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