Off-Campus Housing

• Begin looking for your apartment approximately a semester before you want to move off campus. Usually January-March is a good time to search for housing for the fall semester.
• Know your budget, know how to read a lease, know how to inspect a unit, and know your rights and responsibilities as a tenant.
• Look at many housing units. Talk with the landlord, ask questions, and make good inspections of the units as you walk through them.
• Be informed!! Compare types of accomodations and their costs.

• Be sure all rental terms, conditions, and chareges are described in the lease. During the lease term the landlord cannot add a charge for the use of facilities that were available at no cost when the lease was signed.
• Check that all blanks appearing in the lease have been filled in and that the agreed upon rent is stated.
• Write into the lease all verbal promises, additional clauses, or clarifications made by either party. Both you and the landlord must initial each change.
• Know what to expect of you in terms of pre-payments (i.e. security deposit, key deposit)
• Calculate aniticipated cost of utilities based on actual usage. You must be able to pay the total cost of rent plus utilities.
• Check the apartment to ensure that it is in acceptable condition. Confer with the landlord regarding any repairs to be made. Any agreements should be put into writing.
• Leases will often state a maximum occupancy of the rental unit. Honestly state the number of persons who will be living in the apartment. Falsifying this information could be grounds for eviction.
• Always make a copy of a signed lease.
  

• The landlord must provide and maintain a heating system in good operating order.
• The landlord must maintain property free from rodents, cockroaches, and insect infestations, and must be responsible for extermination.
• The landlord must provide within the kitchen a sink and space for proper facilities for the installation of a refrigerator and stove and oven.
• The landlord must provide and maintain facilities capable of heating and supplying hot water at a temperature between 110F and 130F in a quantity and pressure sufficient to statisfy the ordinary use of all plumbing fixtures.
• Each landlord must maintain the foundation, floors, walls, windows, ceiling, roof, staircases, porches, chimney, and other structural elements so that it is in good repair and in every way fit for its intended use.
• Every exit used or intended for use by occupants must be maintained free from obstruction.

• Do all locks on the apartment doors and windows offer good security?
• Do the doors and windows have adequate weather stripping? This can make a world of difference with winter fuel costs.
• Do the doors of the apartment have peephole viewer?
• Are the hallways well lit? Are bulbs missing or burned out?
• Do the mailboxes show evidence of tampering?
• Are all exterior doors and locks in good working order?
• Are all fire escapes alarmed or enclosed to prevent unauthorized access?
• Is off-street parking available?
• Is there adequate water pressure? Turn on sinks and showers in order to test.

• What is the rent per month?
• Is a security deposit required? If so, how much and under what conditions?
• Does the landlord require payment of last month's rent in advance?
• Are utilities (gas, electric, water, sewer, etc.) extra? How much?
• Are laundry facilities accesibleor hookups available?
• Are pets allowed? Is that an extra monthly fee?
• Who has keys or access to the apartment? Are extra keys available?
• Is subletting allowed?
• Are maintenance hours restricted? How are emergency services handled?
• How is garbaged disposed or handled? Are facilities accessible? Is recycling available?

• Monthly: rent, gas, electric, cable, phone, water, sewer
• One Time Fees: Phone installation, cable installation, and gas connection
• Renter's Insurance is STRONGLY ENCOURAGED. Usually you can get a good, inexpensive coverage from the same company that you have auto insurance.

• Vacuum cleaner
• Cleaning supplies, toilet paper
• Pots & Pans
• Laundry Facilities
• Computer/Internet Access

• to inspect the premises
• to make repairs
• to show the apartment to prospecitve tenant, purchaser, mortgagee or its agents
• in accordance with a court order or warrant
• if the premises appears to have been abandoned
• Generally, the landlord should be "reasonable." He/she should attempt to arrange a mutally convenient time to visit the apartment.

• you fail to pay your rent
• you use the premises for illegal purposes
• you run a business in a residence-only zone
• you or people under your control have caused excessive damage to the apartment
• you overoccupy the apartment
• you make structural changes withour prior written consent
• you violate any other terms of your lease (i.e. pets without permission, subletting)

• the premises are destroyed beyond repair by fire or flood
• the landlord fails to disclose hidden defects in the property
• the premises becomes uninhabitable
• the landlord does not comply with an important term of the lease