Off-Campus Living - The University of Missouri

There are several resources available to MU students looking for rental property.

Wellness Resources Center (WRC)

offcampus.missouri.edu The Wellness Resource Center’s Off-Campus Living website has listings of houses, apartments, and duplexes located in the Columbia community. The listings are provided by members of the community, and are not personally inspected by the WRC staff. The website has two databases for locating a property; one is for people who have units and are looking for roommates and the other is for vacant units. If you have any questions please feel free to contact the Off-Campus Coordinator at the WRC at 573-882-4634.

Newspapers

The Maneater- Get a paper copy anywhere on campus or go to http://www.themaneater.com/classifieds.php
The Columbia Daily Tribune- Search the classifieds at http://www.columbiatribune.com/
The Missourian- Search the classifieds at http://www.columbiamissourian.com/

Websites

The Apartment Finder: http://www.apartmentfinder.com

Warning: When meeting with a landlord/property manager always bring a friend for added support and safety. This is for your protection.

As a prospective tenant, you have the right to ask the landlord questions. Before signing a lease, be sure that you are satisfied with the apartment, services provided by the landlord, and the security of the unit. Use the following tips to protect yourself from running into common rental problems.

Before you rent, inspect the apartment or house. Check for needed repairs, bugs, rodents, and obvious electrical or plumbing problems.

Ask your landlord if he/she can change the locks or have them re-keyed. If they say no, ask if you can make the changes and then provide them with copies of the new keys.

Give a list of needed repairs to the landlord and make sure these repairs are made before you sign a lease. A sample move-in checklist is provided in Appendix A.

Before signing a lease, have the following questions answered. Have them addressed in your lease.

Who will pay for electricity, gas and water?
When is rent due?
Are fees charged for late payments?
What are the exact move-in and -out dates, including time required to give notice of renewal or lease termination?
What circumstances allow for lease termination and subleasing?
What is the security deposit amount and conditions for return?
What repairs and cleaning will the landlord do?
What is the policy on keeping pets?
Who maintains the yard and handles snow removal?
Will the landlord give notice before entering the premises, unless in an emergency? Who else may enter the premises?
Are there any restrictions on noise level and hours, smoking, and any other conduct that are exclusive to the property (i.e. beyond the established laws discussed in Chapter Four of this booklet)?
What are the restrictions on alterations such as hanging pictures with nails or painting the facility?

For your protection always sign a written leasing agreement between landlord/tenant. This is the best way to avoid problems later is to address the issues in a lease. A lease for one year or more must be written and singed by the tenant and landlord/property manager.

Safety should be an important issue to think about when looking for off-campus housing. Go to the property during both daytime and evening hours to view the lighting and safety practices. Consider the following things when viewing a prospective apartment or house:

Lighting for security: Is the housing well lit? Are all entry/exit points fully illuminated? Is emergency lighting provided in the apartment community?

Landscaping: Are trees and shrubs trimmed for natural surveillance? Are areas clear of landscape debris? Do plantings block the visibility of and from windows and doors?

Common areas: Are the common areas adequately lit, including entry and exit points? Are these areas well maintained? Is there police, fire or EMS access?
Door systems: Are all exterior doors made of solid wood core or metal construction? Are door frames in good condition? Is there a deadbolt? Are there peepholes on the doors?

Windows: Are screens and windows free of damage? Are there working locks on the windows?

Garages/Storage Areas: Are garage and storage areas equipped with doors that lock or are padlocked?

Fire extinguishers and smoke detectors: Are fire extinguishers provided by the landlord? If so, where are these located? Are there smoke detectors located on the premises and in good working condition?

Maintenance/Appearance: Does the space appear to be cared for? Are stairways, railings, balconies secure/free of debris? Does the roof appear to be well maintained?

Paint: Is the paint peeling? In older housing, there is a risk that the paint is lead based. This may cause safety issues with any children in the house.

Landlords cannot refuse to sell, rent, sublease or otherwise make housing unavailable based on a renter’s race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin.

Landlords also cannot charge some individuals higher rent or falsely state that housing is not available for discriminatory reasons. If you believe you have been a victim of discrimination, contact one of these agencies:

City of Columbia Human Rights Commission

City of Columbia Office of Community Services: 573-874-7488

Missouri Human Rights Commission:
Jefferson City Area: 573-751-3325
St. Louis Area: 314-340-7590
Kansas City area: 816-889-5100
Sikeston area: 573-472-5320
Toll-Free: 877-781-4236

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Housing Discrimination Hotline: 800-669-9777

Follow these tips when signing your lease:

Read the lease very carefully.
Keep copies of all documents you have signed.
You have the right to omit undesirable portions of the lease, if both parties are in agreement.
Any changes to the lease must be made in ink. Make sure both parties have initialed and dated the changes.
Do not sign the lease or any agreement until every passage is fully clear to you.
Leases are negotiable contracts.

Most landlords require a deposit at the time of signing the lease.
This deposit is money that the landlord collects as security against property damage, unclean conditions, and unpaid rent. The amount may vary; it is often equal to one month’s rent, but it cannot exceed two month’s rent.

It is a good idea for you to take photos before moving out to show that the property was clean and in good repair when you moved.
Within 30 days from the date the lease ends, the landlord is required to either return your full security deposit or give you a written list of reasons why part or all of the security deposit was withheld.

The landlord may retain all or any portion of the deposit to cover any damages or charges for which you are liable under the lease. The landlord may also retain all or any portion of the deposit if you break the lease agreement.

The landlord is only obligated to send the security deposit to the tenants last known address. It is important for the tenant to make it known where the tenant will be staying during the 30 days after the tenancy ends so that the security deposit can be sent to the appropriate location.
If the landlord fails to comply with this law, the renter may file a lawsuit asking for double the amount wrongfully withheld.