Direct answer
Before you sign a lease, read the rent amount and due date, late fees, security deposit and return rules, who pays which utilities and fees, repair duties, landlord entry notice, renewal or auto-renewal, early termination costs, pet and guest rules, and any addenda. State and city rules often override unfair lease language, so compare the lease to official tenant guides for where you live. Contract Checked can flag risky clauses in plain English; it is not a lawyer.
Last reviewed November 2026
A practical order to read the lease
1. Money first
Confirm base rent, due date, grace period, late fee formula, and every recurring fee (parking, pets, trash, amenities, admin). Ask for a written list of move-in charges.
2. Deposit and move-out
Note the deposit amount, whether it can be used as last month’s rent, what can be deducted, and the return deadline. States set different caps and timelines.
3. Length, renewal and leaving early
Find the end date, notice you must give, automatic renewal language, and early termination or “lease break” fees.
4. Repairs, entry and habitability
See who fixes what, how to request repairs, and how much notice the landlord gives before entering. Most states require the unit to stay fit to live in.
5. Rules you can break by accident
Pets, smoking, alterations, short-term rentals, guest limits, insurance requirements. Breaking a house rule can support ending the tenancy.
6. Federal disclosures
For most housing built before 1978, federal law requires lead-based paint disclosure and the EPA pamphlet before you sign.
Where state rules matter most
Deposit caps, deposit return deadlines, late fee limits, rent increase notice and entry notice are mostly state (and sometimes city) rules. See our California, Texas, New York and Florida lease guides, or the security-deposit pages linked below.
How Contract Checked helps
Upload your document and get a plain-English report: risk ratings on specific clauses, protections that are missing, and the questions to ask before you sign. Then ask follow-up questions about your own document. You see the credit cost before anything runs.
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Frequently asked questions
Should I negotiate before signing?
Often yes for fees, pet terms, early termination, or clarifying vague repair duties. Get any change in writing as an addendum both sides sign.
Is this legal advice?
No. Contract Checked gives general information and an AI reading of your document. It does not create an attorney-client relationship. For a dispute or a decision with a lot of money at stake, talk to a licensed attorney or a local tenant or worker organization.
Can Contract Checked review my document?
Yes. Upload a PDF, Word file, pasted text or a photo. Sign up free for starting credits; you see the credit cost before anything runs. The report is plain English and is not legal advice.