Don’t let the college slumlords take advantage of you: A move-in guide

We talked with Student Legal Services’ Chief Litigation Attorney Paul G. Wilkins to discuss how students can avoid losing unnecessary cash to pay BS landlords

If you have rented a place around campus before, you probably know that dealing with landlords can be a major pain, and getting back your security deposit can be next to impossible.

I talked to Student Legals Services’ Chief Litigation Attorney Paul G. Wilkins to discuss how students can avoid losing unnecessary cash to pay BS landlords, and have the most pain-free renting experience possible.

Before moving in, look for red flags

Before you sign anything when looking for a place to rent around campus, you should be aware of some red flags that will likely spell trouble from a realty company.  Mr Wilkins identifies two common red flags, saying, “A landlord who won’t show you the exact unit you’re going to be renting is a red flag.”

“Also, if the landlord is trying to pressure you into a sale or telling you that other people are looking at the same place and you should sign immediately, that is a red flag.”

When looking for a place to rent you can check out offcampus.osu.edu.  If you see a landlord that’s always at the bottom of the list and generally considered by other students to be a bad landlord, you should avoid them. In addition to this, don’t be afraid to contact the current tenants of the place you’re thinking about renting, and ask them how their experience was with the landlord.  This can be a big help to avoid signing a lease that will end up causing you unnecessary problems.

When you move in

Don’t be lazy when it comes time to move in.  Mr. Wilkins told us that a little work on move in day can save you thousands later on. “The best thing you can do to get your security deposit back is to take pictures. If you have 20 guys in a house at $500 each for the security deposit, that is $10,000 that can be saved from an hour of work,” he said.

Taking pictures of the place is important because you want to document the condition of the residency before you move in.  This can help to reduce any unfair charges at the end of the year when it is time to move out. Mr Wilkins continued to emphasize the importance of this saying, “If you came to me with 5,000 pictures, I would be more than happy to look at 5,000 pictures and find five that help you, rather than get five pictures that don’t help you. I need to see every surface of this apartment.”

In addition to that, you will most likely be given a sheet upon move in to fill out documenting the condition of your place. Do not blow this off! While it can be exciting moving in, taking the time to get everything squared away will pay dividends when its time to move out and you want your $5oo back.

How to get repairs done

One of the most frustrating aspects of renting around campus is trying to get things in your house or apartment fixed.  Your landlord has a responsibility to fix anything that is broken in your residency in a reasonable amount of time.  The more serious the damage is, like a gas leak for example, the quicker the response time to do the work should be.

Mr. Wilkins said: “The original day of repair notice is the day that you should count from.  So if they come two weeks after the original notice to fix something but they don’t fix it correctly, the time doesn’t reset there, it still counts from the original date you noticed them of the problem.

“The landlord has the responsibility to make all repairs and provide reasonable amounts of hot water and heat.  So when its 0 degrees outside, the inside temperature has to be able to get up to 70 degrees.  Also, windows need screens and should be able to open and stay open on their own.  All doors have to be able to lock.”

What to do when you have a problem.

So what if you are having a problem getting a repair done or you feel your landlord is unjustly taking your security deposit? Mr Wilkins urges anyone having these types of issues to come and seek help at Student Legal Services.  “For anyone having these problems, I would say to come to us and we will put your money in Escrow,” he said.  What this means is that while you’re having an issue, you will pay rent money to the court instead of your landlord, and they will hold it until a judge hears your case and makes a decision. After the process is over, you may get back some or all of the money you seek, and your landlord won’t receive your money until the issue is resolved.

A lot of landlords don’t seem to take students seriously until they take some legal action. Don’t let yourself get taken advantage of, and be proactive.

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