Lease Guidelines
A written lease is a BINDING, LEGAL CONTRACT .
- Read the lease thoroughly before signing.
- Do not be pressured into signing the lease or any other documents.
- Do not sign the lease until you have decided to rent that space.
- Negotiate with the landlord to obtain the best monthly rate. Do not simply take the landlord's first offer.
- Strive for a one year lease with an option to renew. Leases longer than one year may commit you to a house or apartment that may become unsuitable for you as time goes by.
- Get all changes initialed by the landlord.
- Keep a copy of the lease (fully-signed).
- Upon signing the lease be prepared to pay the deposit.
- Date check for the first month of occupancy.
- Learn your rights as a tenant. You can easily obtain this information on the Internet. Your landlord knows the law and so should you.
- Ensure that everything you and the landlord agree to is fully delineated in the lease. If you fail to do so, you shall be hard pressed to prove any agreements made outside the terms of the written lease.
- Ask that separate leases be created for each person, as this will avoid any problems that may arise should one or more of your roommates quit the leased premises.
