The landlord is permitted to charge a fee in the event payments are late if the lease so specifies. The lease should also contain provisions granting the landlord the right to enforce reasonable rules and regulations written into the lease. From the tenant's perspective, the lease should define the duty of the landlord to maintain the premises and allow the tenant to terminate the lease if the landlord fails to make needed repairs. The lease may contain provisions allowing the tenant to perform repairs if a landlord is not responsive and to deduct the cost of repairs from the rent. Leases will ordinarily contain clauses dealing with security deposits, whether or not pets are allowed, under what conditions the landlord can enter the premises, whether the tenant can sublease the property, provisions for renewals and rent increases, and remedies in the event of default.
Most leases provide that the lease is subordinate to all mortgages.
This means that if the landlord loses the property in a foreclosure the bank can disregard the lease and evict the tenant. Ordinarily, under the express terms of the lease or state law, the destruction of the property or condemnation of the property by the government terminates the lease. Whether property can be used for business purposes is regulated by zoning ordinances. If the local zoning ordinances prohibit operating a business at the premises, such commercial use is unlawful. Most leases provide that the tenant must use residential premises only for residential purposes.