landlord can sue you for money in addition to your security deposit

to repair damage or clean a trashed apartment. Really clean the

place when you leave so that its better than when you got it.
10. Talk Isnt Cheap
The key to good relations with both roommates and landlords is
good communication. Little problems become big problems when
they are left to fester. Report maintenance issues as soon as they
come up; maintenance problems dont fix themselves. An annoying
leak around the bathtub today will result in water damage to the sub
-flooring a month from now. Discuss which roommate will pay the
bills and when, designate chores, and dont let personality problems
get out of control. Talk it out.
Some phone numbers that might come in handy:
Housing and Neighborhood Development
Housing Code Enforcement
IU Community Legal Clinic
IU Student Advocates
IU Protective Order Project
Middle Way House
Legal Services Organization

TOP TEN
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
WHEN YOU RENT

349-3401
349-3420
855-9229
855-0761
855-9229
333-7404
339-7668

Of course, there are some narrow areas where SLS cannot represent students such as complaints against the University and other unique situations. SLS also cannot prepare estate
wills or represent one student against another under most circumstances, since both students could claim to be entitled to SLS assistance.

WOODLAWN AVE-

NINTH

PARK AVE-

Mathers
Museum

FESS STREET

INDIANA AVE-

TENTH

EIGHTH STREET

Sigma
Chi

Church

SLS

Student
Rights/
GLBT

La
Casa

SEVENTH
DUNN MEADOW

Hutton
Honors College

Indiana University

Student Legal Services

703 East Seventh Street
Bloomington, IN 47408
(812) 855-7867

www.indiana.edu/~sls

1. Seeing is Believing
Bloomington has a lot of rental units, and more are being built each
day. Signing a lease for an apartment that hasnt been built yet, or renting based on just seeing a model, carries some risk. Make sure that you
get to see the exact unit you are going to be living in. Beware of leases
that leave it up to the landlord to decide where you are going to live.
2. Dont Believe the Hype
Landlords are allowed to make claims in their advertising that they
dont necessarily have to deliver on. Most leases will have a clause
saying the lease contains the entire agreement and requiring the tenant
to acknowledge that no oral promises are binding. Statements from
agents like, Oh we never enforce that, or That clause has just always
been in there probably wont protect you later on. In other words, talk
is cheap. Plus, units get sold and managers change.
3. The Numbers Game
Every rental unit has a maximum number of tenants. Most units allow
only three, though some older units may allow more. You need to
make sure that you dont have more people living in the unit than its
rated for; the fine from the City can be up to $2500 a day! If five of
you are going to rent a place but the landlord only wants three to sign
the lease, look out. Check with the Citys Housing and Neighborhood
Development (HAND) office before you sign.
4. Do Your Homework
HAND maintains a file on every rental unit within the City of Bloomington. Before you sign a lease, consider visiting the office and taking
a look at the file for your proposed unit. You can find out about previous complaints, maintenance problems, and what the occupancy limits
are. Student Legal Services (SLS) has unparalleled experience with the
leases local landlords use, and were happy to go over your proposed
lease with you before you sign. Your landlord has a lawyer--you
should too. Remember that in Indiana, theres no cooling off period;
you dont have three days to cancel. Youre bound as soon as you sign.
5. Parking
Parking is a problem everywhere in Bloomington, both on and off campus. Sometimes the lease is silent on parking, sometimes you have to
get a sticker from the landlord, and sometimes you have to pay an extra
fee. Find out whether you have to park on the street and whether

youre required to get a City sticker. Dont just assume parking is

provided.
6. It All Adds Up
Many students move off campus because they think living in an
apartment is cheaper than living in the dorms. Often it is. Sometimes it isnt. Apartment life presents many expenses in addition to
rent. You need to consider the cost of food, utilities (unless the
landlord pays for them), cable, parking, trash pick-up, etc. If the
lease is silent, is usually means you pay. Find out up front.
7. Read the Fine Print (And its All Fine Print)
The lease controls almost everything. Indiana has significantly
fewer protective statutes and ordinances than many other places
around the country. The law assumes that youve thoroughly read,
studied and understood the lease. So if your lease says no pets,
the rental agents assurance, Oh we never enforce that could still
lead to trouble. Every change or deviation from the preprinted
lease needs to be in writing. Get and keep a copy of your signed
lease. Bloomington leases are almost always for a full year.
Graduating, leaving school or getting a job in another state wont
get you out of your lease. Bring your lease into SLS before you
sign, and well explain each and every provision.
8. Pick Your Roommates with Care
Half of all marriages end in divorce and, presumably, those couples
have given the matter a great deal of thought. You never really
know people until you live with them. Almost every lease makes
all of the tenants jointly and severally liable. That means all of
the tenants are responsible for everything. If one tenant doesnt pay
his rent on time, the others are responsible too. The landlord can go
after everyone, or just sue the ones most likely to be able to pay.
Look outthe one most able to pay may be you.
9. Leave it Better Than You Found It
Do a thorough move-in inspection of your new apartment immediately. Note every hole in the wall, every stain on the carpet, every
crack in the glass, and every other flaw, no matter how minor.
Take pictures. You can bet that the landlord will note every problem. When you move out, he or she will fix them and will charge
you and/or deduct from your security deposit. Remember, your

1. Seeing is Believing
Bloomington has a lot of rental units, and more are being built each
day. Signing a lease for an apartment that hasnt been built yet, or renting based on just seeing a model, carries some risk. Make sure that you
get to see the exact unit you are going to be living in. Beware of leases
that leave it up to the landlord to decide where you are going to live.
2. Dont Believe the Hype
Landlords are allowed to make claims in their advertising that they
dont necessarily have to deliver on. Most leases will have a clause
saying the lease contains the entire agreement and requiring the tenant
to acknowledge that no oral promises are binding. Statements from
agents like, Oh we never enforce that, or That clause has just always
been in there probably wont protect you later on. In other words, talk
is cheap. Plus, units get sold and managers change.
3. The Numbers Game
Every rental unit has a maximum number of tenants. Most units allow
only three, though some older units may allow more. You need to
make sure that you dont have more people living in the unit than its
rated for; the fine from the City can be up to $2500 a day! If five of
you are going to rent a place but the landlord only wants three to sign
the lease, look out. Check with the Citys Housing and Neighborhood
Development (HAND) office before you sign.
4. Do Your Homework
HAND maintains a file on every rental unit within the City of Bloomington. Before you sign a lease, consider visiting the office and taking
a look at the file for your proposed unit. You can find out about previous complaints, maintenance problems, and what the occupancy limits
are. Student Legal Services (SLS) has unparalleled experience with the
leases local landlords use, and were happy to go over your proposed
lease with you before you sign. Your landlord has a lawyer--you
should too. Remember that in Indiana, theres no cooling off period;
you dont have three days to cancel. Youre bound as soon as you sign.
5. Parking
Parking is a problem everywhere in Bloomington, both on and off campus. Sometimes the lease is silent on parking, sometimes you have to
get a sticker from the landlord, and sometimes you have to pay an extra
fee. Find out whether you have to park on the street and whether

youre required to get a City sticker. Dont just assume parking is

provided.
6. It All Adds Up
Many students move off campus because they think living in an
apartment is cheaper than living in the dorms. Often it is. Sometimes it isnt. Apartment life presents many expenses in addition to
rent. You need to consider the cost of food, utilities (unless the
landlord pays for them), cable, parking, trash pick-up, etc. If the
lease is silent, is usually means you pay. Find out up front.
7. Read the Fine Print (And its All Fine Print)
The lease controls almost everything. Indiana has significantly
fewer protective statutes and ordinances than many other places
around the country. The law assumes that youve thoroughly read,
studied and understood the lease. So if your lease says no pets,
the rental agents assurance, Oh we never enforce that could still
lead to trouble. Every change or deviation from the preprinted
lease needs to be in writing. Get and keep a copy of your signed
lease. Bloomington leases are almost always for a full year.
Graduating, leaving school or getting a job in another state wont
get you out of your lease. Bring your lease into SLS before you
sign, and well explain each and every provision.
8. Pick Your Roommates with Care
Half of all marriages end in divorce and, presumably, those couples
have given the matter a great deal of thought. You never really
know people until you live with them. Almost every lease makes
all of the tenants jointly and severally liable. That means all of
the tenants are responsible for everything. If one tenant doesnt pay
his rent on time, the others are responsible too. The landlord can go
after everyone, or just sue the ones most likely to be able to pay.
Look outthe one most able to pay may be you.
9. Leave it Better Than You Found It
Do a thorough move-in inspection of your new apartment immediately. Note every hole in the wall, every stain on the carpet, every
crack in the glass, and every other flaw, no matter how minor.
Take pictures. You can bet that the landlord will note every problem. When you move out, he or she will fix them and will charge
you and/or deduct from your security deposit. Remember, your

landlord can sue you for money in addition to your security deposit
to repair damage or clean a trashed apartment. Really clean the
place when you leave so that its better than when you got it.
10. Talk Isnt Cheap
The key to good relations with both roommates and landlords is
good communication. Little problems become big problems when
they are left to fester. Report maintenance issues as soon as they
come up; maintenance problems dont fix themselves. An annoying
leak around the bathtub today will result in water damage to the sub
-flooring a month from now. Discuss which roommate will pay the
bills and when, designate chores, and dont let personality problems
get out of control. Talk it out.
Some phone numbers that might come in handy:
Housing and Neighborhood Development
Housing Code Enforcement
IU Community Legal Clinic
IU Student Advocates
IU Protective Order Project
Middle Way House
Legal Services Organization

TOP TEN
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
WHEN YOU RENT

349-3401
349-3420
855-9229
855-0761
855-9229
333-7404
339-7668

Of course, there are some narrow areas where SLS cannot represent students such as complaints against the University and other unique situations. SLS also cannot prepare estate
wills or represent one student against another under most circumstances, since both students could claim to be entitled to SLS assistance.

WOODLAWN AVE-

NINTH

PARK AVE-

Mathers
Museum

FESS STREET

INDIANA AVE-

TENTH

EIGHTH STREET

Sigma
Chi

Church

SLS

Student
Rights/
GLBT

La
Casa

SEVENTH
DUNN MEADOW

Hutton
Honors College

Indiana University

Student Legal Services

703 East Seventh Street
Bloomington, IN 47408
(812) 855-7867

www.indiana.edu/~sls