I have had my fair share of landlords during my time at the University of Iowa. I’ve rented from companies like ANC and private landlords who take care of their own property. While there are perks to each other, there are also cons.
While most of the landlords in Iowa City do their basic jobs — hopefully — of making sure their tenants are comfortable. They come over when you need something fixed like when a fork gets stuck in your garbage disposal, or your dishwasher is spitting water out all over your kitchen, hopefully your landlord fixes it in a timely manner. Other times, they can be a living nightmare. Not answering your calls, being extremely rude when they come to fix something. I even had a landlord make a sexist comment when my stove wasn’t working.
Just be careful, there are landlords that do take advantage of the students that are renting. While we aren’t all law students, we should be acknowledges of our rights. Here are things to do when your landlord is being a total asshole.
1.Keep a copy of your lease
By keeping a copy of your lease, you are able to pull it up anytime your landlord does something that doesn’t seem right to you. Read through your lease before you sign it and remember all the good details such as what you pay and what you shouldn’t do in the apartment.
2. Know Your Rights
As students and renters you are entitled to your rights as a renter. These things should be — knowing that your landlord doesn’t have the right to drop by whenever they want and they must inform you they’re coming 24 hours before they do.
3. Check out Student Legal Services
Student Legal Services is a university resource that contains volunteer lawyers and law students who are here to put the law in layman’s terms. They got your back, and it’s a free resource, however you may have to pay a small fee if you take further action.
4. Confront Them
If your landlord does something to make you uncomfortable, let them know what they do bothers you. If they do anything in retaliation, Student Legal Services is your man for that to.
5. Find a Way Out of Your Lease
If your landlord is making it so disturbing you don’t know if you can live in your apartment anymore, try to find a way out of the lease. You shouldn’t have to feel uncomfortable living in your own building, house or apartments
Your landlord and renting company needs to understand you have your rights, just be sure you know them so you can realize when they’re being violated, and Student Legal Services is there to help you along the way. However, there’s no better landlord than your mother.