Off Campus Living

There are many things you should look for when searching for an apartment. Some are seen and some are unseen. How is the plumbing? Can you take a decent shower? How noisy is the building, street, neighborhood? Do all the appliances work? Can you regulate the thermostat or does the landlord control it? Is there adequate insulation? Are there locks on all the doors and windows? Where will you park your car? Does the building have smoke detectors? Carbon monoxide detectors?

No, you don’t need to use a rental agent. Leases can be signed directly with landlords. However, utilizing a rental agent may gain you access to view more listings. Be sure to ask up front if there is any fee associated (often the landlord will pay the fee).

If used responsibility, Craigslist or other listing sites can be useful in finding an apartment. Some safety tips: Never exchange money before viewing the apartment in person. Always make payments in trackable ways (checks, credit card payment). Never visit an apartment or meet someone from Craigslist alone.

If you do not have a regular source of income that can provide you with the means to pay your rent, or you do not have good credit history, it is likely that you will need a co-signer. Students will often have their parents or guardians co-sign for them.

If you sign a lease but want to go abroad for a semester or home for the summer and have a 12-month lease, you may need to find a sublettor for the time you are away. The sublettor typically pays the original tenant, who then pays the landlord. Most leases prohibit subletting without the landlord’s permission, so be sure to check your lease agreement or talk to your landlord before subletting.

If you really need to or want to move out of a leased apartment, you can break the lease. However, you will be responsible for the rent through the lease period unless you find someone to take your place. Be sure to read your lease’s cancellation policy thoroughly. Can you be replaced? Are you in contract for the whole term regardless?

The cost of utilities will vary depending on what type of heat, what is included in the lease, how many people are using the utilities, etc. Oil can be quite expensive and the amount needed to heat your apartment will depend on quality of insulation and efficiency of the heating mechanism. Make sure to ask your landlord or rental agent about typical costs.

Tenants on the same lease are usually “jointly and severally liable” for the unit, meaning that everyone on the lease is treated as if they are one entity. If one roommate is unable to come up with their portion of the rent, the other roommates are responsible for making the full rent payment.

Roommate conflicts are a common occurrence for student and non-student tenants alike. It is a good idea to have conversations and come to an agreement up front about things like cleaning duties, paying bills, guest policies, noise and use of common space. If you are having a roommate conflict off campus, you can seek assistance from the Office of Residence Life or the Dean of Students Office to help mediate a conversation or provide assistance to a roommate who may need support that you cannot provide.

Off campus students still have access to events and programs on campus. Off campus students are encouraged to keep up to date with the Salve Regina calendar and are encouraged to come back to campus in the evening for events. There are also several spaces on campus deemed “commuter lounges” where students are welcome to hang out in between classes.

In an effort to help protect the health, safety and welfare of students, neighborhood residents and property, Salve Regina requires all students to submit their local addresses. At the start of each semester, students must submit/confirm their off campus address. Failure to submit accurate off-campus addresses result in holds being placed on student accounts and hinder the University’s ability to locate students or their roommates in the case of an emergency.

Students may arrive in Rhode Island before their lease agreement begins. Unfortunately there is no temporary housing available on campus for this time period, but students can find temporary accommodations such as hotels and Airbnb in and around Newport. Be sure to note the distance from campus and your apartment, and make note of public transportation available.

Common warning signs of scams or fraud include someone asking you to send money via Western Union, Moneygram or prepaid Visa card. Another sign could be a landlord asking you to send money immediately without seeing the apartment. For your protection, get everything in writing and do not give out personal banking information over the phone.