Answer plain-language questions about your rental agreement. Spot risky clauses, missing protections, and common traps before you commit.
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Have a copy of your rental agreement nearby. You'll refer to specific sections as you go through the questions.
For each topic, check what your lease says. Leave a note if something seems unclear or unusual.
The sidebar highlights risky or missing clauses. Use the summary to prepare questions for your landlord.
Export your review as a printable page. Save it in your browser to compare later when renewing or apartment hunting.
Work through each section below. Check every statement that matches your lease. Add notes where something seems off or you're not sure.
Here are situations where the checklist can save you from a bad surprise.
If your lease has no cap on renewal increases, the landlord can raise rent by any amount (where legal). Check the "rent increase cap" item. If it's missing, ask your landlord to add a limit before you renew, or start looking at other places so you have options.
Look at the early termination section. Some leases charge two months' rent. Others let you find a replacement tenant. If your lease has no early termination clause at all, you might be on the hook for the full remaining rent. Ask before you sign.
If the lease doesn't list allowed deductions or require an itemized statement, you have less leverage. The move-in inspection reference matters too. Without a condition report, it's your word against theirs. Flag both items and ask for an addendum.
Run this checklist for each lease and save both reviews. Then compare side by side. One might have better repair terms. The other might have a lower early termination fee. Having both summaries makes the choice clearer.
Addendums are part of your lease. If the landlord hands you a "pet addendum" or "parking addendum" at signing, read it carefully. Sometimes these contain fees or rules that aren't in the main lease.
If the landlord says "don't worry, I'll fix that before you move in," get it in writing. A handwritten note initialed by both parties works. Verbal agreements are hard to enforce.
Even if the lease doesn't require one, do your own. Take dated photos of every room, every scratch, every stain. Email the album to yourself so there's a timestamp. This is your evidence if there's a deposit dispute later.
Some lease clauses are unenforceable where you live. For example, many states limit security deposits to one or two months' rent. Others require landlords to provide habitable conditions regardless of what the lease says. Look up your state and city tenant rights before negotiating.
It helps a lot. The questions refer to specific clauses like repair responsibilities and notice periods. If you don't have the lease handy, you can still walk through and note which items you need to verify.
That's a red flag. If your lease is silent on something like pest control or move-out notice, you could be at risk. The tool flags these gaps and suggests asking your landlord for a written addendum.
Yes. Renewals are a great time to use this. Landlords sometimes change terms, especially around rent increases or pet policies. Run the checklist on the new lease and compare it to your old one.
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Use them as conversation starters with your landlord. Ask them to explain, change, or add an addendum. If a landlord refuses to discuss obvious red flags, that tells you something.
No. This is a checklist to help you ask better questions. Tenant laws vary by location. For serious concerns, contact a local tenant union or legal aid organization.