Understand Your Lease Agreement With Your Apartment Community
Be sure you understand your apartment rental agreement before you sign. Remember this is a legal agreement and it will describe in detail the terms and conditions of your entire lease. Take a copy with you before you sign. Read it thoroughly so you understand exactly all that is expected of you. You will also have legal rights.
Chances are you will sign the rental agreement and you will never have to visit the apartment language at all. This is what most people experience. But there is also a chance that the rules of the contract will come into play. Its possible that if you forget to pay your rent by the 4th of the month, late fees will be assessed. And that if you don’t pay your rent by the 20th, the eviction process will begin.
The apartment community you live in probably had a licensed attorney write all the language in your contract. These are the terms and provisions they use that will protect themselves in case of a dispute. Once you sign the agreement you will be held liable, now it is legally binding. You will want to spend time reviewing the document in its entirety. If the leasing agent is staring awkwardly at you, its not her problem, its yours.
Read every sentence and understand it thoroughly. If you don’t understand everything, ask for clarification. If you don’t agree with it, they probably won’t change it at a larger community. But if your leasing from a smaller private community, they may change it.
If changes to the agreement are made. The item in question should be initialed by you and a representative from the apartment community. Remember oral agreements are usually not valid. And it probably won’t hold up in court either. After you have signed the agreement, save a copy in a safe place. If you have any disputes, the contract will usually be used to settle any disagreements.
