TENANT
UNION
326 Illini Union
(down the hall!)
A Program of the Office of the Dean of Students
A FREE Service!
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Help finding an apartment
- Landlord Complaint Records
- Lease Reviews
- Help with landlord issues
We will be talking about…
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How to start your search
The Landlord Complaint Records
What to look for in a Lease
Roommates
The Move-In
Renters’ Insurance
General Laws to Know
The Search – Where do I begin?
Set a budget
Rent + Utilities + Food + Housewares = $$$
(Refer to worksheet)
Rent Costs
Estimates
• Efficiency/1 bedroom: $400 - $700
• 2 Bedroom: $600 - $1200
• 3 Bedroom: $700 - $1500
• 4 Bedroom: $900 - $2,200
Utilities
Estimates for 1 bedroom unit
*Electric heat is more expensive than gas heat!*
Gas: $50
Electric: $50
Water: $20
Garbage/Sewer: $15
Internet: $30
Cable: $50
Other things you will need
Food! $200/month
Campus Meal Plans available
Housewares
Where would you like to live?
Close to campus & furnished?
– Start looking NOW
– 3+ bedrooms go FAST!
– Studios, 1 & 2 bedrooms are still available in
November & December
Further from campus?
Unfurnished?
Wait until Spring to
search
Resources
Google Maps
Crime Reports
https://www.crimereports.com/
City of Urbana
http://urbanaillinois.us/
City of Champaign
http://ci.champaign.il.us/
Start Your Search
1. Start your search late fall for 1 – 2
bedroom units, NOW for 3+ bedrooms
2. Ask the Tenant Union for housing choices
from landlords with few or no complaints
3. Check the issues other students have had
in The Landlord Complaint Record!
4. Ask to view an apartment.
If you like the apartment you are shown, ask “If we sign
the lease, would it be for THIS apartment?”
If the answer is “no,” ask to be shown the
exact apartment for which you would sign
*Use the Apartment Hunting Checklist on page 3*
5. Ask for a copy of the lease. Bring it in!
Note: Discrimination is against the law!
Race, Student Status, Ancestry…
Check The Landlord
Complaint Records
Landlord complaint records
tell which landlords do not
take care of problems like
mold, roof leaks or roaches
Read what other students
have experienced!
This apartment looked great when
the tenants signed the lease…
• But when they moved
in 9 months later, this
is what the ceiling
looked like
• The landlord had
complaints on record
about ignoring roof
leaks, but the
students ignored the
complaints
Signing a Lease
• LEASE: a LEGAL contract you sign
• When you sign a lease, you are held to the
conditions stated on the document
Ask for a copy of the lease
• If you like an apartment you’ve been
shown, ask for a copy of the lease to take
home and look over. Then read it.
• Bring the lease to the Tenant Union so we
can discuss it with you and point out any
problems
About Leases
• Once you sign a lease, you cannot cancel
or “break” the lease, even if the apartment
is dirty or has many repair needs or if you
leave school before the lease ends
• DO NOT PUT DOWN MONEY until you sign
the lease
• Get all promises IN WRITING
• Check how many people can live in the
apartment or visit for a long time.
You cannot:
• Sublet your apartment
• Keep any type of pet (even fish)
• Let anyone live in the apartment who has
not signed the lease
• Do anything else that is prohibited in the
lease. . .
Without the landlord’s PRIOR WRITTEN
CONSENT
Roommates
Would you get married to your roommate?
* If they don’t pay rent, you could be held liable.
By-the-Bedroom Contracts
• These contracts are not joint and several
– If your roommate drops out, you are not held
responsible.
…but that doesn’t mean there aren’t
potential problems.
– You could be a roommate with someone you
don’t like or someone who isn’t a student
– Usually, there is a big fee to move to another
apartment
NOTE:
• The only University-affiliated
apartments are leased by the
University of Illinois Housing Division:
– Ashton Woods
– Orchard Downs
– Goodwin-Green Apartments
Deposits
• DEPOSIT: an amount of money given to a
landlord to HOLD until the end of the
lease.
– They can take out for damages, cleaning, rent
owed, and others
– They CAN NOT withhold for normal wear and
tear (e.g. replacing a 20 year old carpet)
The Move-In Report
• On move-in day, write down EVERYTHING that
is not 100% perfect
• Give the landlord a copy of the report within the
first 2 – 3 days after you move
• Get a Copy!
• Take Pictures!
Buy Renter’s Insurance
For only about $130/year, you get…
• Hotel stay if fire forces you from your
home
• Replace personal or stolen property
Laws to know
Landlord Entering your apartment
• In Urbana, the landlord must give you 24
hours notice before entering
• In Champaign, it is “reasonable notice”
More Laws to Know
Security
• Both cities: Your entrance door must have
a deadbolt
• Health & Safety must be maintained (no
mold, chipped paint, no leaks, etc.)
A FREE Service!
-
Help finding an apartment
- Landlord Complaint Records
- Lease Reviews
- Help with landlord issues
Tenant Union provides
FREE help
CONTACT US!
326 Illini Union
www.TenantUnion.illinois.edu
Tenant Union is a program of the Office of
the Dean of Students
Other Renter Information
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Parking
Public Transportation
Trash/Recycling
Library services
Postal services
Events
Parking
• Parking Permits
– University of Illinois – Rates very depending on location
– Purchase Permits through cities of Champaign and Urbana
• Parking Meters
– If a spot doesn’t have a meter that doesn’t mean it’s free!
– Located throughout University, Champaign and Urbana for various prices
per hour
– CashKey - $19.50 new, $10 used, replenishments made in person
• Disabled/Handicapped Parking – MUST display placard
– Issued by Illinois Secretary of State or the City of Urbana Finance
Department
• More information on rates, locations, etc.
– University: http://www.parking.illinois.edu/
– Urbana: http://urbanaillinois.us/parking
– Champaign: http://ci.champaign.il.us/departments/public-works/parkingprograms/
Public Transportation
• Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD)
– Transportation fee provides unlimited CUMTD use with iCard,
– Don’t have an iCard?
• $1 one-way fee, $2 all day pass for Saturday or Sunday
– Goes to various locations Champaign, Urbana, and Savoy
– Shuttle service provided by MTD
• Located in parking lot E-14 west of Assembly Hall, $127/yr
• Shuttle buses run throughout campus
• Zipcar
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24 hour access and parked on campus
Reserve a car online or by phone for a few hours or the entire day
UIUC discount
Students aged 18-20 can use cars dedicated and stationed on the UIUC
campus
• Amtrak
– Passenger trains go to other cities and states in the U.S.
– Located at Illinois terminal in Champaign
Public Transportation
• Bicycle Transportation
– Register your bike
• University of Illinois Parking Department - http://www.parking.illinois.edu/index.htm
– Champaign Fire Department
• CFD numbered decal; easier to retrieve information if bike is
lost or stolen
– Bike routes
• Installed on main city streets; lanes may be on street or separated from road
• Champaign Park District trails , Champaign, UIUC, Savoy, and Urbana bike
routes all tie together
– MTD Buses and some Amtrak trains have bicycle carriers
– Things to remember when riding:
• Illegal to ride bike in central business district of Champaign or Urbana
– $100 fine for biking on sidewalks in downtown Urbana
• Bikes must follow the same rules of the road as cars!!
• For more information:
– Champaign: http://ci.champaign.il.us/about-champaign/transportation/
– Urbana: http://urbanaillinois.us/visitors/getting-around
Trash/Recycling
• Trash
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Check your lease for garbage collection information
Burning of Garbage or leaves is prohibited
Yard Waste collection for each season
List of private garbage haulers provided
• Champaign: http://ci.champaign.il.us/departments/public-works/residents/utilityservice/
• Urbana: http://urbanaillinois.us/GarbageHaulers
• Recycle
– Do NOT recycle:
• Garbage bags, Styrofoam, ceramics/mirrors, light bulbs, plastic cutlery,
electronics, batteries, etc.
– Urbana Residents - $2.50/month recycling tax
• Check your lease! Landlord cannot charge recycling tax unless it is stated in
the lease agreement
– More information:
• Champaign: http://ci.champaign.il.us/departments/publicworks/residents/recycling/
• Urbana: http://urbanaillinois.us/U-cycle
• Feedthething.org
Libraries On-Campus
• Over 50 libraries on campus!
– UGL, Grainger, ACES
– Major-specific libraries
– You can request materials and have
them transferred to your library of
choice (library.illinois.edu)
– I-Share Network
Libraries Off-Campus
Champaign Public Library
Urbana Free Library
• 200 W. Green Street
• champaign.org
• 210 W. Green Street
• urbanafreelibrary.org
Both are very accessible by bus!
• Students can apply for a FREE library card in the city they reside in
– Bring a driver’s license and proof of address
• Cards can be used at both libraries but must be obtained from your
city to avoid paying a fee
Postal Service
• USPS Campus Locations
– Altgeld Hall (1409 W Green St)
– 302 E Green St
• City locations
– 202 S Broadway Ave, Urbana, IL 61801
– 600 N Neil St, Champaign, IL 61820
• Services offered for a fee
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Change of Address
Mail Forwarding
Hold Mail
P.O. Box (Green St. location)
• Pricing ranges from $22-380 depending on size of box and length of time in use
– Visit USPS.com for more information on services and fees
Campus/Community Events
• Events are advertised everywhere!
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CUMTD buses and stops
Around campus – Illini Union, academic buildings, etc.
Local businesses
Facebook/Twitter
• Popular Calendars found online
– Krannert Center:
http://www.krannertcenter.com/makeplans/calendar.aspx
– Assembly Hall: http://www.uofiassemblyhall.com/calendar.aspx
– Fighting Illini Sports: http://www.fightingillini.com/calendar/events/
– City of Champaign: http://ci.champaign.il.us/about-champaign/events/
– City of Urbana: http://urbanaillinois.us/posts/events-activities
• “The Connection” (CCSS Newsletter)
– Lists more local calendars: http://odos/ccss/programming/connection.asp
Campus and Community
Student Services
300 Student Services Bldg
(NE Corner of 6th St and John)
http://odos.illinois.edu/ccss/
Campus and Community
Student Services
@CCSSuiuc