Goals and Planning: Moving OffCampus

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Goals and Planning Moving Off-Campus

• By Samantha Jablonski

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Moving Off-Campus Pretest

• True or False Not paying your rent can hurt your
  credit rating.
• TruePaying late or not at all can hurt your
  credit score and hinder your ability to get a car
  or home loan.

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True or False You give your roommate your share
of the rent and they spend it, you are still
responsible for your share of the rent.

• True Make sure you have roommates you can trust
  or at least know the importance of paying bills
  on time.

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True or False If the lease is only in your name
your roommate doesnt really have any obligation
to pay you.

• True Make sure that all paying parties are on
  the lease agreement.

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True or False You should budget about 50 of
your monthly income for housing and utilities.

• False Your housing and utilities budget should
  be about 30 of your monthly budget. To go over
  that cuts into the money you have available for
  transportation, vacations, etc.

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True or False Western provides assistance in
finding off campus housing.

• True Western has an office dedicated to helping
  students locate housing, understand what is
  required for an apartment (lease, security
  deposit), tips to troubleshoot problems such as
  inventory checklists, and help students deal with
  maintenance and landlord problems.

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True or False Since your landlord is the real
owner of the building, they can enter your
apartment whenever they want to.

• False Your landlord is required to give your 24
  hour notice if they need to enter the building
  unless it is an emergency.

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True or False If your landlord hasnt been
making repairs as promised, you should just stop
paying rent until they make the repairs.

• False Remember not paying your rent, no matter
  the circumstance, hurts your credit.You can
  instead take your check to the clerk of courts
  who will hold the check until the repairs have
  been made. You could also ask the court to
  legally force the landlord into paying for
  repairs.

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True or False There are usually penalties for
breaking a lease agreement.

• True Usually there is a hefty fee for breaking
  lease agreements. Make sure to plan ahead and
  think about how long you will be living in the
  apartment (do you need it in the summer time) and
  find out if having a sub-leaser is ok for your
  landlord.

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True or False There arent any insurance options
for people that are only renting apartments.

• False Most insurance agencies offer renters
  insurance. Renters insurance will cover your
  property if it is damaged or stolen.

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Congrats!!! You finished the Pretest.

• Now get started on learning about moving off
  campus and what responsibilities go along with it.

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Definition of Off Campus Living Moving out of
the dorms or your parents house into an
apartment or house in your name.
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Rationale

• Living in the dorms is fun for a while, but soon
  you will get tired of not having a kitchen and
  having your Resident Advisor in your business.
• The goals of this lesson are to help you
• 1. Know your various off-campus housing options
• 2. Knowing your rights and responsibilities as a
  tenant
• 3. Calculating your rent budget
• 4. Know what resources Western has for you if
  your landlord turns out to be a slumlord.

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NOW, some terms to know.

• Lease a binding contract that lays out the
  conditions and responsibilities of a rental
  agreement for both owner and tenant.
• Stipulates rent rent due date, consequences of
  breaking lease, and other issues landlord wants
  to address.
• Cosigner Person who will pay for your rent if
  you cannot pay.

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More Key Terms

• Security Deposit Money deposit to cover unpaid
  rent or damages you cause. Due at time of
  signing and must be refunded within 30 days of
  end of lease.
• Eviction Forced removal from rental unit due to
  tenants inability to pay rent or violation of
  lease agreements.

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Key Terms Cont.

• Renters Insurance An insurance policy that
  covers your belongings in the rental unit. See
  if your parents homeowners policy can cover you.
• Get a replacement cost policy This pays for what
  it will cost to replace your property, not its
  depreciated value.

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Your Responsibilities as a Tenant

• a. Keep the apartment clean
• b. Put garbage in garbage can.
• c. Use electrical and plumbing fixtures properly.
• d. Follow local housing rules
• e. Do not damage the landlords property.
• f. Dont disturb the neighbors
• g. Notify the landlord when repairs are needed.

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Your Landlords Responsibilities

• a. Obey all health and safety laws and
  regulations
• b. Make all repairs needed to maintain the
  property in good condition.
• c. Keep all common areas safe, clean, and in good
  repair.
• d. Maintain all electrical, plumbing, heating,
  and air conditioning fixtures that the landlord
  provides or is required to provide.
• e. Provide and maintain garbage cans AND provide
  for removal when there are four or more units in
  the building.

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More Landlord Responsibilities

• f. Supply running water and enough hot water and
  heat at all times UNLESS the tenant is supposed
  to pay for the heat and water.
• g. Give at least 24 hours notice to tenant before
  trying to enter his or her apartment, must enter
  at reasonable times unless it is an emergency.
• H. Does not abuse the right to enter.

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A Landlord CANNOT

• a. Shut off utilities
• b. Take the tenants belongings.
• c. Lock the tenant out of their apartment
• d. Raise the rent or threaten eviction against a
  tenant that is taking legal action against the
  landlord.
• e. Harass the tenant with repeated visits.

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HOW MUCH DO I SPEND?

• Remember About 30 of your monthly income should
  go to housing and utililies.
• Planning a budget will help you determine how
  much you are spending and how much you can spend
  on your housing.
• Do the budget calculator at http//www.practicalm
  oneyskills.com/english/resources/calculators/

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Westerns Office of Off Campus Life

• An office dedicated to students off-campus
  needs.
• Provides information on
• Community expectations of student renters.
• Locating housing
• Negotiating Housing.
• Duration
• Ending Tenancy
• Post Tenancy

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Activity

• The following activity is designed to expose you
  to what the Office of Off Campus Life can assist
  you with.
• You will go to the Office of Off Campus Life
  website and answer some questions found on the
  worksheet.
• Answer the questions on this worksheet
• Click here for worksheet.
• Website
• http//www.ocl.wmich.edu

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Resources

• Campus based program Western Office of Off
  Campus Life
• http//www.ocl.wmich.edu
• Web LinkPractical Money Skills Renting an
  Apartment
• http//www.practicalmoneyskills.com/english/consum
  ers/life_events/apartment/
• Web Link
• http//apartments.about.com/library/quiz2/blquiz01
  .htm

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Reference Page

• Clockedeil, S. (2003). Your ideal rental quiz.
  On-line. Available http//apartments.about.com
  /library/quiz2/blquiz01.htm . Accessed 08/08/03
• Practical money skills.com. (2003). Life events
  Renting an apartment.On-line. Available
  http//www.practicalmoneyskills.com/english/consum
  ers/life_events/apartment . Accessed 08/01/03
• Western Michigan University. (2003). Department
  of Off Campus Life A division of student
  services. On-line. Available
  http//www.ocl.wmich.edu . Accessed 08/01/03