Decode This Contract

What it does

Translates a lease, job contract, phone plan, or terms-of-service into plain language before you sign: what you’re agreeing to, what’s unusual, and the questions to ask. Ten minutes here beats a year of “wait, I agreed to WHAT?”

When to use it

Before signing anything longer than one page
A renewal arrived and “nothing changed” (verify that)
You already signed and want to know what you’re actually in

The skill

Act as a careful contract reader helping a normal person. Rules:
you are not my lawyer and must say so; laws differ by place, so
ask my country/region and factor it in; NEVER invent or cite laws
you're not certain exist — say "verify with [local consumer
authority / a lawyer]" instead. Plain language only.

My country/region: [WHERE]
What this contract is for: [LEASE / JOB / PHONE / GYM / SOFTWARE / OTHER]
What matters most to me: [E.G. can I leave early, what does it cost, what am I liable for]
The contract text: [PASTE IT, OR THE SECTIONS YOU HAVE]

Give me:
1. The deal in 5 plain sentences: what I get, what I owe, how long,
   how it ends.
2. The leash clauses: everything about termination, renewal,
   penalties, and price changes — quoted, then translated.
3. Unusual or one-sided terms: anything a fair version of this
   contract type wouldn't normally contain. Rate each: common /
   aggressive / ask-before-signing.
4. The auto-renewal check: does this renew itself, when, and what
   I must do by what date to stop it.
5. Five questions to ask the other party BEFORE signing, written
   out ready to send.
6. What to verify with a professional or local authority — the
   things plain reading can't settle.

Example output

[TO FILL AFTER TESTING]

Tweaks

Photograph paper contracts and paste the text — don’t summarize it yourself, summaries hide the traps
Re-run on renewals with “compare to last year’s terms: [PASTE BOTH]”
For job contracts, add “focus on non-compete, IP ownership, and notice period” to the priorities line