Reading a US Lease: Terms, Fees, and Clauses International Students Should Check Before Signing
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 19, 2026
Before you sign a US lease, check joint and several liability, the early termination fee, whether subletting is allowed, and how much notice a landlord must give before raising rent. A lease is a binding contract, not a form you walk back from after signing.
📩 Joint and several liability means each roommate owes the full rent, regardless of their individual share
Early termination usually costs a fee, often one to two months rent, spelled out in the lease
Subletting and guest policies are often restricted or banned outright
Rent increases are legal between lease terms in most states, with required notice
No US credit history often means a guarantor, a larger deposit, or months of rent upfront
A lease is a binding contract
Signing a US lease creates a legal obligation to pay rent for the full term, usually 12 months, whether or not you stay the whole time. Landlords pursue unpaid rent through collections or small claims court, and this affects your ability to rent again. Read every page before signing, and ask for a copy to review at home if the landlord will not let you take one on the spot.
Joint and several liability
Most shared leases name every roommate individually and make each one jointly and severally liable. The landlord collects the full rent from any one of you if a roommate stops paying or leaves early, regardless of that person's individual share.
If a roommate moves out mid-lease, the remaining tenants usually still owe the full rent unless the lease specifically allows a partial release. Put a separate written agreement in place among roommates about how you split costs and what happens if someone leaves, even though it does not override the lease itself.
Early termination clauses
Check what breaking the lease early costs. Many leases charge a flat termination fee, commonly one to two months rent, or require you to keep paying until a new tenant is found.
Some leases include a military clause or a specific early termination option, but plan on the assumption that leaving early costs money.
Subletting and assignment
Subletting means someone else takes over your room or unit and pays you, while you stay on the lease. Many leases ban subletting outright or require written landlord approval first.
Never sublet informally without checking the lease, since an unauthorized sublet is grounds for eviction of the original tenant too.
Rent increases
Landlords generally do not raise rent during a fixed-term lease unless the lease itself allows it. Once your lease ends and you move to a new term or month to month, landlords typically raise rent with written notice, and your state or city sets the required notice period. Check your specific state's landlord tenant statute or a CFPB renter resource for the notice period where you live.
Fees to look for beyond rent
| Fee | What to check |
|---|---|
| Application fee | Non-refundable, charged per applicant even if you are not approved |
| Security deposit | Separate from rent, refundable minus damage, state limits apply |
| Pet fee or deposit | Sometimes charged per pet, check if refundable or a flat fee |
| Parking fee | Not always included, ask if it is monthly or one-time |
| Late fee | Flat amount or percentage, check the grace period |
Utilities and what is included
Ask exactly which utilities are included in rent. Electricity, gas, water, trash, and internet are often billed separately, so get the answer in writing rather than relying on a verbal answer from a leasing agent, since it changes your real monthly cost significantly.
No US credit history complicates approval
Landlords run a credit and income check before approving most applications. Most international students have no US credit history, which leads landlords to ask for a guarantor, a larger deposit, or several months of rent paid upfront. Ask early in your search which of these your landlord requires, since it affects how much cash you need before move-in.
A guarantor is a US-based person or company that agrees to cover the rent if you do not pay. Some universities and private companies offer paid guarantor services for exactly this situation, ask your international student office whether they maintain a list of ones other students have used.
Before you sign
Walk through the unit and photograph existing damage before move-in
Confirm the move-in date in writing matches your travel plans
Ask whether a US cosigner or guarantor is required
Check the fair housing protections that apply to all renters under the Fair Housing Act
Keep a signed copy of the full lease for your records
Renters insurance
Some leases require renters insurance, a low-cost policy that covers your belongings and personal liability inside the unit. Even when not required, renters insurance costs little relative to the cost of replacing stolen or damaged belongings, and international students rarely arrive with equivalent coverage from home. Ask your leasing office whether they set a specific minimum coverage amount and whether they need to be listed as an interested party on the policy.
If you find a problem after moving in
Report any damage, pest issue, or broken appliance to your landlord in writing as soon as you find it, and keep a copy of the message. Most leases set a repair timeline the landlord must meet, and your state's landlord tenant law sets minimum habitability standards regardless of what the lease says.
Document every repair request with photos and dates. This record protects you if a dispute over habitability or deposit deductions comes up later in your tenancy or after you move out.