Pre-Lease Inspections

Before putting down a deposit on a rental property, visit the property and ask for a tour of the facilities, grounds, and housing unit. If possible, ask the property manager to see the exact unit that is vacant. At a minimum, ask to see a model unit and inspect other areas of the property. If it is possible to see the unit, make notations of visible defects, damage, or missing items. Use the Pre-Lease Condition Checklist provided on this page to assess the unit and the surrounding property. If you decide to rent, make an agreement with the landlord regarding repairs of noted damages before moving in. Do not sign the lease unless the repairs are completed upon the date of occupancy.

Signing Your Lease

Most importantly, read the lease carefully before signing it. Even if you have read and signed leases in the past, know what is expected as a resident when moving into each particular property.

If any additional agreements are made with the management not listed in the lease, put them in writing and ask the manager to sign the amendments. Keep a copy of all documents and correspondence with your manager: lease contract, renewal statements, apartment inventory form, cancelled checks, repair requests, complaint letters, etc. There are certain sections that require particular scrutiny: party/noise clauses, terms of lease, rent and other charges, community policies and rules, entry of property representatives into unit, and move-out notice.

An obligation of the tenant that is often overlooked is that the property must be used for the purpose for which it was leased. Any misuse by the tenant may cause the lease to be dissolved. For example, if several students begin operating a bar in a rental property, the bar is considered an unlicensed business and serious consequences will occur if the business is discovered by the landlord or law enforcement.

Glossary of Terms

Leases and other property rental contracts contain terms unique to the situation. Review this section to familiarize yourself with the types of language you may encounter

NOTE:  Please be sure to check our Resources section for much more information, including additional worksheets and checklists.