs the receipt and it is returned to you by the Postal Service.
Top of PageForm 15 – Notice of Non-Renewal of Lease
Notes on Use
If a written lease states a definite termination date, no notice is necessary that the lease will not be renewed unless the lease contains language requiring such a notice from the landlord. Even if a non-renewal notice is not required by the lease, landlords may want to use such a notice as a courtesy and/or to make it clear that the tenant is expected to vacate by the termination date of the lease.
On the other hand, if the lease does require a non-renewal notice, this form can be used for that purpose.
Another occasion to use this form is when you have reason to believe the tenant does not plan to vacate at the end of the lease, and you want to make clear to the tenant the consequences of failure to vacate. In this situation, giving this notice also will enhance your chances of collecting “double damages” (twice the fair rental value) for the time the tenant holds over after the lease termination date.
The blanks in this form are self-explanatory.
This notice may be mailed to the tenant by first-class mail. Keep a copy in your file noting when it was mailed.
Top of PageForm 16 – Trespass Notice
Notes on Use
Landlords occasionally encounter situations in which unauthorized persons use the landlord’s pool, fitness room, or other amenities. If a trespasser has not been given permission by anyone (including other tenants) to do so, serving the trespasser with this form may discourage the trespasser from entering upon the landlord’s premises in the future. In addition, law enforcement may require that the person be given a trespass notice before taking action against the trespasser.
This form can either be handed to the trespasser or posted in a location on the premises where the trespasser is likely to see it.
The blanks in this form are self-explanatory. Fill out the form to fit the particular situation.
If there is more than one trespasser to be served, make copies for the additional trespasser(s).
Also make two more copies – one for your office file and one for the police if they must be called to remove the trespasser. The service information at the bottom of the form does not have to be completed on the copy or copies served on the trespasser. However, the service information should be completed on your office copy and the copy for the police.
If the trespasser is actually living on the landlord’s property, use Form 17, not this form.
Top of PageForm 17 – Demand for Possession – No Lease or Squatter
Notes on Use
Occasionally situations arise in which a tenant gives permission to a person to live at a landlord’s property. Even if the tenant had no legal authority to give such permission (and under most leases the tenant would not have such authority), the police generally would not treat the person as a trespasser and remove him without court action.
Another situation that sometimes occurs is that a person living at a landlord’s property is really nothing more than a “squatter,” but for some reason the police decide not to treat the person as a trespasser.
In either of these situations, the landlord must serve a “demand for possession” on the unauthorized person and then can immediately file suit for unlawful detainer if the person fails to vacate. This form is designed to be used in either of these situations.
The blanks in this form are self-explanatory. Fill out the original of the form to fit the particular situation.
If there is more than one person to be served, make copies for the additional persons. Also make two more copies – one for your office file and one for your attorney if it becomes necessary to file suit. The service information at the bottom of the form does not have to be completed on the copy or copies served on the person(s); however, the service information should be completed on your office copy and attorney’s copy.
Service Instructions
The first three steps below must be performed in the order listed:
- First, the person serving the notice must attempt to hand the notice to the tenant in person.
- Second, if the tenant will not come to the door but another person who is at least 15 years old comes to the door, the notice may be handed to that other person.
- Third, if no one answers the door, the notice may be posted (taped) on the door.
- The person serving the notice must then certify the service on an extra copy of the notice by inserting the date of service, checking which of the three service options was used, and signing the certificate of service in the presence of a notary public. The notarization should then be completed.
Form 18 – Demand for Rent – Common Law Forfeiture
Notes on Use
To understand the use of this form, see the caution about suing for unlawful detainer based on non-payment of rent on the Missouri Law page (part of the Unlawful Detainer discussion).
If you want to sue for unlawful detainer for non-payment of rent and your lease does not include language waiving the common law rule discussed there, you must give this notice before filing suit. If the tenant does not pay all rent due within 10 days after service of the notice, an unlawful detainer case may be filed.
The blanks in this form are self-explanatory. Fill out the original of the form to fit the particular situation.
If there is more than one tenant to be served, make copies for the additional tenants. Also make two more copies – one for your office file and one for your attorney if it becomes necessary to file suit. The service information at the bottom of the form does not have to be completed on the copy or copies served on the tenant(s); however, the service information should be completed on your office copy and attorney’s copy.
Service Instructions
This form must be personally handed to each tenant. However, if the lease says that all tenants are agents of other tenants for the purpose of receiving notices, the notice can be handed to only one of the tenants. If the lease specifies methods for serving notices, you may use any method authorized by the lease.
Top of PageForm 19 – Notice to Terminate Month-to-Month Lease
Notes on Use
The law applicable to this form is discussed in the “Oral Leases” section on the Missouri Law page.
To obtain the desired results, it is crucial that you time the service of the notice properly. This notice takes effect one month after the next rent due date. For example, assuming rent is due on the first day of, say, June, a notice served before June 1 will terminate the lease at the end of June; however, a notice served on or after June 1 would not terminate the lease until the end of July.
The correct termination date must be stated in the notice. Otherwise, a new notice with the correct termination date will need to be prepared and served.
If the tenant fails to vacate by the termination date established by the notice, an unlawful detainer case may be filed.
The blanks in this form are self-explanatory. Fill out the original of the form to fit the particular situation.
If there is more than one tenant to be served, make copies for the additional tenants. Also make two more copies – one for your office file and one for your attorney if it becomes necessary to file suit. The service information at the bottom of the form does not have to be completed on the copy or copies served on the tenant(s); however, the service information should be completed on your office copy and attorney’s copy.
Service Instructions
The first three steps below must be performed in the order listed:
- First, the person serving the notice must attempt to hand the notice to the tenant in person.
- Second, if the tenant will not come to the door but another person who is at least 15 years old comes to the door, the notice may be handed to that other person.
- Third, if no one answers the door, the notice may be posted (taped) on the door.
- The person serving the notice must then certify the service on an extra copy of the notice by inserting the date of service, checking which of the three service options was used, and signing the certificate of service in the presence of a notary public. The notarization should then be completed.
Form 20 – Notice to Terminate Month-to-Month Mobile Home Lot Lease
Notes on Use
This form applies when you want to terminate a month-to-month lease a mobile home lot or land on which is parked a mobile home owned by the tenant.
A statutory change enacted in 1997 requires a 60-day notice in such cases in order to give the tenant time to move the mobile home.
The same considerations apply when using this form as for Form 19, except that a notice given before a rent due date will terminate the lease effective two months from the rent due date (e.g., a notice given before June 1 would terminate the lease at the end of July).
The blanks in this form are self-explanatory. If the tenant fails to vacate by the termination date established by the notice, an unlawful detainer case may be filed.
Fill out the original of the form to fit the particular situation.
If there is more than one tenant to be served, make copies for the additional tenants. Also make two more copies – one for your office file and one for your attorney if it becomes necessary to file suit. The service information at the bottom of the form does not have to be completed on the copy or copies served on the tenant(s); however, the service information should be completed on your office copy and attorney’s copy.
Service Instructions
The first three steps below must be performed in the order listed:
- First, the person serving the notice must attempt to hand the notice to the tenant in person.
- Second, if the tenant will not come to the door but another person who is at least 15 years old comes to the door, the notice may be handed to that other person.
- Third, if no one answers the door, the notice may be posted (taped) on the door.
- The person serving the notice must then certify the service on an extra copy of the notice by inserting the date of service, checking which of the three service options was used, and signing the certificate of service in the presence of a notary public. The notarization should then be completed.
Form 21 – Notice Terminating Lease – No Cure
Notes on Use
Use of this form is appropriate when:
- You want to file unlawful detainer against a tenant because the tenant has violated one or more conditions of the lease (except possibly non-payment of rent – see Form 18 above), has assigned or transferred his interest in the lease without your written consent, has caused damage to the premises beyond ordinary wear and tear, has allowed the possession, sale or distribution of illegal drugs on the premises, or has permitted the premises to be used for gambling or prostitution, and
- You do not want the tenant to stay even if the tenant “cures” (corrects) the problem(s).
If the tenant does not vacate within 10 days after the notice is served, an unlawful detainer action may be filed.
The blanks in this form are self-explanatory, but note that you must insert a description of the violations at the end of the first paragraph after the colon. The description of the violations should state the actions or inactions of the tenant(s) that constitute the violations in this general format: “Violation of paragraph _ of the lease by [description of action/inaction that violates the paragraph].”
Fill out the original of the form to fit the particular situation.
If there is more than one tenant to be served, make copies for the additional tenants.
Also make two more copies – one for your office file and one for your attorney if it becomes necessary to file suit. The service information at the bottom of the form does not have to be completed on the copy or copies served on the tenant(s); however, the service information should be completed on your office copy and attorney’s copy.
Service Instructions
The first three steps below must be performed in the order listed:
- First, the person serving the notice must attempt to hand the notice to the tenant in person.
- Second, if the tenant will not come to the door but another person who is at least 15 years old comes to the door, the notice may be handed to that other person.
- Third, if no one answers the door, the notice may be posted (taped) on the door.
- The person serving the notice must then certify the service on an extra copy of the notice by inserting the date of service, checking which of the three service options was used, and signing the certificate of service in the presence of a notary public. The notarization should then be completed.
Form 23 – Notice to Terminate Tenancy at Sufferance
Notes on Use
Occasionally a situation arises in which a person who originally had permission to occupy premises is no longer so authorized. A common scenario is the situation where an owner or tenant of real estate invites a person to live there and later decides to withdraw the invitation after the person has lived there for a period of time (e.g., woman invites man to live with her, man moves in, they don’t get along, woman asks man to move, and man refuses).
The person no longer having permission to occupy the premises is known in the law as a “tenant at sufferance.” A Missouri statute requires a 30-day written notice to terminate a tenancy at sufferance. This form is designed to provide such notice.
If the person whose permission to occupy has been withdrawn was to pay some rent on a particular day of the month, then the time principles described in the Form 19 Notes on Use would apply. However, if there was no agreement for that person to pay rent, then the termination will take effect 30 days after the notice is served.
The blanks in this form are self-explanatory, but care should be taken to insert the correct termination date in the notice; an incorrect date invalidates the notice and requires starting over with a new notice.
When the tenancy at sufferance terminates pursuant to the notice, an unlawful detainer case can be filed if the person notified has not vacated.
Fill out the original of the form to fit the particular situation.
If there is more than one occupant to be served, make copies for the additional occupants.
Also make two more copies — one for your office file and one for your attorney if it becomes necessary to file suit. The service information at the bottom of the form does not have to be completed on the copy or copies served on the occupant(s); however, the service information should be completed on your office copy and attorney’s copy.
Service Instructions
The first three steps below must be performed in the order listed:
- First, the person serving the notice must attempt to hand the notice to the tenant in person.
- Second, if the tenant will not come to the door but another person who is at least 15 years old comes to the door, the notice may be handed to that other person.
- Third, if no one answers the door, the notice may be posted (taped) on the door.
- The person serving the notice must then certify the service on an extra copy of the notice by inserting the date of service, checking which of the three service options was used, and signing the certificate of service in the presence of a notary public. The notarization should then be completed.
Form 24 – Notice of Intent to File Expedited Eviction
Notes on Use
If you want to file for expedited eviction and someone other than the tenant was the perpetrator of the activity giving rise to the case, you must serve this notice.
After completing the identifying information at the top, fill out the remainder of the form as follows:
- In paragraph 1, check one or more grounds for the case as applicable.
- Underneath the grounds is a paragraph where, after the colon, you must describe the information you have received which gives rise to the case.
- Below that are options to check whether the tenant or someone else, or both, perpetrated the activity giving rise to the case.
If the tenant does not take steps to abate the problem within 5 days after the notice is served, you may proceed with an expedited eviction case.
Note that this form is not necessary when the tenant is the sole perpetrator of the activity giving rise to the case.
Fill out the original of the form to fit the particular situation.
If there is more than one tenant to be served, make copies for the additional tenants.
Also make two more copies – one for your office file and one for your attorney if it becomes necessary to file suit. The service information at the bottom of the form does not have to be completed on the copy or copies served on the tenant(s); however, the service information should be completed on your office copy and attorney’s copy.
Service Instructions
This form must be personally handed to the tenant. However, if the lease says that all tenants are agents of other tenants for the purpose of receiving notices, the notice can be handed to only one of the tenants. Also, if the lease provides for allowed methods of serving notices, you can use any of the methods authorized in the lease.
Top of PageForm 25 – Request for Execution for Possession
Notes on Use
JPS will request an execution for possession at the appropriate time if our client requests us to do so. Landlords can also make such a request on their own. This form provides a framework for making such a request.
Note that when the letter is submitted to the Circuit Clerk’s office, it must be accompanied by an execution fee of $30 per defendant to be evicted, and that fee must be paid in cash or by money order (personal checks are not accepted).
For the procedure involved in an execution for possession, see the Enforcement of Judgments page.
Top of PageForm 26 – Conditional Agreement to Refrain from Execution for Possession
Notes on Use
When a landlord has obtained a judgment for possession of the leased premises but wishes to refrain from execution for possession because the tenant has agreed to make payments, this agreement form should be used to establish the order in which payments will be applied. The reason is that, absent such an agreement, the judge might treat all payments made by the tenant as applying to the rent amount in the judgment, and if the tenant pays more than that amount, the judge might refuse to issue an execution for possession at a later date even if the tenant has not made all the payments agreed upon.
Top of Page