5 Things To Look For In Your Apartment Lease Before Signing Anything

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So, you’re moving into a new apartment — congrats! But…we’re gonna be a buzzkill for a second. Even if you’re in love with the place and the price, the amenities and the landlord or leasing office, that doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. Take a good, loooooong look at your lease multiple times. If your eyes are glazing over, here are, at minimum, the top five things you should look for in your lease before signing:

1. Insurance

You may have seen the word “insurance” in your lease and sighed in relief, but you’re likely not covered for everything. The insurance the lease is likely referring to is the insurance landlords or buildings must pay for, which protects them from damage to the property and from liability claims. Sometimes the insurance covers tenant damage or cases of building destruction, like fires or break-ins. Most likely, though, you’ll need to get your own insurance to be covered.

2. Pet Policy

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You might think the pet policy is set in stone, but sometimes it’s not. If your lease says pets are not allowed, but you swore you saw a potential neighbor leave their apartment with a dog in tow, ask your landlord or building directly if a small pet could be considered with a separate deposit. Some may use a lease template without tweaking some specifications they’re actually cool with. It’s worth a try.

3. Condition Of Premises

If you see this phrase, it basically means that the landlord has promised to rent out this particular apartment to you in a habitable condition (no rats hanging in the corner or an oven that breaks down). If you show up on move-in day and the condition of your apartment is not as promised, you could have the ability to break your lease right then and there, and have deposits and the first month’s rent returned. However, there are loopholes, since “habitable” can be interpreted in different ways. Moral of the story: inspect your apartment before signing!

4. Alterations

Some buildings and landlords allow their tenants to paint the walls, and some don’t. Some don’t care if you put holes in the walls, and others will charge you for each hole. You better know exactly what you can and can’t do in your potential apartment before signing, especially if you were planning to rip that wallpaper off the bathroom walls or mount your TV. If you don’t double-check and end up altering the place in a way the landlord or building doesn’t allow, you could lose out on your deposit, or worse — be charged on top of losing your deposit.

5. Subletting, Roommates And Visitors

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Though many people go about subletting their rooms without telling their landlords or leasing office, you should be wary. Some have a strict no-subletting policy, and if you have a live-in super who notices, everyone in your apartment could be kicked off your lease and out of the building. Sometimes, leases specifically say how many people can live in your apartment, and some even mention how often visitors can stay — and for how long. Take notes on this section of your lease before allowing anyone not on your lease to stay in the apartment.