There’s not a lot worse than signing a lease on a new student rental only to find out later that you really should have read your lease better. The first time you’ve got a broken pipe or an ant infestation, you may discover your landlord is shady, and that the contract is written to help them stay that way.
Knowing what to look for when your reading a sample apartment lease is key to understanding what that landlord’s responsibilities are to you once the lease is signed, as well as your responsibilities as their tenant. And don’t think just because you’ve read the title of each line item doesn’t mean there’s nothing important in the finer print. With leases, and all contracts, the devil is in the details.
Here are the most important factors to look for when reading a potential landlord’s example lease:
Rent amount
Monthly rent due date and grace periods
Acceptable methods of payment
Utilities each party is responsible for (a great sample apartment lease will also list the local utility places so you don’t have to go looking)
Policies for lease termination and/or subletting
Renewal policies including any yearly rent increase
Pet policy
Renter’s insurance policy
Any applicable extra costs owed the landlord like parking, lawn care, any city utilities, etc.
Maintenance and emergency maintenance policies
It may sound like a lot to take in, but this is exactly what sample leases are there to help you figure out. Taking a half hour to go through a lease template for an apartment you love and answer these questions can make the difference between signing a lease you read poorly on the fly and finding out the landlord is trash, and having a great experience in a luxury apartment in uptown Athens.