Signing the Lease

• Before you sign a lease: If you do not understand the lease, ask for a copy of it and contact Students' Attorney and ask the staff attorney to review it with you.
• Do not feel pressured to sign a lease immediately; there will always be another apartment available.
• Ask Questions!
• Wait to sign a lease for an apartment—you do not know if you will still be friends with these people in a year.
• Make sure you understand the terms of the lease completely.
• When signing, make sure all tenants of the apartment are signing at the same time; this is so you know of any special provisions made to the lease for a tenant.
• Most leasing companies require students to have a co-signer when signing a lease; make sure you have someone (parent or guardian) who can co-sign lined up.
• Negotiate before signing; you may be able to get something added to your lease.
• Inspect the apartment for which you are signing; do not sign blindly.
• Get EVERYTHING in writing.

Moving In

• Before moving in, inspect the apartment thoroughly; report any repairs needed and demand that they are resolved prior to moving in.
• If not resolved promptly, call Students' Attorney and Town of Normal or City of Bloomington.
• Living at the apartment
• Have a list of contact numbers handy for your landlord, maintenance, Students' Attorney, and Town of Normal or City of Bloomington.
• Do not try to repair something on your own—call maintenance to do it. That way, you are not liable if something else breaks or is damaged during the repair process.
• Report all problems with your apartment to your landlord and/or maintenance services immediately.
• Contact Off-Campus and Non-Traditional Student Services and/or Students' Attorney for advice on what to do if no action is made to correct the problem.
• Contact the Town of Normal or City of Bloomington if no action is made to correct the problem.

Subleasing

• Make sure your landlord allows for subleasing in your lease.
• Create and post flyers that describe the apartment and provide your contact information
• Tell friends to pass the word around.
• Moving out/Getting your security deposit back
• When moving out, CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN!
• Ask for an itemized list of charges.
• Question all charges you feel are unwarranted or incorrect.
• Contact Off-Campus and Non-traditional Student Services and/or Students' Attorney if the problem has not been resolved promptly.

Community Relations - Being a Good Citizen

• Get to know your neighbors.
• Try to meet them as soon as possible, preferably within the first week of moving in. It is a good idea to know their names and telephone numbers in case of an emergency or if any other issues arise.
• Offer to assist your neighbors if they need help.
• Say “hi” when you see your neighbors.
• Notify neighbors when you are on vacation.
• Be aware of noise levels (music and television), especially early in the morning or at night.
• Do not leave your dog outside all day.
• Make sure your guests are not too noisy.
• If you have more cars than spaces, do not use the yard as extended parking.
• Park your car facing the right direction.
• Park in appropriately marked spaces.
• Do not keep cars that do not work sitting in the driveway.
• Do not park your car in the yard.
• Keep your place looking nice.
• Pick up any trash in the yard.
• Mow the yard on a regular basis.
• Keep couches in the living room instead of on the porch.
• Put up the trash can within 12 hours after garbage is collected.
• Don’t overflow your garbage can.