Living Off Campus

Quick Tips

Once you’ve decided to move off-campus, protect your interests and be a good neighbor. Here are some hot tips:

• Visit potential neighborhoods a few times, at different times of day, before settling down.

• Your relationship is about business, not friendship. Check into your landlord's reputation before you sign a lease.
• Inspect the property before signing a lease
• Get everything in writing, including assurance of when a problem will be fixed and keep copies of all correspondence.

• A lease is a binding legal document, and they are NOT all the same. Get good answers to any questions you have about the lease. If repairs are needed, have that written into the contract.
• Never let anyone pressure you into signing with just a once-over.

• 80% of student fatalities due to fire occur in off-campus student housing. Know the location of smoke alarms and fire extinguishers, and how to maintain them. Do not rent any apartment that is not equipped with smoke detectors.
• Know who to call in an emergency
• Lock doors and windows and leave an outside light on.
• Do not travel alone, especially at night.
• Never use a basement or an attic as a bedroom. They become traps in the event of fire.
• Most importantly, report any crime by calling 911 (Buffalo Police) or the E District Station at 851-4416.
• More Safety Tips

Before you sign a lease together, compare expectations. How will you split chores and bills? How much privacy do you want? A little communication up front will help you get along later. Remember that when you sign a lease together, you could be responsible for the whole bill if roommates flake out on their share.

If your belongings are stolen or destroyed in a fire, your landlord isn't responsible for replacing them. Renters insurance could save you thousands.

• Costs as little as $12 a month
• Can cover fire; theft (from apartment as well as other places, such as the trunk of your car); liability claims (e.g. your dog bites someone or a guest falls at your apartment.)

Setting up house can cost from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

• Include these costs in your budget: cleaning supplies, small appliances, pots and pans, light bulbs, shower curtains, plunger.
• Resist the urge to snag a couch off the street corner (bedbugs are very common).

The cost of utilities is often overlooked. Expect to spend 31- to 35-percent of your income on rent and utilities.

• Before you sign a lease, contact utility companies for past utility costs and setup fees and deposits.
• If utilities are included in your rent, find out how much control you'll have over their use.

• Visit the property and examine utility closets and appliances.
• If something breaks, keep calling until it's fixed. Some landlords may not respond unless you call them frequently.

• Inspect the property before signing a lease and have your lease reviewed by Group Legal Services
• Landlords and staff can't enter your apartment at will. In general, remember that while you're paying rent, the apartment is your private home first and the landlord's property second.
• It is illegal for a landlord to rent a bedroom in a basement or an attic that is not equipped with a fire escape
• More Landlord/Tenant Rights

• Get to know your neighbors. They can be your most valuable resource.
• Be responsible. Keep noise down and keep your property clean.
• Join a block club or visit a neighborhood center – to learn how to help your neighborhood.

More Resources