After School: CASE 20
Contracts and leases intro
1: STORY
The apartment listing conversation keeps returning to one number: $1,150. The fictional lease front page makes the decision more complicated. It lists a term from August 1 through July 31, a $1,150 security deposit, and utilities separately from rent.
The rent and deposit alone total $2,300 if both are being considered together, but the excerpt does not specify when every payment is due. It also does not provide utility estimates or the complete move-in bill.
The addendum names guests, pets, subletting, move-out notice, damage charges, and a renter’s insurance requirement. Those headings can affect ordinary plans, such as having someone stay over or leaving before the term ends. The receipt does not provide the detailed clauses. Treat each heading as something to obtain and read, not permission to guess a restriction or a fee.
The move-in checklist focuses on evidence: dated photos of existing damage, a signed copy, and payment records. Documentation helps preserve what the renter observed and agreed to, but it does not settle every tenant-rights question. Annotate the receipts, then draft five questions for the landlord or property manager. Identify any question that also needs a current local tenant resource rather than relying only on the owner’s explanation.
2: EVIDENCE
These are NPW practice documents. Real-world sources are credited separately below.
SOURCE A — Lease front page
NPW practice document. Rent $1,150; term Aug. 1–July 31; security deposit $1,150; utilities listed separately.
What it establishes: Shows core financial/term obligations.
Question while reading: What recurring costs are not included in rent?
SOURCE B — Addendum
NPW practice document. Guests, pets, subletting, move-out notice, damage charges, renter’s insurance requirement.
What it establishes: Shows additional binding terms if incorporated.
Question while reading: Why must addenda be read with the main lease?
SOURCE C — Move-in checklist
NPW practice document. Document existing damage with dated photos; keep signed copy and payment records.
What it establishes: Shows documentation practice. It is not legal advice about tenant rights.
Question while reading: What should be saved before keys change hands?
Source A gives the rent, deposit, lease term, and separate utilities. It supports distinguishing recurring rent from a deposit, but not a complete budget or payment schedule. Source B supplies additional categories and an insurance requirement; the effect of its terms depends on the actual language and incorporation into the agreement.
Source C recommends preserving condition and transaction records. It is a documentation checklist, not a statement that any particular deduction or clause is lawful. None of A/B/C supplies jurisdiction-specific tenant law. An annotation should therefore separate stated obligations, missing details, and legal questions requiring an appropriate local source.
3: PRACTICE
A supports adding the two stated amounts but lists utilities separately and omits other cost details. It does not state that the deposit substitutes for rent or give a complete move-in bill.
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4: TASK
Annotate the lease and write five questions before signing. Include one clear claim or question, at least two source references, one statement of uncertainty/scope, the person or office with relevant authority, and one realistic next step.
Annotations: A lists $1,150 rent, a $1,150 deposit, the August 1–July 31 term, and separate utilities. B needs reading alongside the lease; C prompts dated condition photos and saved records. My five questions are: Which utilities and other charges would I pay? When are rent, deposit, and other move-in payments due? What do the guest, pet, and subletting clauses allow? What notice and charges apply if I leave? What insurance and damage-documentation process are required? I would request written answers and the complete agreement from the property manager. The receipts do not establish local tenant rights; unresolved legal questions need a current local tenant resource.
If a verbal answer conflicts with the addendum, what should you request before signing?
45–55 min core, 80–100 min full
| Criterion | Beginning | Developing | Strong | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accuracy & scope | Repeats claim. | Mostly accurate; scope incomplete. | Accurate and properly scoped. | Accurate, scoped, and explicit about uncertainty. |
| Evidence | Little or unrelated. | Relevant source, sometimes overstated. | Explains what sources establish. | Compares sources and limits. |
| Authority | Names actor without role. | Plausible authority. | Explains who decides and why. | Maps proposal, approval, implementation, review. |
| Communication | Vague or audience-mismatched. | Main point understandable. | Clear, specific, audience-aware. | Clear, accessible, precise, well-qualified. |
