Your Lease

If there is a lease, read it carefully before you sign it. If there are any clauses that you don't like, have the landlord cross them out. You and the landlord should initial every change that is made. Any additions that you agree upon prior to signing the lease must be written in and initialed by you and the landlord. For example, if there is a "no pets" clause in the lease but the landlord agrees to let you have your cat in the apartment, cross out the clause on the lease and have the landlord initial it.

Oral agreements between you and the landlord that are not written in and signed will not be enforced by the court.

In addition to standard leases, some landlords may write their own clauses. Some of these clauses may be illegal. For example, clauses stating that you must pay for electricity or gas when the service or bill is in the landlord's name are illegal. (The law requires that a landlord must pay electricity or gas unless there is a meter which separately calculates the tenant's utility use.) If there is an illegal clause but you feel that you will lose the apartment if you do not sign the lease, go ahead and sign it; your lease will still be valid except for the illegal parts.