It’s only the third week of school, but many students have already started planning where to live next year.

Apartments and townhouses are often residences of choice, but renting comes with potential concerns.

“It’s college, so you’re gonna get scammed,” said A.J. Martino, senior sociology – criminology major, referring to renting off-campus as a student.

Though that might be the general consensus among students, there are ways to defend yourself and avoid certain situations.

Sophomore business major Brian Kudelas admits to having merely glanced over a lease before signing it.

A lease is a binding legal contract. Not reading it in its entirety is the easiest way to be caught in a compromising situation.

“If I feel I’m being scammed, I’m gonna go defend myself,” said Martino.

Yet Martino, who has rented from Star Properties for three years, does not know where to find information on his rights as a renter.

In 2001, the DeKalb Landlord-Tenant Fact Finding Committee compiled the DeKalb Tenant’s Handbook. The 36-page guide offers important information for renters, including parking enforcement and utility billing.

The handbook stresses the importance of finding reliable roommates. Most leases are signed by everyone living in the residence, and rent and fines are the responsibility of everyone. While you may want to live with your best friend, your greatest priority is finding a roommate who is responsible and financially stable.

Planning extensively in each aspect of renting is the best way to ensure a relatively hassle-free experience outside of the dorms.

Along with the DeKalb’s Tenant Handbook, I’ve found several main priorities students should have during the rental process.

The search should start at least one semester before the desired move-in date, allowing for application processing and time to find the apartment you want.

To avoid being stuck with inadequate living conditions or inaccurate accusations resulting in fines at the end of a lease, make sure you see the exact living space you’re interested in, not just the show apartment.

Once you sign the lease, make sure to read the entire document alone and then aloud with your roommates.

“What I regret most is … not being informed prior to jumping into things,” said junior biology major Roya Ashouri.

Ashouri now commutes from Wheaton, partly from being frustrated by landlords of major companies who “try every possible way to get the most money.”

However, getting stuck in a situation you can’t easily consult your renting rights to resolve is most likely self-inflicted. There is no reason to underestimate the importance of knowledge and planning.

As an additional resource, NIU’s Students’ Legal Assistance can provide guidance in landlord/tenant issues.

Remember, you and your landlord are bound to a lease. Know your rights as a renter and enforce them.