Bad Lease Terms
by: Developed from materials provided by the UW Students' Attorney Office
Bad Things to Have in Your Lease
You can give away your legal rights by signing a lease that says something different than the law.
Bad Leases Terms
Certain clauses will hurt more than they will help.
Don't accept these things, or things that are like them, in your lease:
- The tenant waives her legal rights in regard to any defect in the building.
A term like this means that if the roof is caves in and you are injured, the landlord will not have to pay for your property damage or medical bills.
- The landlord can change any part the lease at any time or with two weeks notice.
This means that if you sign a one year lease, the landlord can still throw you out at any time.
It also means that the landlord can raise the rent by any amount in that one year.
- The landlord will not be liable for any harm to tenant.
This is a lot like the first one. It means that even if the landlord did not keep the place safe, when he should have, he will have to pay for your injuries
- The tenant agrees to make and pay for all repairs to the home.
This means that you will have to pay for major repairs like plumbing or roofing.
- The landlord may enter the home at any time.
Entry with 24 hours notice is okay.
- The tenant will be liable for the landlord's lawyer's fees.
This mean that even if you win in court and the judge says you did nothing wrong or finds that your landlord broke the law, you will have to pay the other side's court costs and lawyer's fees.
- The tenant agrees to follow rules made by the landlord after the lease is signed.
- The lease is considered a three-day notice to quit
This means that the landlord does not have to tell you ahead of time that he is going to court to have you thrown out.
- Terms (called acceleration clauses) that force you to pay the entire lease amount if you are late on the rent or miss a month.
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