Understanding Your Tenancy Agreement: 8 Clauses to Check

Before signing a tenancy agreement, check the rent and payment schedule, the deposit terms, the lease duration and renewal rules, maintenance responsibilities, and the conditions for ending the lease early. Get every promise in writing.

The eight clauses that matter most

1. Rent and payment schedule — the amount, due dates, accepted methods, and any late fees.
2. Security deposit — how much, what it covers, and the conditions for getting it back.
3. Lease duration — start and end dates, and whether it's fixed-term or rolling.
4. Renewal and rent increases — how renewal works and whether (and how much) rent can rise.
5. Maintenance and repairs — who is responsible for what, and how to request repairs.
6. Use of the property — restrictions on subletting, pets, or alterations.
7. Early termination — the notice required and any penalty for leaving early.
8. Entry and inspections — when and how the landlord may access the property.

Common mistakes tenants make

Signing without reading the renewal and deposit terms, relying on verbal promises, and not documenting the property's condition at move-in are the three most common — and most expensive — mistakes.

Review it in minutes

Upload your agreement to Lawfe for a clause-by-clause summary and a risk assessment, then confirm anything important with a certified lawyer.

Related legal area: Tenancy & Real Estate Law →

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