Are the terms of a lease negotiable? That is, can a tenant request changes to the landlords standard lease?
Yes. While many landlords use a standard lease for all their tenants, there is nothing to prevent tenants from negotiating their own terms with the landlord. Additional terms can be written on the agreement and terms that are unacceptable can be crossed out so long as the landlord agrees and they are not contrary to state or local laws or ordinances. Tenants should make sure that all changes are dated and initialed by both parties.
