Tips for Signing Your Lease

Once you have found your off-campus home and are ready to move forward, take a look at these helpful tips for signing a lease before you seal the deal:

Read the Entire Document

A lease is a binding contract that outlines what both the tenant and the landlord are committing to. Read it thoroughly and make sure you understand the promises you are making before signing.

Leases often have confusing terms (e.g., “joint and several liability” and “subrogation”). If you do not understand all the promises you are making, don’t sign the lease. Don't sign the lease until you understand what you are committing to. If you have any questions, you can also contact the Student Legal Services Office and have your lease reviewed for free! 

Ask Questions

Ask the landlord lots of questions and make sure the answers are written in the lease. E.g., Can you sublease? What utilities will you pay?

Get it in Writing

The lease is the formal agreement between you and the landlord, so make sure that everything you’ve agreed to (e.g., number of parking spaces, pets, number of housemates, etc.) is in writing before you sign. 

Clarify Expectations

Talk to the landlord about their expectations, and tell them yours as well. If your expectations don’t match up, consider continuing your search. 

Take Your Time

Resist the pressure to sign a lease without reading and understanding it, even if the landlord tells you that this rental is “the last one” and you’ll lose it if you don’t “sign today.”

FREE Lease Review

If you are a student at UMass Amherst, complete an intake form with the Student Legal Services Office and have your lease reviewed by an attorney for FREE!