Good Lease Terms
by: Developed from materials provided by the UW Students' Attorney
You can give away your legal rights by signing a lease that says something different than the law.
- Always read a lease very carefully before you sign it!
- Have a lawyer look at it.
- Just because your landlord gives it to you, doesn't mean you have to sign it the way it is. You can ask for the terms that work for you.
Good things to have in your lease
- Nothing will be taken from your deposit for normal wear and tear.
- The lease should say if only part of the deposit is refundable, how much the landlord will keep and why.
- The landlord shall keep the premises clean and safe. This should include all common areas.
- The landlord shall maintain the electrical, heating, and plumbing systems and provide hot and cold water.
- The lease should say what you have to do to get the landlord to make repairs. (It could say that the "landlord agrees to make repairs after one written request from the tenant.")
Note: Wyoming law allows landlords to avoid making repairs until sent two written requests from the tenant. Your landlord can, of course, agree to something different.
- The landlord will provide and maintain trash cans and arrange for trash removal.
- The landlord will use due diligence to mitigate damages if the lease is broken.
This means that your landlord must find another tenant as soon as possible to reduce the amount of rent owed by you if you move out early.
- The landlord will let you know if lead paint has been used in the home as required by federal law.
This is important because lead has been shown to cause brain damage and learning problems in children.
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