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Tenant center informs of renting issues
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by Yuyun Hartono
Thursday, February 24, 2005
The Tenant Resource Center held a panel discussion Wednesday night to inform University of Wisconsin students about housing issues, including the rights and obligations of tenants.
One of the topics discussed in the meeting was the information students should know before agreeing to sign the lease.
UW senior Jamie Kodner, campus outreach coordinator of the TRC, said choosing a good roommate is important. If a roommate fails to pay rent, the other tenants on the lease can be held responsible for their roommate’s unpaid rent, she said.
“Consider who your roommate is going to be. If you do not think your roommate can pay for the rent, [think about it again] because you could be responsible to pay for their parts,” Kodner said.
Kodner said if someone chooses to pick a random roommate, she recommends signing separate leases to reduce liability.
Nancy Marcus, a representative from the TRC, recommended students check out the reputation of landlords, including the number of accidents reported in their buildings, before deciding to sign a lease.
She added students should make sure tenants spell out what utilities, such as heating, are and are not included in the rent. Marcus said the utility agreement is negotiable.
“Don’t be afraid to approach your landlord and propose some changes if you feel they would be [beneficial],” Marcus said.
Marcus also suggested tenants sign a check-in form on the day they move in to avoid being held responsible for damages caused by previous tenants.
“[That way], you can determine when the damage is caused,” she said.
During the rent contract, if tenants believe their landlords do not comply with the agreement, they can contact the Madison City housing inspector. However, Marcus also suggested tenants talk to their landlords first before taking further action.
“Try to be proactive with your landlord,” one of the landlords said during the meeting. “[As a landlord], I would like to know if everything is going right and if you are happy. We could brainstorm together what we are going to do to solve the problem.”
At the end of the lease, tenants have the right to receive the security deposit back within 21 days after they leave.
Besides the rights, Marcus also discussed students’ obligations to pay the rent on time. She said there is not automatically five days leeway to pay the rent, as many tenants thought.
“[These are] things you need to know as a tenant, not only during college, but also when you work and rent a place,” Kodner said.
The meeting was a part of the Tenants Education Week, a four-day event aimed at providing extra housing counseling for UW students.
Jason Wisnesky, a UW sophomore who attended the meeting, said he found the meeting helpful.
“I learned [things] I could not find easily in library, textbooks or even online,” he said. “It is a firsthand knowledge.”
Anonymous (February 24, 2005 @ 11:21am):
Tenants do not have the "right" to recieve their security deposit back after 21 days.
They have the right to recieve that portion of the security deposit that was not deducted for damage or unpaid rent and a letter explaining any deductions within 21 days.
Anonymous (February 24, 2005 @ 1:37pm):
TRC CONTACT INFO:
TRC was pleased to bring such a great panel to the UW community and thank the Badger Herald for covering the event.
The Tenant Resource Center is available every weekday for FREE housing counseling. We can be reached at:
TENANT RESOURCE CENTER
1202 Williamson Street - Suite A Madison, WI 53703
Local Rights Counseling Line: 257-0006 Mon - Fri 9:00am-6:00pm
Website: trc.studentorg.wisc.edu
Thanks! Jamie and Cat
Anonymous (February 24, 2005 @ 4:26pm):
Re. first comment:
That is correct, and we elaborated on that point during the panel. As the article notes, we also discussed the importance of going through check-in forms carefully as well, since such potential future disputes over damages withheld from security deposits may occur. We welcome you to contact us with any other questions about housing issues!
Nancy ("Cat") Marcus
TENANT RESOURCE CENTER
1202 Williamson Street - Suite A Madison, WI 53703
Local Rights Counseling Line: 257-0006 Mon - Fri 9:00am-6:00pm
Website: trc.studentorg.wisc.edu
