Lease Agreement Review: Spot Illegal and Unfair Lease Terms.

Check the security deposit against your state’s limit and return deadline; how much notice the landlord must give before entering; who pays for repairs, especially major systems; late fees and when they start; what breaking the lease early costs; and any clause waiving rights your state does not allow a tenant to waive.

It varies by state. California caps most residential deposits at one month’s rent (as of July 2024; up to two months for some small landlords), and New York limits them to one month. Many states have their own caps. A deposit above your state’s limit is unenforceable, we check yours.

Most states require advance written notice for non-emergency entry, commonly 24 hours (for example, California Civil Code §1954). A clause allowing entry with little or no notice is often invalid. We flag it against your state’s rule.

Leases often try to shift maintenance, even of major systems like HVAC, onto the tenant. In many states the landlord must keep the unit habitable regardless, so blanket "tenant pays for everything" clauses may be unenforceable. We flag repair-shifting.

Usually not. Waivers of the implied warranty of habitability, or of your right to sue for the landlord’s negligence, are void in many states. We flag prohibited clauses so you know which terms a court would likely ignore.

It depends on your state. Many states cap deposits at one or two months’ rent, some set no cap, and most set a deadline for returning the deposit with an itemised list of deductions. The report checks the deposit against your state where we hold the rule.

Most states require reasonable advance notice for non-emergency entry, often 24 hours, and emergencies are the usual exception. A lease allowing entry at any time is flagged against your state’s rule.

The lease sets the starting point, often an early termination fee or liability for rent until the unit is re-let. Many states require the landlord to make reasonable efforts to re-let rather than charge the whole remaining term. Some states also give specific rights to leave early, for example for military service or domestic violence.

For a lease of business premises, use the commercial lease analyzer. It reads the lease from the tenant’s side and works out the total cost over the term, including common-area charges and escalations.

A clause that conflicts with state law is often unenforceable even though you signed it. The report flags such clauses so you know which terms may not bind you, but confirm locally before relying on it.

A rental agreement review checks the rent, due date and late fees, the security deposit against your state's cap, the landlord's entry notice, who pays for repairs, rules on subletting and guests, renewal and notice to leave, and the cost of breaking the lease early. ClauseAudit's automated review also flags clauses your state may not allow, such as habitability waivers.

An automated lease review is good at reading every clause quickly and flagging common problems such as deposits above your state's cap, short entry notice, repair shifting and steep lease-break penalties. ClauseAudit's automated review checks these against state rules and explains them plainly. It is not legal advice, so for disputes or unusual terms, a local tenant organization or attorney is still worth contacting.

Look at the rent, due date and late fees, the security deposit and how it is returned, the length of the term and renewal rules, entry notice, who handles repairs, pet and guest rules, subletting rights, and what it costs to leave early. ClauseAudit's automated review checks these terms against your state's rules and flags any that may be unenforceable.