<p>Thanks, Chedva. It sounds like a call to the financial aid office is in order. </p>
<p>Re the zoning issue…I think you are implying that sometimes there are complaints to the Zoning Board which could result in the landlord making students leave a place they’ve signed a lease for, if it’s one of the overcrowded places??</p>
<p>The problem has been loud partying in the residential area near Cleveland Circle, which is mostly BC students. It really became an issue because it crossed the border into Brookline and the Town cares about this kind of stuff much more than the city of Boston ever can. A crackdown on a couple of landlords controlled things. This is not really an issue in Allston, both for the above and because those neighborhoods are not as rich and are much more student / recent grads. </p>
<p>As for renting, I’d say the biggest issues are whether a fee is charged - in a hot market, they demand a fee just to rent - what else is required upfront (security, last month?/ first month?), what is included and whether they have high speed internet. It’s not legal to charge for water unless there’s a separate meter for that apartment (and that’s not likely at all). Separate gas and electric meters are more common and those are required if the tenant is to pay.</p>
<p>I’d say a big issue would also be whether the tenants would have to pay for heat! I told my son that would have to be one of the first things they asked about.</p>
<p>DS told me that the one real estate agent who was showing them places doesn’t charge a fee, but the kids are going to have to learn to ask very careful questions about that and other things.</p>
<p>Re high speed internet. I assumed the the students would pay for the monthly service. Wouldn’t most places have the wiring? Oops…another thing we have to to study up on, it seems.</p>
<p>You are asking very good questions and it’s good to inform your son to do so as well.</p>
<p>Make a list of questions to ask the financial aid office and possible lessors about anything which you are concerned. That’s always a start.</p>
<p>If you’re looking for information on how the BU Financial Aid Office looks at Off-Campus living versus On-Campus then you can find some numbers here:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.bu.edu/finaid/cost/index.html[/url]”>http://www.bu.edu/finaid/cost/index.html</a></p>
<p>They concede that meals at home will be cheaper than the dining plan, but input their own numbers for incidentals (more than on-campus) and room/board as $0 (11,848 on campus). So you really have to do your own plugging and crunching of numbers.</p>
<p>I will admit, I did live off campus sophomore year and I was a little isolated, because my apartment was farther away than I would have liked, but we liked the apartment a lot, not only because it was nice, but we got a good price and included utilities. I will say again, he should really think about waiting until junior year to move off.</p>
<p>I agree with you though, TheMan. I lived on campus, my second semester of junior year and I saw a mouse in my beautiful little brownstone. You could imagine how P.O.-ed I was, given the amount I was paying for my tiny little 2 bunk room.</p>
<p>I really do hate the meal plans at BU, especially since I love to cook and I’d much rather spend $13 bucks on a meal at a restaurant, hole-in-the wall. Then again, there’s nothing like “produce shopping” in the dining hall either.</p>
<p>
Yes. Not the Zoning Board, but Inspectional Services, which is the enforcement arm for the zoning authorities.</p>
<p>As noted, generally an apartment of this type is reported by neighbors - too many cars, too much noise, too much garbage, etc. Then Inspectional Services can get involved, and can begin eviction proceedings against the students as well as actions against the landlord. </p>
<p>Your students shouldn’t enter into such leases, nor should you co-sign for it.</p>
<p>theSUBlime - hah there was a mouse on my floor in Warren this semester. It was on the girls side so it was a little funny… Though for the amount you have to pay for brownstones, I would be PO-ed too. At least it wasn’t in StuVi </p>
<p>I have told my parents that I will stay on campus until junior year. Weighing in the factor that I could potentially lose some grant money, lose contacts to help me in my studies (which believe me - being on an engineering specialty floor REALLY helped this semester), and the hassling trip to the 47 bus/red T+green T transfer, seems like a little much - especially when I ALWAYS seem to miss that stupid bus.</p>
<p>I don’t think I am fully ready yet for that kind of commitment XD. Guess I could always get a summer job to help pay >_<.</p>
<p>Mice can be found everywhere. We occasionally get them coming into our house and we have cats. The mice get eaten. You’d think they’d go elsewhere but then it gets very cold and there’s no food outside.</p>
<p>In my college room I had my mattress on the floor - the floor was heated - and I felt something. A mouse was asleep in my hand. I think it was a lab mouse one of my friends couldn’t kill and brought home.</p>
<p>For the benefit of anyone who is interested in this topic, my freshman son and two of his friends are going to be renting an Allston apt when they return to school as sophomores next Sept.</p>
<p>The apt has a rent of $1800 a month, heat included. It has 2 1/2 bedrooms…2 good-size bedrooms, plus a sleeping alcove that opens into one of the bedrooms, with a door for privacy. They are splitting the rent $500/$600/$700.</p>
<p>All three kids are School of Theatre students. They were assisted by a SOT senior who works for a real estate agency.</p>
<p>Apparently, the apartment is very nice. :)</p>