Study the Agreement Thoroughly
What matters to most renters in a Rental Agreement, are the Monthly Rentals, Once and for all Payments, the Deposit and other various financial details. If they find that these figures have not changed since their negotiations and discussions with the administrator and the management, they are highly satisfied and immediately sign and return the contract to the administrator barely glancing over it, and with no queries or comments.
They little realize the importance of the other contents besides the few key points stated above. The big mistake all of them make is not to appreciate that this is a legal documents that contains many clauses defining their entitlements as well as what they are not entitled to, their responsibilities and what they are prohibited from doing and the penalties involved for same among other matters.
How about a Roommate?
Simply because you may be living alone in an apartment with two bedrooms does not confer any entitlement on you to take roommates at your will and pleasure Before you think of soliciting roommates in order to split your rent with another, be aware that some agreements explicitly prohibit any others moving in to the apartment once the lease is signed and finalized. Violation of these provisions of the contract could render you liable to severe penalties including eviction.
Some contracts allow you the option to add an extra resident to your list prior to signing the contract. This would enable you to take a roommate at a later date subject to approval by the Apartment Authorities. The said approval entails a background check of your prospective roommate inclusive of a check on his finances (credit score etc.)
Like to have a Pet?
Again, you are going to be in big trouble if you suddenly bring an expensive pet to the apartment, not knowing anything about what your leasing agreement has to say about it. Even if you do not possess any pets at the time of moving into the apartment and if you think you might want to keep pets one day, you should first read the contractual papers, what types are allowed and what types are not, and get your intention to keep a pet included in the leasing agreement prior to signing it. These clauses on the restrictions on certain types, breeds and sizes of pets are binding on you for the entirety of your leasing term and cannot be revoked after signing the agreement.
Do you intend having Visitors Frequently?
If you are likely to have any guest dropping in regularly even for the night to go the next morning, most administrators are in the habit of specifying such guests too as the apartment residents if they spend a given number of nights within the apartment in a month on a frequent basis. The significance of this condition is that the leasing agreement clearly specifies the total number of residents who may live at any point of time in the apartment.
Having too many identical visitors to your apartment on a frequent basis may make you liable to be charged with having excessive residents over and above the permitted level. It is a count on which you could be evicted. As such, it is imperative that you familiarize yourself well with all the provisions of the leasing agreement prior to allowing too many visitors to the apartment for the night on a frequent basis.