Contract clause cheat sheet
Newcomers rarely lose money because of the headline rent—they lose money because key clauses weren’t clarified in writing: break clauses/early termination, repairs and aircon servicing, inventory and handover, and move-out deductions. Use this page as a conservative checklist: what to confirm, where to capture it, and what to watch for.
Rule of thumb: capture every important point in writing—contract/appendix/email. If it’s not written, it becomes a future dispute.
| Clause | Impact | Confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Lease term + start date | When rent starts and how long | Key handover date vs start date; early move-in; renewal window |
| Deposit + deductions | What can be deducted at move-out | Evidence required (photos/invoices); normal wear vs damage; refund timeline |
| Break clause / early termination | Whether you can exit early under conditions | Earliest trigger date; notice period; penalties; whether you must help find a replacement tenant |
| Repairs (minor vs major) | Who arranges and who pays | Scope examples; emergency contact; response expectations |
| Aircon servicing | Common dispute area | Servicing frequency; who pays; who books; keep receipts/photos |
| Utilities + internet | How bills are charged | Meter split vs fixed fee; any owner markup; internet included or not |
| Inventory + handover | What’s provided and in what condition | Inventory as an appendix; photo evidence; move-in/move-out inspection process |
| Move-out cleaning | What “clean” means | Professional cleaning required?; appliance cleaning scope; how costs are settled |
| House rules (cooking, visitors, address use) | Rules affect daily life directly | Put key rules in the agreement; address use/mail; overnight guest rules |
Use this as your last-mile QA before signing: you don’t need legal jargon—clarity and evidence matter most.
Principle: don’t stop at “early termination allowed”. Write triggers, notice method, and costs in an executable way.
| Common pattern (example) | What it means for you | What to clarify in writing |
|---|---|---|
| No break clause | You may be locked in unless both sides agree | If your job/visa situation is uncertain, raise the need early and capture a fallback plan (replacement tenant / reassignment conditions) in writing. |
| 6+2 (break after 6 months with 2 months notice) | More manageable cash-flow risk, but notice period still matters | Confirm notice format (email vs letter), when the clock starts, and whether there are penalties or replacement-tenant requirements. |
| 12+2 (break after 12 months) | Better if you are confident you will stay at least a year | If you’re not sure, don’t optimize for lower rent—treat a usable break clause as a requirement. |
| Break allowed with a penalty | “Allowed” does not mean “cheap” | Write the penalty formula, whether it can offset deposit, and whether it stacks with notice period. |
The goal is not to argue—it’s to capture key points in the contract/email and build an evidence trail.
We’re comfortable with a [term] lease, but we’d like one break option: after [X] months, we can terminate with [Y] months written notice. Could you include the trigger, notice method (email/letter), and any penalty in the tenancy agreement?
To avoid misunderstandings, can we state repairs responsibility clearly: what the landlord covers (e.g., major appliances/structure) vs what the tenant covers (minor consumables)? Also include an emergency contact and response expectations.
We’re happy to follow the agreed aircon servicing schedule. Can we write the frequency, who pays, and that we’ll keep receipts/photos, so move-out deductions won’t depend on memory?
Could we include that any deductions require supporting evidence (e.g., invoices/photos) and distinguish normal wear from damage? We’ll also provide dated move-in and move-out photos for comparison.
Many deduction disputes are not about clauses—they’re about missing evidence. Treat this pack as rental insurance.