I live in Wisconsin. In July 2004 I signed a 12-month lease with all the usual regulations and restrictions. I've now been in this apartment for 25 months. What exactly are the rules after the first 12 months? Do all the same restrictions still apply? If the regulations are the same for the duration of my tenancy, what's the point of a lease in the first place? I'm not planning on moving, I would just like to know where I stand as a tenant. Thank you.

You are now a month-to-month tenant, but at the same terms and conditions as were stated in your original lease. If you want to move out you need to give the landlord the same amount of notice as was required in your written lease. If your lease did not say how much notice you need to give, then you must give 30 days notice.

If your landlord wants to increase the rent they must give you 30 days notice. If your landlord wants to end your tenancy they must give you 30 days notice.

The advantage of a written lease is that your rental amount is locked in for the entire term of the lease rather than 30 days, and you are guaranteed a place to live for the entire term rather than 30 days.

In addition to what Lisa said, The landlord can also change any terms of the lease with written notice to you. Basically, the lease is automatically renewed each month.

Your responses were very helpful; exactly what I wanted to know. If I have no plans to move, would it be in my best interest to ask for another 12-month lease? I don't know if landlords generally do this, but in this area (Fox Valley) the rental housing market is wide open, with all kinds of incentives offered to new renters. It seems it would be in a landlord's best interest to re-sign a stable, reliable renter. Thank you.

If you're sure you don't want to move, and if you would feel more comfortable having another 12 month lease, then by all means you should ask the landlord for a new one. But keep in mind, this may make the landlord think about increasing the rent. If the rental market is that wide open then the landlord probably won't want to push his luck, though.

You need to read the lease real carefully, while I can agree with the above in general, some leases, specificly say that they automacticly renew to a new 12 month lease, unless they are notified sometimes before the annual date of the lease.

So some leases renew into a new 12 month lease.