Not all landlords require you to sign a lease. This can either work for you or against you. If you do not sign a lease, you are more likely to get out of the apartment easier, if you don't like it or if you begin to have problems. The downside is that if you do not sign a lease, you do not have a written agreement about which utilities your landlord will pay.

Before you sign anything, read it over carefully. Most leases here do not require you to be a lawyer to understand them (as in the U.S.) so there is no reason not to look it over carefully. Landlords do not do background checks or dig up any dirt on you (which takes time and costs money), so the whole process can be over with a simple signature.

Some landlords ask for a deposit on the rent, but most just ask that you pay for the month before you live on the property. If a landlord asks for a deposit, make sure it is included in the lease, or sign an agreement about when it will be returned to you.