Top Provisos to Watch Out for in an Apartment LeaseIn Rapunzel, while pregnant with her, Rapunzel's mother craved rapunzel. So the husband stole some from the garden of the witch next door. When caught, he agreed to give her his unborn daughter.
Sometimes, signing an apartment lease feels like you're Rapunzel's father, signing away an unborn child -- you have little bargaining power and may be agreeing to unknown conditions (assuming her father didn't know she'd be imprisoned in a tower).
Avoid finding yourself in a similar situation by researching alternative living options in case a lease falls through. Also be on the lookout for the following: 1. The Monthly Due Date for Rent ChecksI highly recommend knowing when your landlord expects to receive your rent check. Timely payments ensure a favorable impression -- something which you may need in the future if you apply to an apartment that requires references from previous landlords. It's also a good idea to know the due date, so you can avoid -- 2. Penalties for Late or Missed Rent[p]I once had a landlord who insisted that, if his tenants were late on rent even once -- or if the check bounced -- all subsequent rent payments would have to be made with certified checks. This would mean a trip to the bank every month and the bank's fee for issuing the check.[/p]
[p]Fortunately, my roommate and I caught this in the fine print prior to signing and persuaded him to change the proviso to two late payments before dropping the axe, so to speak.[/p]
[p]You, too, should take note of the penalties for missed and late rent. Is there a fee? Will they report you to the credit bureau? Also, is there a grace period?
[/p]3. How to Break the LeaseSometimes and oftentimes unexpectedly, we need to break the lease. So, always be on the lookout for the clause in the lease that explains any penalties for breaking the lease. Be wary of any conditions that require you to pay rent until the landlord finds a replacement. If your lease has this clause, be sure to find out if your state requires landlords to make all efforts to find a new tenant. And if they don't, you'll definitely want to know what limitations, if any, there are to [link url=http://apartments.about.com/od/glossary/g/subleasingDef.htm]subletting[/link]. 4. SublettingDon't assume that you're allowed to sublet freely to anyone you want. The building belongs to the landlord, so it's ultimately up to him or her whether their tenants can sublease the unit to a third party. If you think you may want to sublet in the next year, then be sure to find out if you're allowed to.5. Unusual FeesSome landlords charge fees for special circumstances or the use of building facilities. There are pet fees, key deposits, gym fees and parking garage fees. So your budget doesn't start blowing up, I recommend finding out about these beforehand and questioning any that seem unreasonable to you.
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