<p>My D will be living off-campus next year in a condo with 4 other girls. They want to stay for 3 years total. Each girl will have a single room. Any suggestions re. the rental agreement? So far, I'm planning to ask about
* fire prevention systems
* subletting during the summer
* individual leases so she won't be charged for a condo-mate who bails
* asking to see the utility bills (is that ridiculous?)</p>
<p>I think you’d get MUCH better answers from the parents forum.</p>
<p>I’m kind of surprised someone old enough to have a college-aged child is even asking this question. Have you never rented before?</p>
<p>In my experience, most places off-campus will NOT provide individual leases for paying rent. Between me and my roommate, we each had to sign a lease stating we understood the rules & terms of the lease, and it’s under both of our names–but if my roommate bails, I’ll still have to cover her half of the rent. I go to school in a smaller town where the majority of sophs and above live off-campus, and I only know of one rental organization that provides individual leases/payment plans. Oddly enough they are the most expensive and cheat you the most out of getting your deposit back.</p>
<p>Subletting varies completely by rental agency/owner. If I want to sublease next summer, the person has to be approved by my landlord/rental company. My friend in the next building over (different company) could sublease to a bum off the street the same day they met if she wanted.</p>
<p>Thank you, Cards4Life. Excellent information. How do the utilities work for you and your roommate?</p>
<p>I think it depends on the rental climate, whether you have any control over these issues. My daughter and 4 friends recently rented an off campus house that carried with it a lease that I thought was unconscionable. The only problem was that there were 4 groups of kids chomping at the bit to get the house if my daughter’s group didn’t take it. The landlord was not amenable to negotiating anything. The only protection is the local ordinances that govern leasing, which do give some proteciton on the security deposit. The subletting can’t be unreasonably refused by law, but the thievish landlord charges a five hundred dollar fee if they do sublet. It made me sick that she signed it, but on the other hand, it could be worse: in many places they have parents sign a guaranty! So if the kids are uncollectible some of the strange clauses like holding them responsible to the landlord’s insurer if a fire is their fault, etc. become pretty moot anyway.</p>
<p>fredmar, how horrible! How is it working out for your daughter? Even though the “kids are uncollectible,” could their credit get wrecked or could they end up with a huge claim placed against them? (I’m not a lawyer)</p>
<p>We lucked out and all of our utilities (heat, gas, water) are included in our monthly rent, along with internet. All we pay for outside of the rent, which is the lowest in town considering our location (across the street from central campus, one block from the bars in the main college-student living area), is cable and electric. We’re paying about $20/month (total) in electric. The electric is in my name and my roommate just gives me half of the bill each month and I write the check. Cable is in her name and I give her half for each payment.</p>
<p>Most of my friends have to pay for at least two, if not all of these, outside of their rent: electric, water, heat, gas, cable, internet.</p>