| In some markets across the country -- San
| |
| | for refunding the deposit are stated in
|
| Francisco, New York and Washington, D.C.,
| |
| | writing on the lease.
|
| for example -- the renters' market is so
| |
| | Occupancy clause:
|
| hot that properties are snatched up the
| |
| | This clause states how many people are
|
| same day they become available. In fact,
| |
| | allowed to live in your apartment during
|
| many landlords in these markets find
| |
| | your period of ownership. If you decide
|
| themselves negotiating among multiple
| |
| | to take a roommate, if you marry or have
|
| offers.
| |
| | a child, you could violate the clause and
|
| In climates like these, propsective
| |
| | give your landlord a reason to evict you.
|
| tenants often feel pressured to sign on
| |
| | Utilities.
|
| the dotted line. The reality is that if
| |
| | Your lease should state clearly which
|
| they opt to take home the lease, read it
| |
| | utilities are your responsibility and
|
| carefully and return to the property the
| |
| | which utilities are your landlord's
|
| next day, they'll lose the apartment to
| |
| | responsibility.
|
| another tenant. Unfortunately, this
| |
| | Landlord access.
|
| pressure to sign and do it quickly means
| |
| | Many tenants believe erroneously that
|
| that tenants merely skim the terms of
| |
| | their landlords are allowed access
|
| their leases prior to signing them.
| |
| | anytime to their apartments. Although
|
| Contrary to what you believe, all leases
| |
| | most leases contain clauses which give
|
| are not alike. And while landlords
| |
| | landlords restricted access to the
|
| usually aren't out to deceive their
| |
| | apartments under their management, no law
|
| tenants, they can and do draw up leases
| |
| | grants them permission to have their own
|
| that protect their own interests, which
| |
| | key and enter anytime. Instead, landlords
|
| are sometimes at odds with the tenant's.
| |
| | are given "reasonable access" to your
|
| If you don't take the time to review the
| |
| | apartment -- in other words, if your unit
|
| terms of lease before you sign it, you
| |
| | needs repairs, your landlord should make
|
| could very well find yourself in
| |
| | an appointment with you to enter your
|
| financial distress or even facing
| |
| | unit and conduct those repairs during
|
| eviction because you violated a term that
| |
| | normal working hours. Forty-eight hours'
|
| was clearly stated on the lease, but
| |
| | notice is considered "standard" among
|
| which you failed to read before you
| |
| | landlord/tenant etiquette. This gives you
|
| signed it.
| |
| | the opportunity to be present when the
|
| Another risk facing renters is a lease in
| |
| | landlord arrives. In the event of an
|
| which the landlord's terms are written in
| |
| | emergency, however, your landlord may
|
| somewhat vague terms, leaving the door
| |
| | enter your apartment unannounced. Read
|
| wide open for interpretation. If you have
| |
| | your lease carefully for how these terms
|
| any doubts as to what those terms mean,
| |
| | of access are stated.
|
| ask. Your interpretation may be vastly
| |
| | Breaking your lease.
|
| different than the landlord's intent.
| |
| | Most landlords will require 60 days'
|
| Depending upon where you reside, your
| |
| | notice, but make sure you understand the
|
| district may have tenant laws that do a
| |
| | penalties involved if you have to break
|
| fairly good job of protecting tenants.
| |
| | your lease. In today's job market,
|
| Other districts aren't quite as strict.
| |
| | transfers are so common that leases are
|
| It's in your best interests to obtain a
| |
| | broken constantly. Ask your landlord if
|
| copy of your district's tenant laws
| |
| | he's agreeable to a sublet.
|
| before you begin your apartment search,
| |
| | Property "rules."
|
| or contact an attorney who specializes in
| |
| | Your lease may contain verbage that
|
| real estate issues.
| |
| | alludes to certain "rules" to which all
|
| A few terms on your lease of which you
| |
| | tenants must abide. Make sure the lease
|
| should be particularly aware are:
| |
| | also lists those rules in detail on the
|
| Rent control:
| |
| | lease. If the rules aren't listed on the
|
| Ask if the apartment is protected by rent
| |
| | lease, your landlord essentially reserves
|
| control. Even if it is, that doesn't
| |
| | the right to create rules at his
|
| cancel out the possibility of a rent
| |
| | discretion. Another important point: If
|
| increase upon your lease renewal. Rent
| |
| | the landlord verbally revises any of the
|
| control actually consists of two rent
| |
| | lease terms, you must get those terms
|
| levels: a rent ceiling, which is the
| |
| | revised on the lease (by crossing off the
|
| maximum amount of rent a landlord may
| |
| | old term, writing in the new one and
|
| obtain from tenants; and the actual rent
| |
| | having the landlord initial it). If your
|
| charge. When your lease is up for
| |
| | landlord gave you verbal approval to have
|
| renewal, your landlord may raise your
| |
| | pets, and the lease states otherwise, you
|
| rent closer to the rent ceiling. If
| |
| | could find yourself facing a violation
|
| there's a large discrepancy between the
| |
| | later and with no defense. If you're
|
| rent charge and the rent ceiling, you
| |
| | searching for an apartment in a white-hot
|
| should consider the possibility that your
| |
| | market, you may have to weigh which terms
|
| landlord will increase your rent
| |
| | are most important to you in order to
|
| significantly when it comes time to
| |
| | secure the apartment you want. If you're
|
| renew. So before you sign a lease, ask
| |
| | hoping to negotiate the terms of the
|
| what the rent ceiling is.
| |
| | lease the landlord places in front of
|
| Security deposit:
| |
| | you, pick your battles carefully. There
|
| If the landlord is asking for a high
| |
| | will be various clauses you can live
|
| security deposit, refer to your
| |
| | with, and ones you feel you must
|
| district's tenant laws to find the legal
| |
| | negotiate. Remember that hot markets
|
| maximum for security deposits in your
| |
| | belong to landlords, and if you present
|
| jurisdiction. In many districts,
| |
| | yourself defensively or battle every
|
| landlords may not ask for more than one
| |
| | minor detail of your lease, there's a
|
| month's rent. If a landlord demands six
| |
| | line of prospective tenants behind you
|
| months or even a year's worth of rent up
| |
| | who won't contest those details. Granted,
|
| front, he's probably in violation of
| |
| | this isn't to say that you should agree
|
| district laws. As a tenant, one of your
| |
| | to clauses that violate your basic rights
|
| few lines of defense is your ability to
| |
| | as a tenant, but if you're tempted to
|
| withhold rent for services not rendered
| |
| | argue or bargain with the landlord over
|
| or lease terms to which your landlord
| |
| | aesthetic details or enhancements, you
|
| didn't abide. Don't sign a lease before
| |
| | may wish to reconsider and determine your
|
| asking the landlord what his security
| |
| | priorities.
|
| deposit is, and make sure that his terms
| |
| |
|