Lease Topics
In-depth guides on every major aspect of residential and commercial leases — written in plain English for tenants.
- How to Break a Lease Early (Without Losing Everything) Learn the legal ways to break a lease early, how to negotiate with your landlord, and what it will a...
- Understanding CAM Charges in Commercial Leases What are CAM charges, how are they calculated, what to negotiate, and how to avoid being overcharged...
- Personal Guaranty in a Lease: What You're Really Signing A personal guaranty puts your house, savings, and personal assets on the line for your business leas...
- Security Deposits: What Landlords Can and Can't Deduct Your complete guide to security deposits — how much they can be, what landlords can deduct, and how ...
- Rent Escalation Clauses: How Much Will Your Rent Actually Increase? Understand how rent escalation clauses work, how to calculate your total lease cost over time, and w...
- Holdover Tenancy: What Happens When You Stay Past Your Lease What is holdover tenancy, what does your landlord owe you, and what are the financial risks of stayi...
- How to Negotiate a Lease: A Step-by-Step Guide A complete guide to negotiating your lease — from researching the market to the key clauses every te...
- Subletting Your Rental: How to Do It Without Getting Sued How to legally sublet your rental or commercial space, get landlord approval, protect yourself legal...
- Triple-Net Leases (NNN): What You Pay Beyond the Base Rent A complete guide to NNN leases — what you pay beyond base rent, how to negotiate NNN terms, and what...
- Lease Assignment: What Happens to Your Lease When You Sell Your Business How lease assignment works in business acquisitions, what landlord consent requirements mean for you...
- Habitability: Your Landlord's Legal Duty to Maintain Your Rental What habitability means legally, what your landlord must maintain, and what to do when they don't — ...
- Auto-Renewal Clauses: The Lease Trap That Costs Tenants Thousands How auto-renewal clauses work, what happens when you miss the notice window, and how to avoid being ...
- 10 Red Flags in Commercial Leases That Should Make You Nervous The 10 commercial lease clauses and practices that signal a problem — and what to do when you find t...
- Co-Tenancy Clauses: Protection from Anchor Tenant Departures How co-tenancy clauses work in retail leases, what triggers them, and how to negotiate a co-tenancy ...
- Percentage Rent in Retail Leases: How It Works and What to Negotiate What is percentage rent, how is the breakpoint calculated, what counts as gross sales, and how to ne...
- Tenant Improvement Allowances: Getting the Most From Your Landlord What TI allowances are, how they're structured, what to negotiate, and how to avoid TI clawback trap...
- Landlord Entry Rights: When Can Your Landlord Come In? What notice landlords must give before entering your rental, what rights you have, and what to do wh...
- Attorney Fees in Leases: Who Pays When There's a Dispute? How attorney fee provisions work in leases, why one-sided clauses are dangerous, and how to negotiat...
- Can Your LLC Protect You From a Commercial Lease? What You Need to Know How LLCs protect (and don't protect) business owners who sign commercial leases, and what additional...
- Lease Dispute Resolution: Mediation, Arbitration, or Court? Understanding the dispute resolution options in your lease — what each means for your rights, costs,...
- Lease Renewal Options: How to Lock In Your Right to Stay Everything about lease renewal options — how they work, how to negotiate favorable terms, and critic...
- Exclusivity Clauses: Protecting Your Business From Direct Competition How exclusivity clauses work in retail leases, what protections they provide, and how to negotiate a...
- Force Majeure in Leases: Does a Pandemic (or Disaster) Let You Out? What force majeure clauses mean in leases, what they cover (and don't), and what happened to commerc...
- Security Deposit Interest: States That Require Landlords to Pay You Which states require landlords to pay interest on security deposits, how the interest is calculated,...
- Franchise Lease Issues: What Franchisees Need to Know Before Signing The unique lease issues facing franchisees — from assignment restrictions to franchise-required buil...
- Lead Paint, Mold, and Other Rental Hazards: Your Rights as a Tenant What federal and state law requires landlords to disclose about lead paint, mold, and other hazards ...
- Rent Control: Which Tenants Are Protected and Which Aren't A comprehensive guide to rent control in the US — which states and cities have it, who's covered, wh...
- The Move-In Checklist: Your Best Protection Against Deposit Disputes How to create a thorough move-in checklist, what to document, and how this single step protects thou...
- Late Fees in Leases: How Much Is Too Much? What late fees landlords can charge, state-by-state limits, and what to do if you're charged an ille...
- First-Time Renter's Guide: What You Need to Know Before Signing Everything a first-time renter needs to know — from apartment hunting to lease signing to getting yo...
- Commercial Lease Glossary: 50 Terms Every Tenant Should Know A plain-English glossary of the 50 most important commercial lease terms — from base rent to subordi...
- What Is LiabilityScore™ and How Does It Score Your Lease? How LiabilityScore™ works, what a score of 0-100 means for your lease, and how to use your score to ...
- Parking in Commercial Leases: More Than Just a Convenience How parking is handled in commercial leases, what to negotiate, and how inadequate parking provision...
- Signage Rights in Commercial Leases: Getting the Visibility You Need How signage rights work in commercial leases, what restrictions to watch for, and how to negotiate s...
- Restaurant Leases: The Special Issues Every Food & Beverage Tenant Faces The unique lease issues for restaurant and food service businesses — from hood requirements to greas...
- Office Lease Guide: Everything Tech Companies and Startups Need to Know The office lease guide for growing companies — flexible terms, subletting rights, TI allowances, and...
- Industrial and Warehouse Lease Guide: What Logistics Tenants Need to Know The complete guide to industrial and warehouse leases — clear heights, loading docks, HVAC provision...
- Alternatives to Personal Guaranty: How to Limit Your Personal Exposure Creative alternatives to unlimited personal guaranty — from letters of credit to burn-down provision...
- Lease Default and Eviction: What Happens and What Are Your Rights What constitutes a lease default, how the eviction process works, and what rights you have as a tena...
- Short-Term Rentals and Your Lease: What You Need to Know Before Listing on Airbnb Can you list your rental on Airbnb? What lease clauses prohibit it, what penalties you face, and how...
- Types of Commercial Leases: Gross, Net, Modified Gross, and More A complete guide to commercial lease types — what each structure means for your costs, risks, and wh...
- Estoppel Certificates: What They Are and When to Worry What is an estoppel certificate, when landlords require them, and what to review carefully before si...
- Key-Man Clauses in Business Leases: What Happens When the Boss Leaves What a key-man clause does in a commercial lease, when it matters, and how to negotiate it in a busi...
- ADA Accessibility and Your Commercial Lease: Who Pays for Compliance? Who is responsible for ADA accessibility in commercial leases, what the law requires, and how to all...
- Month-to-Month Leases: Flexibility vs. Security Trade-offs Everything about month-to-month leases — the flexibility they provide, the security you sacrifice, a...
- The Key Differences Between Commercial and Residential Leases The most important differences between commercial and residential leases — consumer protections, neg...
- SNDA Agreements: Protecting Your Lease in a Foreclosure What an SNDA agreement is, why it matters in commercial leases, and how to protect your tenancy in c...
- Renters Insurance: What You Need and What Your Lease Requires Everything about renters insurance — what it covers, how much you need, what commercial leases requi...
- Build-Out and Construction Clauses: Who Pays to Customize Your Space? Learn who pays for tenant improvements, how to negotiate build-out allowances, and what construction...
- Lease Assignment and Transfer: What Happens to Your Lease When Your Situation Changes Understand lease assignment rules, how to transfer your lease when selling a business, and what land...