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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 17, 2005)
PRINT Details such as contracts and renters' insurance are important aspects of moving to a new place and protecting personal property BY AARON BI JRKH ALTER FREELANCE REPORTER As fall approaches, so do throngs of students brought in by the start of the new school year. In the daily grind of starting new classes, meeting new colleagues and preparing for the rest of the year, it’s difficult to keep track of all the necessary details of renting an apartment. The city of Eugene houses approximately 55,000 renters, half of whom are students, said Brett Rowlett, Oregon Student Associa tion campus organizer. That means hundreds of students will be looking for housing this fall and digging through the fine print of leas es and rental agreements. Rental agreements can dense and confus ing, but they explain what the landlord offers for the renter and the renter’s responsibilities to the property. It’s a legally binding contract that deserves careful attention. Scott Lu, ASUO member and last year’s community housing coordinator, warns stu dents to carefully review rental agreements. Pay attention to the lease, and make sure to understand what everything means, he said. “If there are any questionable things be sure to ask the landlord,” Lu said. Landlords frequently show potential ten ants a room identical to the actual available room. Lu said students should insist on see ing the actual unit before signing a lease. Lu reminds students leaving apartments that when they originally signed their rental lease, they may have paid first and last month’s rent. Students often forget this, Lu said, and end up paying the last month’s rent twice. Students should also keep track of any de posits they paid to the landlord. The landlord is required to return damage and cleaning de posits with an itemized account of what needs replacing or cleaning, and how much it costs, Lu said. The ASUO and OSPIRG both provide infor mation for new renters, and checklists of things to remember when looking for an apartment are available at the EMU. In the state of Oregon, landlords are re quired by law to meet basic habitability stan dards. Basic principles of a habitable house include structural integrity, heating, plumbing and weatherproofing. Landlords are required to have these basic features in tact when rent ing out a house or apartment. Occasionally landlords don’t keep up their buildings, putting renters in the difficult posi tion of pressuring landlords to repair the prob lem. Fortunately for renters, Eugene recently enacted a new policy to help tenants and landlords keep rented units up to date. Previously, if there was a problem with an apartment, and a landlord failed to fix it, a tenant’s only option was to withhold rent and file suit against the landlord, which takes time and money, and it is possible that a case will RENTERS, page 10B 022136 Special move-in incentives available at this classy alternative. • One and a half miles to campus • Washer/Dryer in each unit • Near bike path & bus station • Outstanding landscaping • Controlled access • Markets & bistros onsite • Studios, 1 & 2 bedrooms, $595 - $1,295 Broadway Place APARTMENTS 255 W.ft Broadway, Eugene (541) 242-1077 Office open 6 days a week www.broadwaypl.com Managed by “HI ^ LOR Management Services. L.L.C. 1411A St Springfield 746-9036 1 BEDROOM UNITS 2.5 miles from UO. On bus line. Dishwashers. Clean & Affordable Sorry, no pets. 0227' GET CONNECTED Oregon Daily Emerald The independent campus newspaper for the University of Oregon Close to campus and going fast 1022749 Pick up detailed listing at 1953 Garden Avenue Available Now studio. 3 bdrm house. 4 bdrm house. 4 bdrm duplex. September studio. 2 bdrm. 2 bdrm. 1730 Hilyard Alley #C6 .640 E. 17th .1725 Mill St .1156 Ferry Alley 623 E. 17th Alley #B4 .582 E. 12th .596 E. 12th 0227341 m m Manj amanities plus private decks, views, pool, tennis court, playground and more. 1710 Northview Blvil. (right past 25th & Chambers) - 484-6553 osizze the life—close distance to campus • University of Oregon • Amazon Park with tennis courts and jogging paths • Summer nights of baseball at Civic Stadium • Saturday market in downtown • Local grocery stores with healthy and fresh options • Great restaurants with a taste of Eugene • Living conveniences—coffee shops, video stores, pharmacies, hair salon, etc. • Bus route and bike paths Reserve yOUr unit now! 541-501-3560 it s a way of life • Brand new construction • 1 bedroom, $525 • 2 bedroom, #725 • Spacious floor plans • Vaulted ceilings—loft/study • Large decks and patios • Units with two bathrooms • Onsite laundry • Convenient parking-Free • Washer/dryer in units bell real estate 630 river road • eugene, Oregon 97404 phone: 541-501-3560 • fax: 541-688-9728 pearl@bell-realty.com Noel N. Reece 541-688-2060 ext. 105 cell: 541-501-3511 • pager 541-341-6715 email: noelr@bellrealty.com T7
