Additional rent refers to any monetary obligations that a tenant is responsible for in addition to the base rent or the minimum monthly rent. Base rent is the agreed-upon cost that a tenant pays to the landlord, property owner or property manager for the right to possess a property. Additional rent is any amount paid in addition to the base rent for other charges that are not covered by the base rent. Typically, these additional obligations are clearly stated in the lease agreement between the tenant and the landlord. Residential tenants may be obligated to pay additional rent to for pets, parking, common area usage and maintenance, appliances, utilities, or additional accommodations. It is common that commercial tenants are obligated to pay a percentage of their monthly sales income as additional rent. Additional rent from commercial tenants may be used to cover expenses such as taxes, building maintenance, janitorial services, trash removal and pest control.
