Not all of us are clued up on property law. In fact, most renters are completely unaware of their rights as tenants or how to enforce those rights when the situation calls for it. Landlords know these facts, and some (not all) tend to take advantage of their tenants right from the start. When it comes to signing your lease, STOP! Here are six reasons why you should never sign any rental agreement without letting your lawyer look over it first.
Tenant Right Violations: Can Your Landlord Contradict the Law?
Even if you sign a lease agreement that has legal contradictions in it, your landlord cannot enforce those clauses. A lease agreement must be set up in a way that aligns with state tenant-landlord laws without violating your rights as a tenant.
Getting a good lawyer to go over your lease agreement before you sign it is a good way to ensure that there are no legal violations included. The landlord may have copied his or her document from another time or state. If so, the document may need an update according to your home state’s laws and any updated tenant laws that have since been passed.
Smooth Termination: How to Move Out Without Additional Costs
Tenants and landlords can have excellent relationships until it’s time for you to move on. At this point your security deposit comes into play, as well as an inspection of the property to assess whether the place is in good condition. Always read your rental agreement carefully because this can cause friction even in the best of situations, which is why the terms and conditions of your lease termination should be clearly understood.
Your lawyer will have a good eye for the legal and technical terms used in your agreement. He or she can check for any irregularities or subtleties that you need to be made aware of before signing the document.
Maintenance Clauses: How Far Can You Go to Make Changes?
Some landlords have very strict limits to how much you can change the look of the apartment or home interior. But all tenants want to make their new dwelling their own, and that often requires a new paint job, some mild decorating, and sometimes even hard maintenance.
If you’re nervous that you’ll be limited to how much you can change the interior of the property, and are not quite sure how to read the stipulations, get hold of a good legal expert to assist you. They’ll be able to tell you what to expect and may even advise against signing the lease based on unreasonable limitations set out by the landlord.
Rent Increase Awareness: Negotiating Your Annual Increase Percentage
Many tenants don’t realize that they can negotiate their annual rent increase. However some landlords hide behind the lease agreement, stating that the agreement is set on a certain percentage and cannot be altered. This is not true since the landlord can, at any point, lower the annual rental increase if they so choose.
As a tenant, you can and should negotiate your annual increase based on your reputation as a good tenant. Most landlords would accept lower rent for a good tenant than the risk of ending up with a bad tenant after losing a reliable one. A lawyer will be able to help you determine whether negotiation is possible and may even offer to do the negotiating for you.
Hidden Fees: Avoiding Nasty Surprises
It’s not uncommon for some landlords to slip in some subtle legal language that will require you to part with extra money during the course of your stay. Some of these fees may be monthly, others will be annual, and some may be purely situational. Whatever they might be, you’ll want to be made aware of them–which a good lawyer will be able to do.
Security Deposit: How Will Your Security Deposit Be Handled?
Landlords have been known to be irresponsible with the security deposits of their respective tenants, using the money for their own personal use rather than putting it away as they should. Your lease agreement should have detailed information on what will be done with your security deposit once it’s paid over.
A property lawyer will also be able to spot clauses that dictate when and why deductions can be made from the security deposit once you move out. Knowing what the landlord has the right to deduct for and what they can’t will be explained in detail by your lawyer.
Wrapping Up
Having a lawyer on standby for small things like checking your lease agreement will save you time, money, and effort later on. Nip any irregularities in the bud and ensure that your stay at your new place is hassle-free.
