Recording your lease in the city of New Orleans is an absolute must.
Wondering what recording your lease does for you?
It protects you as a renter!
There are lots of things to know about New Orleans rentals, but no one ever tells you about recording your lease. If the house you’re renting in is suddenly sold, without any warning (this happens more than you realize), the new owner does not have to honor your lease. UNLESS you have taken the time to go record your lease with the city.
How do I record my lease in New Orleans?
It’s pretty simple, but it certainly isn’t cheap. You will need to take a copy of your lease to Land Records Division, located at 1340 Poydras, on the 4th floor. They are open Monday-Friday from 8:30 am-5 pm. Noteworthy, they do not close for lunch and they accept payments of cash, credit card, check, and money order. This might be the most efficient department we have in the city.
How much will it cost me to record my lease in Orleans Parish?
Yeah… about that… it’s not going to be cheap. To “record” or file 1-5 pages, it will cost $100. For 6-25 pages, it’s $200. For 26-50 pages, it’s $300. It goes up from there. Luckily, most leases are about 6 pages long. Fees in Jefferson Parish are fairly similar.
Taking the time to record your lease means you’re protecting yourself from being put out from your place with very little notice. The lease you have with your landlord right now is only between you and him/her. Recording that document with the city will make it an actual part of the property.