If you cannot find accommodation in university dormitories, you may
have to look for housing off-campus. In particular, students with
families may need to look off-campus. While university-subsidized
housing is often less expensive than housing off-campus in large
U.S. cities, that is not always the case in smaller cities and
towns. Types of accommodation include furnished and unfurnished
apartments and houses, privately operated dormitories, cooperative
residence halls, and rented rooms in private homes.
To find off-campus housing, ask the university's housing office or
consult the classified advertising section (also called "want ads"
or "classifieds") of the local newspaper. Many U.S. newspapers are
now on the World Wide Web so you may be able to explore off-campus
housing opportunities while you are still at home. Check campus
bulletin boards for notices of students who are looking for
roommates to share an apartment. Seek the help of someone who knows
the community or ask the international student adviser for
suggestions.
In general, the amount you spend for housing should be limited to
one-third or one-fourth of the total amount you have planned to
spend on living expenses. If the cost is one-half of your budget,
you may be spending too much. If the costs are unusually
inexpensive, it is possible that your living quarters are
substandard. U.S. Cities have local housing rules, called
"ordinances" or "housing codes," that specify certain standards that
must be met to ensure that houses and buildings are safe and
sanitary.
Making arrangements for housing off-campus can be quite challenging.
For example, if you do not have a car, location is important. If an
apartment is farther than walking distance from the campus, it may
prove to be inconvenient unless it is close to public
transportation. Gas, electricity, and telephone services, known as
"utilities," usually are not included in the rent and must be paid
by you, the tenant, each month. You must make payment arrangements
directly with each of the utility companies. Get an estimate of
monthly utility bills from the utility company or previous tenants
before you sign a lease. Heating can be expensive in colder parts of
the country, and gas and electric bills should be taken into account
in determining monthly costs. Heating, electricity, and telephone
can add from $75 to $200 or more (much more if you make
long-distance or international telephone calls) to the rent each
month. Water and garbage collection costs are usually included in
the rent.
Sharing an apartment with a roommate can keep costs down. If you do
not know anyone to room with, it is appropriate to ask another
student who is also looking for a roommate to consider sharing an
apartment with you. Often students advertise for roommates. If you
respond to one of these ads, you will probably be asked to visit for
a personal interview. These interviews are an excellent way to
determine if it would be a mutually agreeable arrangement to room
together. Never room with someone until you have discussed issues
such as smoking, study habits, cleaning arrangements, parties,
overnight guests, food, cost sharing, and so on.
If you decide that you want to live alone or if you have a family,
bring someone who is familiar with the local community and with
rental procedures with you when you go apartment hunting.
When you find an apartment you want to rent, you must enter into an
agreement with the landlord. This is called a "rental agreement" or
a "lease." A lease is a contract that legally commits the renter
(the lessee) to rent a specific apartment or house for a specified
length of time. It also commits the landlord (the lessor) to rent
that house or apartment to the lessee for that specified period of
time. Do not rent an apartment with a lease unless you plan to stay
the entire time period stated on the lease.
Many landlords require payment of the first and last months' rent
before the tenants move in. This is known as "advance rent." It
ensures that the tenant notifies the landlord at least 30 days
before moving out. Many landlords also require a security deposit
(also called a "cleaning deposit"), which usually equals one month's
rent. This is the landlord's assurance that the renter will do no
damage and that the apartment will be in good condition when the
tenant leaves. If the tenant leaves the apartment in good condition,
the landlord returns the security deposit. You should obtain a
receipt for the security deposit as proof of payment.
Before you sign the lease agreement, go through the apartment with
the landlord or manager and make a list of imperfections that you
should not be held responsible for when you move out. Examples
include nail holes where pictures were hung by a previous tenant,
chipped tiles, damaged woodwork, or soiled spots on the carpet.
It is important that you understand your rights and responsibilities
as a tenant and your landlord's obligations. Before you sign the
rental agreement, ask about rules and restrictions. Your
responsibilities include paying your rent on time, keeping the
apartment clean, repairing damage you cause, and telling the
landlord if something does not work. You must not disturb the peace,
that is, you must not be excessively noisy, and you must comply with
the terms of your rental agreement. The landlord's obligations
include repair and maintenance of the apartment. The landlord must
not interfere with your use of the apartment, nor enter the
apartment without your permission, nor remove any of your property.
The landlord must notify you if the building where your apartment is
located has been sold.
Only accept rental agreements in writing, with all the terms and
conditions set forth in detail. Before signing any kind of rental
agreement, be sure that you understand it clearly and completely. It
is quite acceptable to ask the landlord if you can take it away for
a few minutes to examine it carefully. You do not have to sign it
immediately. If you have any doubts, consult with the appropriate
office at your college or university. Many schools offer advice to
students planning to live off-campus. As a tenant (renter), you
should be given a copy of the rental agreement. |
|
Sometimes there are privately owned dormitory complexes near the
campus. These are designated for students and are run like
university dormitories, but privately owned. Usually the costs are
comparable to living in an on-campus dormitory.
A co-op is usually a large house in which a group of students lives
together, sharing the costs and chores. Residents take turns cooking
meals and work together to clean the house and take care of outside
maintenance. Because they are generally less expensive, rooms in
co-ops may be difficult to find.
These are dwellings in which rooms are rented usually to
individuals, but occasionally to two roommates. Cooking facilities
are often provided. It is probably cheapest to live in such a room,
but sometimes there are problems with human relations (sharing the
bathroom, kitchen, and so on). If you consider rooming in a house,
be selective and ask many questions.
Sometimes international student advisers have listings of families
in the community who would like to have an international student
live in their home. Sometimes the family expects the student to
perform certain services, like baby-sitting or household chores, in
exchange for free or reduced rent. Living with a family can be a
warm and enriching experience, but consider the family and the
arrangements carefully and be sure that you understand what is
expected of you. Check with the international student adviser to
determine if services are expected in exchange for room and board.
This might be considered employment by the U.S. Government and
therefore subject to certain regulations.
"I was on a two-year study program in the USA, and I spent my first
year living in the university dormitory. Even if I enjoyed living on
campus, I wanted to have something a bit more private and personal
in my second year of study. With two friends I had met in my
faculty, we decided to rent an apartment near campus. We went to the
university's housing services, where they keep a list of available
housing off-campus. By looking through this list, we eventually
found a three-room apartment, which suited our needs. We divided the
costs by three, which ended up being almost the same price as living
in residence. The only problem was that I had to take public
transportation for 20 minutes to and from school every day. We also
had very little furniture, since we could not afford full kitchen or
living room sets, for example. We bought beds, a table, a few
chairs, and an old sofa in garage sales and discount stores. It was
fine for our needs! We sold most of it to friends at the end of the
year. I enjoyed having a place of my own which I could call home,
even if it did require more commitment and responsibility."
— Shareen, Tanzania |
|
