Lease Review AI
Free Lease Review: Risk Score in Under 60 Seconds
Upload any residential lease. Get a risk score from 1 to 10, every red flag quoted in plain English, state-specific legal citations, and a specific recommendation for each issue. No credit card, no account, no email required for your first analysis.
3 free analyses · no credit card · results in under a minute · PDF, Word, or photo
62
Real leases analyzed
50
US states covered
<60s
Average analysis time
94%
High-severity catch rate
What Clausely checks in every lease
Clausely runs a 47-pattern red flag checklist on every contract it reviews. For residential leases specifically, these are the seven issues that matter most and that our analysis catches most often on real user documents, ranked by frequency of appearance in the 62 leases we analyzed.
01
Auto-renewal traps
The lease auto-renews for another full term unless you give written notice in a narrow window, usually 30 to 60 days before expiration. Miss the window and you are locked in for another year at whatever rent the landlord sets.
02
Security deposit and normal wear clauses
The lease deducts from your deposit for normal wear and tear, or holds the deposit beyond the state-mandated return window. Most states require return within 14 to 45 days with an itemized deduction statement.
03
Maintenance responsibility shifted to the tenant
You are made responsible for repairs that are legally the landlord's obligation in your state, such as HVAC, plumbing, electrical, or structural issues. Many of these clauses are unenforceable but show up routinely.
04
Early termination penalties
The lease requires 2 to 3 months of rent as an early termination fee regardless of how much time is left on the lease. Some states cap this. Others require the landlord to mitigate damages by re-renting the unit.
05
Uncapped rent increase provisions
Mid-lease or auto-renewal rent increases with no cap or notice requirement. In rent-controlled jurisdictions this may be unenforceable. Outside rent control, it can still be negotiated down before signing.
06
Subletting prohibitions
Complete bans on subletting or assignment without written landlord consent, often with no reasonableness standard. If you need flexibility, negotiate a reasonable-consent standard or a right to assign to a qualified replacement tenant.
07
Habitability and repair right waivers
The lease attempts to waive the implied warranty of habitability or the tenant's repair-and-deduct remedy. These waivers are usually unenforceable in residential leases but can intimidate tenants who do not know their rights.
Sample lease analysis
Here is what the output looks like on a real 18-page residential lease, anonymized. This is the same format you will see on your own upload.
6/10
Risk Score
Residential lease (12-month, 18 pages)
This residential lease has a standard structure but includes four high-severity issues that are worth addressing before signing or negotiating with the landlord. Two of the clauses are likely unenforceable in the governing state but were left in the document anyway. Recommended fixes are mostly straightforward.
HIGH60-day auto-renewal notice with full-term rollover
“This Lease shall automatically renew for an additional twelve-month term unless Tenant provides written notice to Landlord at least sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of the current term.”
A 60-day notice window on a 12-month lease is aggressive. If you forget, you are locked in for another year at whatever rent the landlord sets. Fair leases either require affirmative consent to renew or cap the renewal rate increase.
Suggested fix: Request either (1) month-to-month rollover after the initial term, or (2) affirmative written consent required for renewal, or (3) a rate cap like 'not to exceed CPI plus 3%' on any renewal.
HIGHNon-refundable cleaning and 'administrative' fees
“Tenant shall pay a non-refundable cleaning fee of $400 and a non-refundable administrative fee of $250 upon lease execution.”
Several states require security deposits and associated fees to be refundable. California, for example, prohibits non-refundable cleaning fees on most residential leases. These charges are often added to inflate the upfront cost without a legal basis.
Suggested fix: Ask for both fees to be categorized as part of the refundable security deposit, or removed entirely. In California, New York, and several other states, these charges may be challengeable after the fact.
HIGHMaintenance shift for HVAC and plumbing
“Tenant shall be responsible for the maintenance and repair of all HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems within the Premises.”
In most states, the landlord is responsible for maintaining major systems under the implied warranty of habitability. Shifting that responsibility to the tenant is generally unenforceable for residential leases, but leaving it in the document can create confusion during an actual repair dispute.
Suggested fix: Request deletion of this clause, or narrow it to 'minor repairs under $100' with the landlord retaining responsibility for major systems.
MEDIUMNo reasonableness standard on landlord entry
“Landlord shall have the right to enter the Premises at any reasonable time to inspect the condition and for maintenance purposes.”
Most states require 24 or 48 hours written notice before landlord entry except in emergencies. The clause as written ignores that requirement.
Suggested fix: Add the statutory notice requirement from your state (usually 24 hours written notice) with emergency exceptions only for urgent safety situations.
Lease guides from the Clausely library
Want to go deeper before you upload? These four guides cover the most common lease questions, red flags, and state-specific rules.
What to check before signing a lease
A practical checklist of the clauses, deposits, and term details that matter most before you hand over the first month's rent.
Read the guide →
What a fair lease agreement looks like
The structure, default terms, and mutual obligations that define a balanced residential lease you should feel comfortable signing.
Read the guide →
Lease agreement red flags
The specific clauses that show up in landlord-favored leases and how to recognize them before you sign.
Read the guide →
Texas lease agreement laws
State-specific coverage of Texas lease rules, security deposits, and tenant rights under the Property Code.
Read the guide →
Drafting your own lease instead? Download our free residential lease template, or see our renter use case page for state-by-state checklists and tenant rights resources like the HUD tenant rights overview.
Frequently asked questions
Is Clausely's lease review really free?
Yes. You get 3 free lease analyses with no credit card required. Upload your residential lease, get a risk score from 1 to 10, see every red flag quoted with a plain-English explanation, and get specific suggested fixes. No account needed for your first analysis.
What kinds of leases can Clausely review?
Residential leases, apartment leases, single-family home rentals, month-to-month agreements, fixed-term agreements, and subleases are all supported. Clausely also handles commercial leases, though some commercial-specific clauses may need additional review. Upload any PDF, Word file, or photo of a printed lease.
Can Clausely check if my lease is fair for my state?
Yes. Clausely detects the governing state from the lease text and applies state-specific rules for security deposits, rent increase limits, notice requirements, habitability standards, and tenant protections. Coverage is strongest for California, Texas, New York, Florida, and other high-population states where state law materially affects lease enforceability.
What are the most common lease red flags?
The most common residential lease red flags are: auto-renewal clauses with short opt-out windows, security deposit provisions that deduct for normal wear and tear, maintenance responsibility shifts to the tenant, early termination penalties that exceed state limits, uncapped rent increase provisions, subletting prohibitions, and attempts to waive habitability standards or tenant repair rights.
Does AI lease review replace a real estate lawyer?
No. Clausely gives you a first-pass review that identifies common problems and explains what they mean. For high-stakes decisions, unusual lease structures, or disputes you are considering litigating, you should consult a lawyer licensed in your state. For routine residential leases, the AI review is usually enough to change your decision about whether to sign or negotiate.
How long does the lease review take?
Under 60 seconds for most residential leases. Our median analysis time across 62 real leases was 54 seconds from upload to delivered risk score. Longer commercial leases (40+ pages) can take up to 90 seconds.
Upload your lease now
Risk score, quoted red flags, state-specific citations, and plain-English explanations in under 60 seconds. No credit card, no account required for your first 3 analyses.
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