An oral agreement means that you do not write anything down. Oral leases have the advantages of being uncomplicated and usually do not commit the tenant for the summer, when most college students leave town. But, be careful. Holding your landlord to any promises that were not written down is often hard to do. Th erefore, using a written agreement is ideal if there are specifi c details that need to be addressed. Furthermore, a landlord can terminate an oral lease with proper notice. Unless you and your landlord agree otherwise, the schedule of rental payments will set the.