Make certain your lease contains the details you and the landlord have agreed upon. These include:

The specific address of the apartment you selected

The length of the lease, what happens after the lease has expired?

Whether or not there is a sublet clause, which will allow you to rent your apartment to another person if you will not be living there for a while.

The lease should also contain the amount of the rent, when it is to be paid, where it is to be paid and what the penalties are if you pay your rent late. Whether the landlord can increase the rent during the lease period should be specified.

Also exactly what are the utilities you are to pay in addition to the rent i.e. electricity, heat, cable, water, and telephone?

How you can terminate your lease or renew it? Does your landlord have to give you 30 or 60 days notice to terminate or continue the lease? What is the penalty you must pay if you have to break your lease? What compensation do you get if the landlord is the one who breaks the lease? The amount of security deposit required is also important to have in the lease agreement. Remember to get a copy of the signed rental agreement or lease and keep it somewhere safe.