Advice on college apartments?

anon94785555
Fri, 08 Apr 2011 13:43:20 +0000

Check out the apartment and if it seems decent let your son live there. There is no perfect apartment situation. College students are notorious for their poor upkeep. You say nothing about the roommates. They could be the source of more problems than the place itself. You can’t, and shouldn’t, try to know everything about his roommates. You should be sure the apartment management has a mechanism to insure you/your son don’t end up paying for others’ share of the rent/deposits lost. Your son trusts these fellow students- be sure he knows them- not just as the friend of a friend…

At off campus apartments near UW in Madison, WI parents need to cosign the lease- this insures that there is a deeper pocket to pay the rent. Son’s shared apartment management was not known for its kindness- “they may as well have not bothered cleaning for the amount of their deposit not returned- the same as some who didn’t clean”, but knowing what the apartment looked like one week after some had moved in, I wasn’t surprised (any concerns I had about my son being too messy were unfounded by a long shot). The students figured out how much of the rent was owed based on who shared a room or not and the management kept track of the individual payments received so they knew who paid on time or not- son’s rental record was not at risk for others’ behavior. They agreed on which student was responsible for the cable and electric bills and each paid that student who then paid the companies. btw- you can find out monthly bills for gas and electricity from the local utility- helpful in choosing future places. The student whose name was on utility bills was building his credit score. Currently son has his own place, he had researched mangement companies and said his was better. So far so good- I plan to help with cleanup before he moves out…

All of the above said- don’t be too worried. Your son and his friends have checked out the local campus area rental market and found something that likely works as well as it can. Their expectations are not as high as yours and they know what else is out there in their collective budget. They may be lucky that the owner is a recent alumnus so that there is an understanding of college students and hopefully they picked a decent management company to protect their interests as well as the renters. Hopefully the city the campus is located in has regulations to protect renters- if so you can relax even more. College area management companies often have many addendas to the standard lease used in the city- covering such things as noise complaints, keg parties and other things to make it easier to avoid problems. It is good for the owner to make use of a mangement company’s expertise.

It is scary to leave the security of the known college rules. However, this is actually a good situation. Your son will have his first rental in a known location, sharing with others to get used to apartment life and obligations (I would have worried about my son remembering to pay utilities and other details, his shared experience gave him the knowledge to handle things well on his own) and he is in a known lifestyle as a continuing student.

I would make copies of your son’s rental agreement paperwork- he needs his copy but it could be useful to have your own. I would also get the full names of the roommates and their parents along with the parents’ addresses. You need to let your son take charge of the details such as whose name the cable and other bills are in, their cleaning arrangements, room choice and other things. You can use your household mangement expertise to offer suggestions and supplies. I know I volunteered an old set of pots and pans plus other stuff from when we had a vacation condo (I had doubles and this was a great excuse for me to get a new set that could stay in good condition) plus other things. Others had things they could bring. I’ll bet between all of the mothers they had more than enough cleaning supplies- especially learning how often they likely used them. It works out if each student comes with a pack of toilet paper and other disposables- they share and then decide how to replace when the time comes.

You have to do some more letting go. Don’t be disappointed if the apartment your son is excited about doesn’t meet standards for your place to live. You can offer suggestions but your son will do as he sees fit. Son’s dorm rooms and apartments have generally been no parent zones- the nearby campus bathroom was a cleaner place to use… Let him have his privacy as much as possible. Another nonacademic college learning experience for him that will pay off in the future.