Finding an apartment and preventing repair problems before they happen can be simple if students know who to consult before signing a rental contract.

Before students rent an apartment, they should consult the Apartment Complex Survey compiled by the Student Association. The survey, conducted in 1986, rates 16 DeKalb housing complexes on 10 factors, including adequate laundry facilities, hot water supply, security and pest control.

The SA Community Affairs Committee will conduct a more thorough apartment survey this year. The NIU Public Opinion Lab also will collect data on all complexes with at least 10 units.

NIU students looking to rent apartments can pick up a checklist of apartment features at the NIU Students’ Legal Assistance office, located in the Holmes Student Center. About 3,000 students come to the office each year with questions about landlord and tenant obligations, said Legal Assistance Attorney Lynn Richards.

Richards said potential renters should arrange to tour apartments. “You want to see the exact premises you are renting,” she said.

If a landlord shows an apartment similar to the one you will actually live in, the colors of the walls, carpeting and fixtures might be different. Renters might be in store for some damages they don’t see in a “model” apartment.

If a landlord promises to paint the apartment walls, install new carpet or make any repairs, renters should ascertain that these improvements are in the contract, Richards said. “Any promises that are made which are not in the contract are not binding,” she said.

Features prospective tenants should look for include: on-site management, well-lit parking lots and sidewalks, adequate storage space and electrical outlets.

Richards said tenants “need to document the condition of the apartment when they move in.” By recording previous damage and giving a list to their landlord, renters can ensure their damage deposit will be returned.

“The landlords have a stake in this. If they don’t keep the place up, nobody’s going to want to live there,” Richards said. “A lot of people who rent in DeKalb are looking to get a lot of money out (of rental property) without putting a lot of money in.”

Conversely, some tenants can destroy a building, Richards said. Some students look only for an inexpensive “party house,” she said.

Many times, tenants with complaints do not know where to find help. “There are people who, either through lack of experience, education or money, don’t have the means or knowledge to pursue these things,” Richards said. They are taken advantage of without realizing alternatives, she said.

Some tenants are told they cannot have their heat turned on until October. That is untrue unless otherwise stated in the contract, Richards said. If heat is included in the rent, the temperature must be at least 65 degrees, she said.

Wednesday: The path to follow if you have a complaint about your apartment, and what the city of DeKalb can do about it.