<prompt> Human: The contract that I signed clearly states that the first installment of rent is due on, or before the first day of the lease term - August 21st. They emailed me yesterday stating that the first payment is due on August 1st. I called their office and the person I spoke to was insistent that I am supposed to make the first payment on August 1st. She said that August 1st has always been the date on which people make their first payment. I showed her the relevant parts of the lease agreement, and all of a sudden she didnt have much to say, other than that she could not help me and that I would have to email her manager. Unless they snuck a clause into some seemingly unrelated part of the contract, then Im fairly certain that my lease agreement says nothing about needing to pay on August 1st.I know these people are going to try to play hardball with me. What should I do?  <response>: Theyre out of luck. You have a contract. It might be the date on which people make their first payment. But your lease says its not due until the 21st and if they needed it on the first they should have put it in the contract. That would have provided you an opportunity to make a decision whether or not to sign based on that contract since you wont have the money by then. This is their problem; dont make it yours. 