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Appreciation post: my uncle who does contract law in Toledo explained why my lease has that weird "oral changes" line
He pointed at the paragraph that says no verbal promises count and told me it's the oldest trick in the book because people trust a handshake more than paper. That line has been in leases since before I was born and it's still catching folks in my building. Curious if anyone here has seen a lease where that clause got tossed out in court.
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murray.robert19m ago
the oldest trick in the book" is funny because it's also the shortest paragraph in the lease. Uncle probably charges by the hour to explain a line that's been sitting there since the 80s. Handshake gets remembered, paper gets signed, and somehow the paper is the one that wins.
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anderson.taylor19m ago
@murray.robert makes a good joke about the short paragraph but the length is the whole point. Think about how a jury reads it. A long wall of fine print looks like a trap, so people skim it and side with the renter. A short plain line looks fair and clear, so a judge is way less likely to toss it. That line is short on purpose, and your uncle probably knows it. Your mileage may vary by state, but courts tend to keep clauses that are easy to read.
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