| Assert your rights |
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| Written by HB for the Editorial Board | ||||||
| Thursday, 11 December 2008 | ||||||
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With high turnover rates, a tendency for loud noises and relatively modest expectations regarding habitability, college students provide a unique challenge for landlords. While some students are content with causing damage and living with the consequences, most are responsible stewards of their rented property. What, then, can conscientious students do when their landlords treat them unfairly or refuse to refund deposits? Some college town landlords may assume they can get away with keeping students’ security deposits because the students either won’t bother to contest damage deductions or will move away and forget about the money. It’s important to leave a forwarding address upon moving out so landlords can’t say they didn’t know how to reach former tenants. The Idaho Attorney General’s Landlord and Tenant Guidelines are available online and give advice and rules for both renters and landlords. Among the guidelines for security deposits is the 21-day return rule, which requires landlords return either a full refund or an itemized list of deductions within 21 days of a lease’s expiration date. To defend against deposit withholding, students should photograph and document already-damaged areas before moving in and then thoroughly clean the property before moving out. It’s reasonable to expect amenities in a $300-a-month room to not be as nice as those at one’s parents’ house. Students shouldn’t expect more than the basics and should keep in mind the availability of optional services, such as on-site laundry or the allowing of pets, when choosing where to live. However, potable and hot water, safe electric wiring, pest control and an adequate heating source are among the basic rights to which renters are entitled. Landlords who neglect or refuse to acknowledge or remedy hazardous or unsanitary conditions are in violation of the law. Students in these situations should seek legal advice to learn their options. — HB  Add as favorites (106) | Views: 1846
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