With the college semester coming to a close, many students are leaving the residence halls behind to venture into the world of apartments. But renters should know the regulations and their rights before signing any lease with a property owner.

Landlords and tenants both have responsibilities when it comes to rental property. These responsibilities fall under Chapter 10 of the DeKalb Municipal Code and are outlined in the Landlord/Tenant Handbook. Both of these articles are found on the city’s Web site at www.cityofdekalb.com.

The landlord is bound by certain restrictions that protect the tenants. First, landlords are required to provide a completed copy of the lease to a tenant and disclose to the tenants any housing code violations prior to the lease signing. Violations looked for include leaky roofs, damaged wood structures and proper containers for garbage storage. Tenants also should make sure that there is an accessible window in each habitable room and deadlocks on the exterior doors.

In the handbook, tenants are encouraged to take photographs of the apartment to document the condition before and after they leave. When repairs are needed, the tenant should first notify the landlord. The ordinance states that if the landlord does not make the repairs in a timely fashion, tenants are allowed to contact a contractor themselves. Assuming the tenant is not to blame for the damages in the apartment, and the cost of the repairs are reasonable, the landlord is required to reimburse the tenant within 30 days. According to the ordinance, however, tenants are not allowed to cause or make repairs except in emergency situations.

Another issue of importance is the access a landlord has to the tenant’s apartment. The ordinance mandates that landlords may only enter the apartment between the hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and are required to give notice at least an hour ahead of their arrival. Before entering the apartment, landlords must also knock on the door, say hello or phone upon their arrival. In emergency situations, these guidelines are unnecessary.

Tenants are encouraged to first contact the landlord if there is a problem that needs to be addressed. If the landlord fails to act, the tenant is then able to contact DeKalb’s Code Enforcement Division at 748-2070 and after regular business hours, call the DeKalb Police Department at 748-8400. Officials at the police department will be able to put a tenant in contact with the on-call code enforcement official.

NIU students also have the Students’ Legal Assistance to help them with problems.

Don Henderson, director of the Students’ Legal Assistance, said an average of 30 percent of students who come to the office for help are involved with landlord or roommate disputes. His office also helps students review the leases to ensure their legality and protect the students. This office’s Web site lists the Tenant’s Bill of Rights for students to refer to.

“We want tenants to know what their recourse is,” Henderson said.

The Landlord/Tenant Handbook is available online, but the ordinance requires landlords to have the handbook available to tenants with at least one copy available at the rental office for tenants to access.