15 Questions to Ask Before Signing a Lease

When you’re finally ready to sign the lease on an apartment, chances are you’ve already gotten answers to most of your major rent-related questions. Cost per month, location, and included utilities are all things you’d want to know before you get down to the paperwork, but what about the less obvious questions? While renting an apartment isn’t quite as big a process as buying a home is, it is legally binding, and there are still some really important questions you’ll want to have answered before putting your name on the dotted line. Here are 15 questions to ask before signing a lease so you can make sure you’re prepared.

What are the lease terms?

If the lease doesn’t start on the first of the month, is the rent pro-rated?

What are the policies around breaking the lease early?

What are the rules for non-tenant access?

Are there any rules about guests?

How is rent payed?

When is rent due?

Is renters insurance required?

What are the move-in fees?

To what extent can the unit be personalized?

Is the security deposit refundable?

How are maintenance requests handled?

Does the unit currently have any damage?

What is the pet policy (if applicable)?

What is the renewal process?

The more you know about questions to ask before signing a lease, the better protected you’ll be against any surprises or upsets once the lease starts. You’ll have little recourse to argue against the things you formally signed off on in the lease, so it’s critical that you get all of your questions answered before agreeing to the terms. Hopefully, by asking the questions above you’ll get a good idea of what you’re getting into and will have a stress-free rental experience.