Understanding the Commitment

You have time to explore housing options and the right to refuse to sign a lease if you are not comfortable with its terms. Plenty of housing options are available through the start of the fall semester, so take your time and be sure an option is right for you before you sign.

Once signed, a lease is a legally binding contract between you and your landlord by which your landlord agrees to provide you the use of property for a specified time in exchange for periodic payments. Your landlord has the right to insist on full performance of the lease for the full duration of the lease.

For many students, a lease is the first contract they sign that cannot be canceled and carries legal consequences for failure to meet its obligations.

Before you sign, carefully evaluate whether you are prepared to commit to all terms of the contract.