Whats the difference between a lease and a month-to-month rental agreement?
The most important difference is that a lease has a starting date and an ending date, while a month-to-month (periodic) rental agreement does not have an ending date. If you have a lease, both you and the landlord are bound by the terms of the lease until the lease ends. A lease can provide tenants with security against rent increases or being asked to move out, but the lease also obligates the tenant to pay rent for the entire length of the lease. Any lease of longer than one year must be in writing. Leases and rental agreements of one year or less can be written or verbal, but it is always best to have your agreement in writing.
