Rent Agreement Clauses Tenants Overlook

Most rent agreements are signed quickly, in good spirits, on a form somebody downloaded. The disputes that follow are almost always about the same four clauses.

Lock-in and notice

A lock-in binds you for its full term whether or not you occupy the premises. Check whether it is mutual — a lock-in that binds only the tenant is common and negotiable. Notice periods should be symmetrical, and the agreement should say whether notice can be given during the lock-in to expire on its last day.

Escalation

State the percentage and the interval plainly. "Subject to mutual agreement" is not a clause; it is an argument scheduled for a future date.

Maintenance and repairs

Split structural repairs from day-to-day maintenance, and say who bears which. Note the condition of fittings in a signed schedule with photographs at handover — it settles the deposit conversation before it starts.

The security deposit

Record the amount, what may be deducted, and the number of days for refund after handover. Tie the refund to handover, not to the landlord finding a new tenant.

Also confirm registration: a lease beyond the prescribed term must be registered to be admissible in evidence, and an unregistered one is of little use exactly when you need it.