New Rental Forms Platform: Getting Started on Form Simplicity

New Rental Forms Platform: Getting Started on Form Simplicity

How to Prepare Leases, Notices and Other Forms Using Our New Rental Forms Library

By the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles

The old Rental Forms Library, consisting of fillable PDF documents, is being phased out, and it is being replaced by a new, modern, cloud-based, interactive platform that offers unlimited storage capabilities, organization of tenancy folders, pre-set-up form packages covering various jurisdictions, the option to include personal forms and documents within a lease package, and, lastly, electronic signature capabilities. Yes, we are migrating from the early 2000’s to 2026 and beyond!

We heard our members and took action to change for the better. Over the past year, AAGLA has spent tens of thousands of dollars, along with a great deal of time, to launch the new forms platform through Form Simplicity. Our members were clear – members asked for a form preparation experience that is easier to use, easier to search, easier to complete, and better suited for today’s rental housing workflows. We acted in response to member feedback and launched the Form Simplicity platform in response to the feedback we received from members.

Today, more than 1,000 AAGLA members have signed up and started using Form Simplicity, and we also have many “power users” out there who have now prepared hundreds of lease forms on the new platform. If you’ve not yet tried Form Simplicity out, you should do so. Take one or more of the many training options we offer either live online, recorded or in-person – be sure the look for upcoming training sessions at our online Events Calendar or look at past training sessions recorded in our Webinar Library.

Form Simplicity

The Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles (AAGLA) has begun offering its Rental Forms via Form Simplicity, a new online forms delivery platform. Form Simplicity has been in use for decades by groups such as the Florida Association of Realtors, and it offers secure access and simplified processing of the various forms and notices you need. You can access Form Simplicity through the AAGLA Member Compass after logging into the AAGLA website at www.aagla.org.

With Form Simplicity, members can now complete their rental forms within a robust online platform. There are two options: (1) Starter Edition, which is included (free) with AAGLA Rental Property Owner and Property Management Company, and (2) Ultimate Edition, which is an upgrade costing only $125 per year per user.

With the free membership Starter Edition, members have all the following capabilities:

• Search for forms by name or form number
• Complete forms directly in a web browser and populate common information across all forms selected for a lease package (e.g., Tenant Name, Landlord Name, Start Date, etc.)
• Complete forms on multiple platforms such as a computer, tablet, or smartphone.
• Fill out and complete forms without downloading Adobe Acrobat
• Input information once only – enter certain information, such as tenant name, premises address, and landlord name, once, and that information carries across all forms in a lease package.
• Save in-progress or completed work in the secure, Form Simplicity cloud-based platform and return later for revisions or look-up
• Save or download completed forms locally on the computer if necessary
• Access up-to-date AAGLA forms through AAGLA’s Member Compass – single sign-in access via the Member Compass

With the optional Form Simplicity Ultimate Edition, members gain access to the expanded workflow tools. The Ultimate Edition includes added features such as unlimited e-signature capability, expanded document storage, PDF conversion tools, collaboration features, and pre-set jurisdiction-specific AAGLA form packages (e.g., for Los Angeles City, Los Angeles County, Culver City, Santa Monica, etc.).

How to Access the Form Simplicity Lease Forms Library

To access Form Simplicity, follow these easy steps:

• Log in to your AAGLA Member at www.aagla.org, and then go to the AAGLA Member Compass page at www.aagla.org/member-compass
• From the Member Compass page, select Access Your AAGLA Rental Forms Library
• Open Form Simplicity
• Select Start a New Tenancy
• Complete the New Tenancy Information and select to create a new tenancy
• Fill in the rental rate, and if you wish to, you can choose to add more data by selecting that option.
• Then, go ahead and select the forms you need from the library for your lease package or select a lease package (Ultimate Edition users only)

Keep in mind, you do not need to learn every feature in Form Simplicity at once. Start with one form and one simple workflow and go from there. We suggest you take one of our many training courses offered online or in person – be sure to check our online calendar of events at www.aagla.org for the upcoming class schedule. We also have past classes available to view via our Webinar Library.

What Is a “Tenancy”?

Form Simplicity uses terms to organize your workflow, so let us explain what we mean by “Tenancy.”

Form Simplicity uses the term Tenancy for the online folder you use to organize forms being utilized for a particular tenancy (e.g., tenant occupying and renting a unit or property). Creating a Tenancy does not create a new lease or alter a tenant’s legal or other status. A Tenancy is an online folder that provides users with a place to add, complete, save, and manage leases, addendums, forms, notices, and file personal forms too.

For example, if you need to prepare a Rent Increase form for an existing tenant, you can create a Tenancy for that tenant, unit, or property, then add the Rent Increase form to that Tenancy. Later, if you provide other rent increases, lease addendums or a new lease for that tenant, you can file it under the same Tenancy – this keeps all your documents for a specific tenant stored securely online in one place.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

 Is Form Simplicity Included with Membership? Yes. Members have access to the Form Simplicity Starter Edition as part of their membership at no additional cost. The Starter Edition includes access to AAGLA’s current rental forms, online form completion, easy search, saved work, and support resources.

What About Ultimate Edition? Form Simplicity also offers an optional Ultimate Edition for members who want expanded workflow tools. The Ultimate Edition includes added features such as unlimited e-signatures, expanded document storage, PDF tools, collaboration features, and jurisdiction-specific form packages. During the roll-out phase of Form Simplicity, the Ultimate Edition is being offered at just $125 per user per year, but that amount is subject to change once the roll-out is completed.

Is Training Available?  AAGLA offers available training resources to help members get comfortable with the new platform. Members can view pre-recorded training sessions and review FAQs online. We also have several online and in-person training sessions planned, so members are encouraged to check the AAGLA online Events Calendar for upcoming live training sessions. We encourage members to begin learning the new platform right away, before the old lease forms library is completely phased out. Webinar Replays

Current Forms Library. The AAGLA lease forms library will remain available for a limited time only. We encourage our members to begin using Form Simplicity right away, so they have sufficient time to become comfortable with the platform before they need to prepare a lease or any other form. We encourage all users to get their training in before the old forms library is no longer available.

When Help is Needed

Form Simplicity offers U.S.-based phone and email support to help users with any questions about accessing or navigating the platform. Users can simply contact Form Simplicity Tech Support at (866) 610-6536 on Mondays – Fridays from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) or on weekends from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Pacific Time).

Final Thoughts

AAGLA’s Rental Forms Library is one of the most important benefits of AAGLA membership. We have invested tens of thousands of dollars and countless staff hours to make this upgrade available to our members, giving them a better way to access and complete the forms they rely on. Our suggestion is that users start with one Tenancy and one form, and they work their way up to creating a complete lease package of forms.

Very often, new things take time to adapt to and learn. Give yourself the time you need to learn this new, powerful workflow tool, and don’t be afraid to reach out to the Form Simplicity Tech Support team to ask any questions you may have – Help and training are available 7-days a week.