Don’t Forget to Read the Lease for Your Gainesville, FL Apartment

Moving. Just the mention of this word makes most people cringe with feelings of dread. Even though moving to a new place is often a positive step in life, the act of packing your belongings and hauling them to a new location is a grueling task.

While moving to a new Gainesville, Florida apartment can be an overwhelming experience, there is one more assignment you should add to your list: reading your new lease. Admittedly, reading a lease is not the most exciting activity in the world, but it is a legal document that will carry your signature. Therefore, you should be aware of exactly what you are signing your name to.

As you read your lease, there are a few topics you should look for:

1. What is the term of your lease? (3 months, 7 months, 9 months, 11 months?)
2. What is the amount of your security deposit?
3. Can you get your security deposit back at the end of your lease? How?
4. How long does it take to get your security deposit back?
5. On what day is your rent due?
6. On what day are late rent charges due? What are the late charges?
7. Where do you send your rent and to whom do you make the check payable?
8. Do you have to pay a deposit for pets?
9. Is there a limit on the type and number of pets you can own?
10. Is there a limit on the number of residents in your apartment?
11. If you take in a roommate, does he or she have to be added to the lease?
12. Do you have to pay your own utilities? If so, which ones?
13. How quickly will your maintenance requests be responded to?
14. Do you have to pay for repairs in your apartment?
15. Is there a charge to park in the parking lot?
16. Do you have to pay extra to use amenities like the community workout center or pools?
17. What kind of advance notice do you have to give before you move? If you fail to give the required notice, what is the penalty?

After reading your lease, if there is anything you would like to question or change, do not hesitate to speak to the leasing consultant or property manager. If they are able to make an adjustment to the wording in the lease, make sure they put it in writing and initial it. Do not depend on verbal agreements between you and the property management, as verbal agreements cannot be proven or enforced. If you feel uncomfortable about anything in the lease and the management company refuses to change it, you may want to consider looking at other Gainesville, Florida apartments.

Once your lease is signed, always keep a copy for your records and put it in a place you can find it easily. Chances are, you will be referring to your lease several times throughout your stay.