Before you sign your lease, check these clauses
A lease binds you for months, sometimes years. Ten minutes with this checklist can save you a lost deposit, a surprise fee or a year you can't get out of. When everything checks out, sign and initial the PDF right here.
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From reading to signed
Don't sign on the spot — ask for the lease a day early if you can.
1
Read it with this list
Go through money, dates, rules and move-out terms below.
2
Get changes in writing
Anything agreed verbally belongs in the lease or an addendum.
3
Sign and initial
Sign the PDF above and keep a copy signed by both sides.
Red flags worth a second look
Automatic renewal
Some leases renew for another full term unless you give notice by a deadline. Put that date in your calendar.
Vague repair duties
“Tenant handles all maintenance” can mean appliances, pest control or the boiler. Ask what it covers.
Blank spaces
Never sign a lease with blanks. Fill them in or strike them out before anyone signs.
Money: rent, deposit and fees
Check the monthly rent, the due date, how you pay and the grace period before a late fee applies — and how big that fee is. Note the security deposit amount, where it's held if your area requires that, and what can be deducted from it.
Look for extra charges: pet rent, parking, storage, utilities billed by the landlord, trash or amenity fees, and any rent increase during the term.
Dates: term, renewal and notice
Confirm the start and end dates, what happens when the term ends — month-to-month, automatic renewal or a new lease — and how much notice you must give to leave. Check whether you can end the lease early, and at what cost.
Rules: repairs, pets, guests and subletting
Who fixes what, how you report repairs and how quickly the landlord responds. Whether pets are allowed and on what terms. Limits on guests, noise and alterations such as painting or mounting a TV. Whether you may sublet or add a roommate, and whether the landlord must approve it.
Moving in and out
Ask for a move-in inspection or checklist and note every scratch and stain with photos — it's your evidence when the deposit is returned. Check the move-out cleaning requirements and how long the landlord has to return your deposit.
Rules differ between states and countries, and local tenant laws can override lease clauses. If something looks unfair, ask your local tenants' association or housing authority before you sign.
Signing it properly
Sign where the lease says tenant, add the date, and initial each page if the lease asks for it — that shows nobody swapped a page later. Every adult who'll live there may need to sign. Make sure you get a copy signed by the landlord too, and keep it until your deposit is back.
Lease signing questions
Can I ask for changes before I sign?+
Yes. Ask for the change to be written into the lease or an addendum that both of you sign — a verbal promise is hard to prove.
Do I have to initial every page?+
Only if the lease asks for it, but it's common and it protects both sides. You can place your initials on each page here.
Is this legal advice?+
No. This checklist covers what to look for; for your own lease and local law, ask a tenants' association or a lawyer.
What does it cost?+
Free to try. Downloading your signed PDF costs €2.99 a month or €24.99 a year, and you can cancel anytime.