Property
5 min read
Five questions to ask before you sign a lease
Break clauses, repairs and rent reviews, in plain terms.
A lease can run for years, so the hour you spend reading it before you sign is the cheapest advice you will ever buy.
1. When can you leave?
Look for a break clause, the dates it can be used and the conditions attached. A break that depends on perfect repair is hard to use.
2. Who repairs what?
Full repairing leases put most costs on the tenant. A schedule of condition, with photos, limits what you hand back.
3. How does the rent change?
Rent reviews can be fixed, linked to an index or set by the market. Each one moves risk in a different direction.
If any answer is unclear, ask before you sign. It is far easier to change a draft than a signed lease.
General information only, not legal advice for your situation.
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