Can a realtor change the amount of a lease after the lease has been signed by himself and the tenant and he has cashed the security and first payment checks as well?

Answer 1

Only if the lease contains a clause allowing the action to take place. Many leases will have a stipulation about rent increases and/or added fees. If there is none, then the terms agreed on are legally binding and any changes w/o the consent of all parties constitutes a breach of contract. Adding: What do you mean by "the amount of the lease"? As above, many leases are written as "Triple-Net," (also known as net-net-net or absolute net,) which means the Lessor may pass along the costs of utilities, insurance, and real estate taxes. Other leases may say that the common area (or unrentable part) of a building are shared expenses dependent upon your square footage and/or the total occupied square footage at any given time. Also, some leases have closing costs - especially if you've got a leasing agent involved; if your contract is so written then you're paying more for the space but not necessarily in terms of rent per square foot. OR, if something occurs which would otherwise render the lease void or unenforcable as it currently exists (either lease langugage or changes in law or regulation.) In effect, your old lease may be voided out and you then operate effectively with an oral lease. (Again, most leases have a clause, though, which says that if one part of a contract is unenforcable, the rest remains in force.)