Top 5 Questions Students Have About Living Off Campus

By Danni White on March 24, 2017

Image via Pixabay

Part of the college experience for students is learning the perks and the pains of living on their own. Having a place they can call their own off-campus offers the much-needed opportunity to grow. And it also comes with a host of responsibilities they may not consciously be prepared for.

When talking to students (and their parents) it is important for property managers and landlords to be patient and carefully guide them through the process from start to finish. This includes anticipating questions they might have and being prepared with answers.

When going through a process as nerve-wracking as moving into an off-campus space, nothing beats having a trusted and knowledgeable property owner available to talk to and assist in working out the fine details.

Here are five questions students will certainly have about living off-campus:

1. QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RENT

Students (and their parents, too) will want to know what the monthly rent or lease payment will be as well as the due date. This will help them to budget and ensure money earned from work or work-study is saved to take care of this.

Even if they don’t ask, it is important to let them know because while it most certainly is in the back of their minds, they may not be consciously aware of it.

Next, they will want to know what is included in the rent. Make it clear what utilities are included as well as the usual monthly cost of each. Some utilities to consider are water, heat, electricity, gas, and cable costs. If there is pro-rated rent for scaled bedroom sizes or floor plans, let them know that as well.

The more upfront you are about what is expected, the more trust will be built between you and your soon-to-be residents and the better the student can plan.

2. QUESTIONS ABOUT AMENITIES

Amenities: the extra (or not so extra) things that can actually make or break a student’s decision to choose you or someone else.

Some things students will want to know are how the laundry situation works. Is there one on each floor, single units in each room, or one shared by the entire building? If there is a cost, what it is? And is the cost for washer and dryer together or separate?

Another big question will be the cable/Wi-Fi setup. Keep in mind, they’re students so they will want to talk to friends, live stream events, stream movies, and of course, do homework. It is best if this setup is A1.

Other matters of concern include heating and air as well as transportation. Are you near a bus stop or train station? Does Uber or Lyft service your neighborhood?

3. QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AREA

You will probably hear this one more from parents than from students. It’s about safety. Be able to provide or at least point them in the right direction to finding out the crime rate in the area and the safety level for students.

Next, map out the need-to-go-to places within the area for them. For example, if the coffee shop is one block from your place and the grocery story is just around the corner, let them know that. For some, a small map might help to visualize the proximity to places students will frequent.

It is also good to let them know how far away their school’s campus is from the apartment location. Is it within walking distance or biking distance? Can they access the library, lab, and other campus locations quickly and easily?

Finally, comparatively speaking, talk about the rent rates in the area. If your place is more expensive than some others, perhaps there’s a reason for it. If so, tell them.

4. QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LEASE

Most property managers and realtors are in a rush to sign new residents but don’t be. Take your time and let them take their time. Explain what is in the lease agreement so they will know what to expect.

Understand that this is often the first time the student is obtaining a place on his or her own and they may be nervous to make a mistake. Let them read the details and ensure they understand everything but especially the pertinent stuff.

Some questions that may arise include: Are there options to sublease? Is the option to renew the lease available? Are there any additional fees?

5. QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS

It is imperative that you assist students in understanding their rights before they rent out what is most likely their very first place. A simple misunderstanding can cause a host of problems for you and them.

For example, inform about the common landlord-tenant law and the Fair Housing Act issued by federal law. If they feel discriminated against in any way, they can fill out a housing discrimination complaint form with the Housing and Urban Development Department.

Other questions may surround lawful eviction, a returned deposit, or getting the security deposit back upon leaving, notices from the landlord about entering and exiting the apartment, repairs (what are they responsible for and what will you as the property manager be responsible for), and whether you will accept roommates.

Some of them will ask questions about these things but if they don’t you can always prompt the discussion.

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Get Student Housing News Monthly

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format