When students sign a lease, it legally binds them to everything that’s written out in the document, but some tenants may not realize some of the items they're agreeing to with their signature.
Soon to be upperclassmen likely have one thing on their mind — renting their first apartment or house, even though it's only the middle of Fall Semester.
When students sign a lease, it legally binds them to everything that’s written out in the document, but some tenants might not realize some of the items they're agreeing to with their signature.
Some rental companies in Athens, such as University Rentals, offer leases that hold up to 42 additional charges for anything from replacing a light bulb to fumigating the house for fleas. Discounted rents are often offered to students, as well as contingencies if pets are allowed on the premises or not.
Staff Attorney Kimberlee Francis for the Center for Student Legal Services said her office wants to make sure that its clients know what they are getting into when they sign a lease.
“Leases are almost like purchasing a house in Athens. … Our clients need to be very careful if there are things that seem suspicious or double sided,” Francis said.
Eric O’Connor, a junior studying marketing, said his experience renting this academic year with University Off Campus Housing has posed some problems.
“The maintenance workers aren’t very timely,” O’Connor said.
O’Connor said he called the maintenance worker the second day of school to fix his door and cable, adding that the worker has only been to his house on Mill Street once. He would give his rental experience so far a five out of 10, he said.
“Make sure everyone is on the same page with rent and what everyone owes,” O’Connor said, adding that new renters should look at reviews for each housing agency before making a decision on where to rent.
Francis said it’s also important for students to contact the Athens City Code Enforcement Office and request a copy of the yearly report on the house they’re interested in renting.
“Landlord obligations are to comply with the ethical building housing health codes,” Francis said.
She added that these obligations include maintaining good and safe working order and condition for all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, air conditioner fixtures and appliances.
Francis said when a lease is written in a way that shifts these responsibilities to students, her staff argues the lease is void because the provision goes against what the Ohio Revised Code says.
“Why we say to look at a lease when things start shifting is you want to know who you’re entering in this business transaction with,” Francis said.
Francis said she often sees students misunderstanding what signing a joint and several lease means. Students who sign this type of lease are agreeing to all be liable for the entire house, even if one tenant fails to complete his or her duties like paying rent, she said.
“A number of tenants sign, not fully appreciating that if one of the tenants fails to move in or fails to pay, they’re going to be liable for that portion,” Francis said.
Francis said she asks clients to sign co-tenant agreements, which allow all tenants signing to distinguish who’s responsible for what.
“This only provides protection between tenant and tenant, it doesn’t change a lease. Your lease is with your landlord,” Francis said.
Francis said another problem she comes across is discounted rent incentives. One rental company that offers discounted rent is University Rentals.
“What’s scary about discounted and regular basic rent is there could be a difference for up to $5,000,” Francis said. “If you don’t pay by a certain date ... the landlord can revoke the discounted rate.”
According to a University Rentals sample lease from its website, if the tenants fail to pay the discounted rent on the day that it’s due, the landlord sends a written notice that the tenants no longer qualify for the discounted rent. Instead, the tenants must pay the balance owed for the basic rent obligation.
When The Post reached out for an interview with University Rentals, the company denied the request.
Francis will also explain to student renters that if their lease mentions shifting responsibilities to the tenants that the landlord is usually in charge of.
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“There are certain things landlords are suppose to do such as maintain the plumbing,” Francis said. “Clients shouldn’t be maintaining the plumbing. They should keep it in working condition, they shouldn’t be shoving stuff down the sink.”
Some leases Francis reviews states how much tenants will be charged for cleaning services if the landlord deems it’s needed. Cleaning services range from stove cleaning to deep cleaning carpets.
“The client needs to be aware of those things when they sign,” Francis said.
Debbie Allen, an administrative assistant at L’Heureux Properties — which rents to about 275 students a year — said the company charges students for normal damages, not wear and tear.
“Damages would include pouring grease down a kitchen sink, popping a hole in the side of a refrigerator to turn it into a kegerator,” Allen said.
Allen said hair clogging a drain or accidental window breaks are not held liable against the tenants.
L’Heureux Properties requires its tenants to fill out a check-in sheet within 48 hours after move-in that lists all damages the maintenance crew needs to fix. Allen said sometimes she’ll receive nearly all of the check-in sheets, but then one tenant will turn the sheet in late.
“You have somebody who turned in their check-in form and suddenly we’ve got a cracked window. … We’ll repair it but it may come out of their deposit,” Allen said.
L’Heureux’s sample lease also states that if the house needs to be painted, tenants pay a $40 an hour charge.
Allen said there have been a few cases in the past 15 years where that has been applied.
“The only time we’re going to charge a tenant for painting is if they’ve defaced something,” Allen said.
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One year, L’Heureux had an apartment with a giant painted martini glass on the living room wall. Allen said the next tenants hated it, so it had to be covered up, and the fees came out of the previous tenant's deposit.
“We had a very creative soul who used a broad paintbrush dipped in red paint, loaded it, and then went around the top of the wall so it looked like blood dripping down, so we had to cover that,” Allen said.
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