Housing options

OFF-CAMPUS LIVING

If you're thinking about renting, you need answers to several questions: Where do I begin looking? What do I need to look for? What's it going to cost? If I live off campus, will I feel left out? Where can I get help if I have problems? Is the parking adequate? What are the costs of driving (fuel) if I live far from campus?

Where to look

Ads appear in the Manhattan Mercury and other local newspapers, as well as in the Kansas State Collegian.

Also familiarize yourself with campus and the surrounding area. Record the streets and apartment complexes that appeal to you. Note "for rent" signs, and then call to inquire. Search the ads for those places you marked as possibilities.

Consumer and Tenant Affairs maintains a bulletin board that lists available rental units and various other housing options. You can check with the Office of Student Activities and Services for a list of larger apartment complexes, property management companies, and real estate companies that handle rental properties.

Sorting through your options

Size

Apartments range from one-room studio apartments to four-bedroom apartments. Houses and mobile homes also vary in size and number of rooms. Individual rooms may also be rented. Be aware that no more than four unrelated persons can legally rent the same dwelling.

Furnishings

Some apartments and houses are unfurnished, and others are furnished. Some may offer either option with a price differential.

Restrictions

The most common restrictions are: no pets, no smoking, no water beds, no children, and a maximum number of occupants per unit. A few do not allow subleasing.

Contracts

Leases are almost always for 12 months, though a few are written for 10 or 11. Common contract periods are June 1 to May 31 and August 1 to July 31.

Read the lease agreement carefully before signing.

Make sure you get a copy of the lease! It is your legal right, and it helps you completely understand the rights you have as a tenant.

Get it in writing

If the owner/manager offers you an oral lease, pick up a sample written lease, and modify it to meet your needs and those of the owner/manager. Once you have modified a lease, the signatures of the owner/manager and all renters are necessary for the lease to be valid.

If you and your landlord decide to modify the lease later, make sure you get it in writing. An oral contract cannot modify a written agreement.

Condition of property

You should carefully check the rental unit and its contents. Do an inventory with the owner/manager within five days after moving in. This protects you as the tenant from having pre-existing damages charged to your account. Make it detailed! Make needed repairs a part of the lease.

Owner/manager

Find out about the owner/manager's track record for prompt repairs and fair deposit return. Ask present or former renters or the Manhattan Department of Human Resources.

Also check out "Check Your Home: Guide for Renters and Homeowners" on the city of Manhattan's website. This brochure lists some of the things Code Services looks for.

Get the brochure

Be wary of renting from a landlord whose dwelling isn't up to code.

Inspections

Ask how frequently the unit is inspected.

Roommates

Agree ahead of time on the "rules of the house." Use a sample roommate agreement as a guide. You can get one from the Consumer and Tenants Affairs Office.

The costs

Price range

An unfurnished studio apartment rents for approximately $300-500, while a two-bedroom apartment rents for approximately $450-700.

Utilities

The renter is usually responsible for gas/electricity and the owner for water and trash. A minimum utility deposit for new customers is two times the average monthly bill for that property. It may be $100 for a one-bedroom apartment and more for larger apartments or houses.

Startup costs

Most utilities require deposits. The cost to hook up your telephone is about $39. The cost to hook up your cable TV is approximately $20. The monthly rate for basic service is $11.66 with tax, while there is an additional $30 (approximately) for expanded basic cable and an additional cost for premium or movie channels. Check with the various utilities for specific costs.

Don't forget about other necessities, such as kitchen and dining supplies and sheets and towels.

Deposits

The amount of the deposit can't be more than one, one and a half, or two months rent. The amount is usually dependent on whether the apartment or house is unfurnished, furnished, or whether pets are allowed.

Your budget

Plan a realistic budget and stick with it.

Your time

Don't forget that living in an apartment or house requires an investment of time— to perform basic household tasks like cleaning, cooking, washing dishes, and shopping. To figure your investment, estimate how many hours you will spend at each task and multiply the total hours by the current minimum wage.

Getting involved

Living off campus doesn't mean that you'll miss out on college life. K-State has more than 400 campus organizations to choose from. Research shows that students who are involved in at least one campus organization or club have a higher graduation rate and a higher level of satisfaction with the college experience.

Once you are in Manhattan, contact the Office of Student Activities and Services for a list of organizations and information on how you can become involved.

Where to get help

Whether you're looking for a place to live or are concerned about related issues, such as interpreting leases or getting along with your roommate, both K-State and the city of Manhattan have offices that can help you.

These offices can provide sample leases, sample roommate agreements, inventory checklists, and tenant's rights handbooks. They help with interpreting leases, mediating landlord/tenant disputes, mediating roommate disputes, understanding the Kansas Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, and providing information for inspection of code violations.

Get more information about the Office of Consumer and Tenant Affairs at K-State.