Miami is a beautiful city, but its access to beautiful beaches and sunshine can make your search for a home challenging thanks to the high demand for property in the area. When you find a home that you like, it may be tempting to hurry and sign on the dotted line so you do not miss the opportunity. However, according to Curbed.com, if you are planning to rent a residential property, leases can have clauses within them that are not in your favor. By identifying these, you may be able to negotiate for their removal and still move into the home.
When it comes to clauses dealing with how much you may pay, it seems fairly obvious that you do not want anything stating that the landlord can raise the rent over the life of the lease. Another potentially devastating addition is one that allows the lease to renew automatically. Even if you believe you will be interested in staying in the rental home for years to come, being locked into the payments for a subsequent lease term is typically something worth reconsidering. The cost of utilities is another issue, as it is always a factor in determining living expenses. If these are not in your name, the landlord may be able to raise the amount of your payments.
The landlord has a certain amount of leeway in determining what you may or may not do on the property, but this should have reasonable limits. Your landlord should have limited access to the property while you are living there, too. Florida statutes prevent the landlord from entering the home without a minimum of 12 hours’ notice unless there is an emergency. Entering outside of certain hours is also prohibited.
