Make Living-Off Campus Easier: Ways to Improve Tenant-Landlord Relations

Make Living Off-Campus Easier: Ways to Improve Tenant-Landlord Relations
By: Tyler Steele, Asya Broctor, and Marcus Williams

    For some reason, college students and landlords have always had turbulent relationships, or so it seems. In reality, it isn’t hard for most students to get along with their landlord, but it does require some responsibility on the part of the student. The best way prevent the straining of that relationship is not breaking or damaging any part of the property, but accidents do happen. If you live off campus or plan to live off campus soon, here are a few thing to remember to make sure that you and your landlord remain in good standing throughout your leasing period.

Communication is Key

Like in any relationship, communication is vital to a smooth and painless landlord-tenant relationship. There is a reason 3 separate property managers and a City Administrator cite it as the number one thing to fix landlord-tenant relations. Despite this, many students do not have a strong communication system set up with their landlords.

After surveying 106 students that live off campus. It was discovered that only 14% believed they had a good relationship with their landlord. Even more surprising was the 44% that believed that they did not have a good relationship with their landlord. 13% even claimed to have no communication between themselves and their landlord whatsoever while 29% had somewhat of a relationship with theirs.

Know your landlord's number and hours of business.

An integral part of contacting your landlord is having their contact information. You should have their number stored in your phone, their e-mail written down somewhere you can find it, and their office building’s address committed to memory. It’s bound to come in handy and having the information where you can find it will save you from scrambling to when you need to speak to them.

Call and report an issue immediately.

The biggest cause of tension between a landlord and a student is at the end of the year when the student doesn’t receive the security deposit back due to some damage in the house that may or may not have been the student’s fault. This can lead to heated arguments, court cases, and negative feelings for everyone involved. The easiest way to prevent a situation like this is to report damage as soon as it comes to your attention. If you are at fault, accept responsibility, and if you aren’t, the landlord will be much more likely to cooperate with you.

Understand your contract and read it thoroughly.

Never sign a contract without reading every single word. Wise men encourage reading through twice. Your lease for your college apartment is no different. Reading through the contract may save you and your landlord a headache at the end of the year, and may even save you from signing a lease you’ll end up regretting. Many landlords do not mind reading through and breaking down the details of the contract for you if you have any questions.

If you have any questions about your rights as a tenant check this website.

Lastly, here a few important things to check.

There are many things within the housing code that may not seem obvious or important at first glance. However, tenants that check these things and confirm they are in compliance will not only be helping their landlord but also ensuring their own safety.

• Fire extinguisher: This item is the most common code violation in Frostburg. Checking that not only is your extinguisher mounted in the kitchen, but also full and ready for use, could be the difference between a small kitchen fire and the loss of all of your belongings.
• Smoke Detectors: Another very common issue in Frostburg off campus housing and the third highest code violation recorded between 2011 and 2014. Get familiar with the location of your Smoke Detector(s) and check to ensure it will be ready when you need it most.
• Faucets: Faucets that are working on demand in the house is not only a nice convenience, but a requirement within the Frostburg rental code. Inform your landlord if you are having issues with any of the faucets especially if there is a slow leak or lack of water pressure. Report these issues immediately to your landlord before a greater issue can arise from them.
• Heating: Many students complain about their houses lack of heating, especially in the winter. Item 43 of the city inspection checklist states, “Heating facilities must be capable of maintaining a room temperature of 68 degrees F in all habitable rooms and bathrooms.” This is important especially in the colder months of the year. The key here is to understand that 68 degrees F is the minimum requirement regardless of how cold you may feel. If the habitable space is able to be heated to 68 degrees do not bother your landlord they are not obligated to change the situation.
• Trash: We weary of your trash. Trash related violations are the most common citation that occurs according to the City’s fiscal year report. These citations are easy to avoid if you store your trash in a leak proof container, conceal it from view, and prevent it from being loose or on the ground of the yard around your property. Not only does this make your place look more presentable but it prevents an unnecessary citation.

For more information on the current status of off campus housing, check here.