| When you move into a new apartment you will | | | | whether you will be on a month-to-month |
| be signing a lease, or rental contract. These legally | | | | agreement or a longer term lease. Be sure that |
| binding documents are typically drawn up by the | | | | your expectations match up with what is written |
| landlord or their legal representatives. These | | | | in the contract to keep yourself protected. |
| contracts are designed to protect both the tenant | | | | You don't want to move into an apartment |
| and the landlord, but you must understand that | | | | thinking you have a year's lease and then have |
| since the landlord is the author of the document | | | | management asking you to leave to make room |
| that the terms are going to be more in their | | | | for a new tenant in two months. These situations |
| favor. | | | | are avoided when you have the right tenancy |
| Since you will be legally compelled to abide by the | | | | terms in the rental contract. |
| rules and regulations laid out in the rental contract, | | | | Restrictions and regulations. Every landlord has |
| you have to make sure that you understand | | | | their own rental contract. These contracts may |
| everything listed in it. You cannot move into an | | | | spell out things that are restricted in one building |
| apartment and break rules, only to claim that you | | | | that may be allowable in others. Make sure that |
| didn't know that the infraction was mentioned in | | | | the rental contract you sign has regulations that |
| the rental contract. | | | | you are willing and able to live by. |
| You will sign the contract, so for your own good | | | | These are just a few of the standard pieces of |
| and protection you need to make sure that you | | | | information found in most rental agreements. |
| know about everything that is listed in the | | | | There are other terms, like rent costs, pet |
| contract. If there are points that you don't | | | | policies, and others. If you are signing a contract |
| understand when you are signing, be sure that | | | | that prohibits pets, and the landlord tells you that |
| the landlord explains exactly what the text means. | | | | you can ignore that line, make sure that they |
| Here is some of the information that you will see | | | | amend the agreement before you sign it. |
| in a typical rental contract. | | | | You don't want to start living in an apartment and |
| The names of all the occupants. If you have a | | | | then be forced to give up your pet. Make sure |
| roommate that is going to live with you, you | | | | that any allowances that are verbally made are |
| have to have that person listed when you sign | | | | explicitly stated in the written contract. When |
| the rental agreement. You can't let someone live | | | | someone makes a verbal change to what is |
| in your apartment without altering the rental | | | | written, it must be followed by a change to the |
| contract to include them. | | | | actual text of the agreement for you to stay |
| Tenancy terms. Your rental agreement will state | | | | protected as a tenant. |