Tips Before Signing a Rental House Agreement

Published: November 15, 2022

Although you may be excited to have found your dream house, resist the urge to sign the lease right away. You should first make sure that you understand all of the terms and conditions of the contract before making any commitment. Below are four essential points to consider before signing a rental house agreement, even if it’s only temporary.

Do you need to make repairs?

When you’re looking through your rental agreement, take note of who is responsible for what repairs. There may be some clauses in the agreement regarding these issues, so it’s important that you read and ask about maintenance and repairs before signing anything. For example, the landlord might be responsible for repairing a faulty sink, but if you back up the toilet, chances are you’ll have to pay for that repair yourself.

Yard maintenance is another example. If you want your landlord to take care of additional services, be sure to negotiate that upfront.

Document the condition of the property

Prior to signing a lease, you should document any and all pre-existing conditions. You shouldn’t sign until you’re confident that the inside and outside of the property are both in good condition. Although most homebuyers hire an inspector before purchasing, this often doesn’t occur to renters. Nevertheless, having an inspection done on the property can save money and prevent issues down the road. Before you sign a lease, review an itemized list of all appliances and components in the home from your landlord to make sure they are working. This way, you know what damages you may be responsible for if something breaks during your tenancy.

Do you understand the rental terms?

To avoid any potential issues later on, it is critical that you read and understand the terms of your lease agreement before signing. Make sure all important details such as rent price, length of lease, and Section 8 qualifications (if applicable) are accurately reflected in the document. You will also want to take note of things like late fees, security deposits, move-in fees, landlord contact information, and utility providers. Research indicates that only 25% of tenants actually bother to read their lease agreements thoroughly, so don’t be part of that statistic, ensure that you know what you’re getting yourself into before putting your signature down.

Can the lease be terminated?

Most people don’t think about moving out before they’ve even moved in, but it’s crucial to be aware of the following should anything come up. You need to see if lease termination is an option, how many months’ notice you need to provide, whether or not deposits are refundable upon leaving, and what cleaning responsibilities (if any) you’ll have once the lease is up. familiarizing yourself with these aspects can help immensely should you ever unexpectedly have to leave your apartment.