By Ron Leshnower. Apartment Living/Rental Expert

When you rent an apartment, you and your landlord will probably sign a lease, a document that gives you the right to occupy your new home for as long as the lease remains in effect.

Before you sign a lease, you might wonder what the best lease term is, how much you ll owe, who else might need to sign the lease, and even whether you d be better off renting your apartment without a lease at all.

After you sign a lease. you may decide you need to move out early and worry that breaking your lease may incur penalties.

Continue Reading Below

Or, you might take issue with a certain rule in your lease and need to persuade your landlord that the rule is unfair or that it shouldn t apply to you.

Fortunately, you can be prepared and avoid many problems by reading up on the basics of apartment leases.

Important Apartment Lease Basics

Here s what you need to know about apartment leases :

1. Fixed-term lease versus month-to-month rental agreement. Most of the time, landlords and tenants agree to a fixed term, such as a year, for a tenancy. When the time is up, both parties can agree to renew the lease for another fixed term. Find out why a longer lease term may -- or may not -- be advantageous to you.

By contrast, a month-to-month rental agreement automatically renews unless the landlord or tenant decides to end it. Although this appears to offer greater flexibility, it may come at a price. Review the pros and cons of fixed-term leases and month-to-month rental agreements to determine which option is best for you.

1. What you owe at lease signing. Be prepared to pay around two to four times your monthly rent. if not more, along with signing your lease. From paying some rent upfront, plus a security deposit, broker s fee, moving fees, and more, you ll certainly need to bring your wallet to your lease signing. Here are more details about what you should expect to pay at lease signing .