What To Consider When Leasing A Student Apartment
Planning on moving off campus and living in a student apartment? If so, you'll want to consider the following things before you sign a lease.
The Length Of The Lease
One of the first things you should consider is how long the actual lease is. That is because it can be very different between apartments when looking around in a college town. Some units are available for 10 month leases so that you do not have to pay for the apartment over the summer, while others have 12 month leases. You really need to consider you and your roommate's needs when looking at the length of the lease.
Some people prefer a 12 month lease because they are able to leave all their furniture in the apartment for when they return in the fall. If they're working near campus during the summer, it also allows people to take summer classes and stay while they work their job. However, other people that are going to change apartment buildings or graduate at the end of the year may prefer the 10 month lease options that allow them to move out soon after the semester ends.
The Way The Lease Is Signed
Another thing to pay attention to is how the lease works when you are renting an apartment with multiple roommates. Some apartments make one person responsible for signing the lease, who is then ultimately responsible for collecting rent and paying it each month to the landlord. However, other apartments require each tenant to sign their own lease agreement, and are responsible for making their own rent payments each month. This difference between the two is that in the latter situation, each roommate is ultimately responsible for their own rent, security deposit, and lease obligations. Just be aware that if your roommate leaves in this situation, everyone else's rent will likely go up to make up the cost.
The Laundry Situation
You're going to be doing a lot of laundry over the school year, which is why it is worth considering where you'll be doing your laundry. Does the apartment have an in unit washer and dryer, or a laundry room on site for all of the residents to use? If not, then you'll need to go to a local laundromat, which can be very inconvenient to do. Make sure you figure out what the situation is with doing laundry, since it can help you decide if you want to sign a lease for that unit.
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