The Section 8 Lease: What’s in my lease with my landlord?

There are a number of rights and obligations for the landlord and the tenant. The lease states the rent amount, security deposit amount and who is responsible for which utilities cost. The terms of the lease do not normally allow you to break the lease in the first 12 months without the landlord’s consent. Cases of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, or if an owner does not remedy code violations are exceptions to breaking the lease without the owner’s permission.

The landlord cannot collect more rent than is permitted by the lease. During the first year of the lease, the landlord can only evict you for serious or repeated lease violations, and cannot increase your rent. At the end of the first year, or any time after, the owner may evict you for “other good cause” reasons which are not your fault (such as a business, economic or personal reason). At the end of the first year you can also terminate the lease without stating a reason. If certain things are allowed or prohibited (for example, the tenant can or cannot have pets, or a washing machine), normally these will be included in the lease. The landlord must keep the apartment in good repair.