Beach houses, senior year freedom: a goal for many underclassman, and for students looking to go that route next year, planning must start now.
It’s time to get back in gear because houses need to be picked out, landlords need to be interviewed, and leases need to be signed for next year’s beach houses.
“We got our house really late, three weeks before school started,” said Jill Macari ’05, “but my advice is to start early, and if [the landlord] says other people want the house, don’t necessarily believe them because they’ll try to talk you up in rent.”
Many things need to be considered before signing a lease for a house.
“Make sure you’ve got everything in order soon and look over the lease,” said John Anselmo ’05. “A lot of times landlords will add clauses that will take all the blame off of them and put it on you, and it’s not right. It’s not legal either.”
According to the booklet of Rights and Responsibilities of Landlords and Tenants in Connecticut, which is available online at www.state.ct.us, most written leases should include things such as a description of the property to be rented, the amount and due date of rent, charges for late rent payments, landlord’s rules and regulations, tenant’s rights and responsibilities, and who is responsible for maintenance.
“One important suggestion I would give is to compare a few leases between different landlords. Our landlord tried to tell us that we were not allowed to do it, but if the document belonged to one of our friends, then I cannot see how that could be illegal,” said Lauren Fedechena ’05.
One landlord, who asked not to be identified, said that students should interview their prospective landlords ahead of time, as he does with his tenants. He said to ask questions such as what’s included and what’s not. He also recommended that if you’re seeking a reputable landlord, it’s best to start with those registered with the university.
This landlord mentioned that the standards set by the university and the town of Fairfield for the beach houses are realistic and helpful. The inspection program, which mandates a thorough assessment of the heating and electrical systems, smoke detectors, and all sorts of other safety precautions before the tenants move in, also helps protect them.
Of course, problems arise, and it’s important to be aware of your rights.
“The common problem is reaching [our landlord]. There were a few problems with the house when we came, like missing screens, burnt out lights that we couldn’t reach, clogged drains and leaky faucets that he is just now getting around to fixing,” said Fedechena, “but only after our parents spoke with him.”
Some of the responsibilities of your landlord, as stated by the booklet from the state of Connecticut Judicial branch, include providing a clean apartment upon arrival, clean common areas, well-lit hallways and entryways, and properly functioning plumbing and heating.
“Some advice I would give is to look for a house with a washer and dryer,” said Macari. “It’ll make things a lot easier.”
Tenants have responsibilities as well.
Beach parties are a tradition at Fairfield, but tenants are required to keep the noise from disturbing the houses in the vicinity in conjunction with the good neighbor policy.
Tenants are also responsible for repairing any damage that they or their guests cause on the property. However, any damage that happens through no fault of your own is the responsibility of the landlord and should be reported as soon as possible.
Officials also recommend knowing what a landlord is allowed to include in a lease. Duane Melzer, coordinator of off-campus students, said that he is aware landlords have put in some leases that the tenants are not allowed to have a keg, and if they do, a charge of 50-to-100 dollars will be the consequence.
“They can’t do that. When someone rents a house, the landlord can’t just go in the house unless there are emergency circumstances like a flood or fire,” said Melzer. “Otherwise [the landlord] has to make an appointment.”
He said that some landlords try to set limits about the number of people that can be in the house. For example, he said they might set a limit of only four guests per person, but he said in the end it’s still your place.
“[The landlords] can only take money for damages out of the security deposit, not for having a party,” Melzer said. “They can’t dictate what you can do.”
Allie Schick ’05 ran into some of these problems with her own lease.
“The one thing that stood out on our lease was that we couldn’t have a keg and we are of age,” she said. “He is not allowed to tell us we can’t have a keg in our own house.”
“Our lease was set up in different sections and included things about the amount of people that are allowed to live in the house, utility information, and a ‘no-party’ stipulation,” said Fedechena. “When we asked him about that he said not to be concerned.”
“Keep your ears open for nicer landlords as opposed to the ones you hear bad things about. I thought if we were polite we could easily get by, but it has not been that easy,” she said.
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