Tips For Renting Off Campus: Written Agreements
December 11, 2017
DeKalb – It’s that time of year. No, not the holiday season…
It’s renting season.
This is the time of year when students everywhere start recruiting their roommates and going on showings. Many of you will find yourselves looking into apartments and townhomes, and asking “Wait, do you know anyone with a truck?”
While we can’t help you carry a 900lb dresser into your second-floor bedroom, we can provide some tips to help you get through the renting process as smoothly as possible!
o Fill out your application completely: Before you can sign a lease, you must fill out an application. All rental applications require you to provide sources of income and submit to a background check. Be sure to include any grants or scholarships on your application!
o Ask to see your unit before you sign your lease: Each tenant has the right to see the exact unit they are renting before signing the lease. While layout and location are important, you should also make sure that your new unit meets all of your parking, laundry, snow removal, and public transportation needs.
o Make sure you can lawfully stay in your unit with all of your roommates: In the City of DeKalb, the maximum number of unrelated people who can live in an apartment is four.
o Get a copy of your lease: Your lease contains important information including payment schedules, beginning and ending dates, fees, and more! Make sure you get a copy at signing!
o NIU policies still apply off campus, act accordingly: Don’t forget that the Student Code of Conduct will still applies to students, even if they live off campus!
o Resign your lease early: Your management company starts looking for new tenants at the end of the Fall Semester. If you want to stay in your apartment or townhouse for multiple years, be sure to resign early!
Sponsored by Pittsley Realty Inc.