It's hard to say exactly without seeing this in the context of the entire lease (ie, what your 2024 lease says). But it seems like by signing this, you are agreeing to changes in your addendum and in the future without consultation with a lawyer. But honestly, as a lawyer, and having read a zillion leases in my lifetime, I have never seen a clause like this. Usually the clause will say, "no changes, additions, etc. will be made unless signed by both parties." Because its usually a clause to prevent one party from unilaterally changing the lease, and has nothing to do with whether or not they consult with lawyers.

Also a lawyer and also have never seen such a clause, but I’m wondering if there is something particular in your state or local laws under the general umbrella of consumer rights that requires legal review of lease amendments unless the parties waive it.

Another lawyer here. I agree with my fellow sistern at the bar.

Thank you all - I need to review the original lease agreement, I guess.

I plan on asking him what it means as well - I've got until December and we do want to keep living here. I just don't want to give up something that may be important.

Just posted this to the same topic I started @ the KT forum:

Haven't yet questioned our landlord, but I have been looking at the lease docs, and it appears the realtor is the one who prepared all the paperwork using some type of standard forms.

Our landlord is not a professional landlord - he's elderly and lives in a different city a few hours away. He was trying to sell this condo, but couldn't so the realtor suggested he try renting it out instead, and I was contacted by the realtor, after I'd been searching and putting in queries through various rental/real estate sites. I've never met him face to face - just the realtor and the 'handyman'.

So I just went back and checked and our lease renewal from last year contains that same sentence - I guess I didn't notice it before now 🤔

Original lease agreement contains this on page 2:

"NO CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO THIS FORM MAY BE MADE UNLESS A LAWYER IS CONSULTED."

P.S. FWIW, our landlord's actually been pretty nice, and waived security deposit and last month's rent, besides reducing the rent he was originally asking by a couple hundred $$. It's also a very nice complex, much nicer than what else is around here.

The sentece requiring lawyer review of any changes would be in the original lease if the renewal is saying it will be waived. His not requiring a deposit or last month's rent might have been such a change, depending on how the lease was written. I'd ask the realtor what that is about.