Visitors Guide to Housing in Ithaca What is a lease? A Lease is a legal document. It protects the owners investment and tenants rights. Without a lease your rent may be raised with 30 days notice or you can be asked to move. Paying Your Rent You must pay your rent rather you live there or not by the terms of the lease. Note the due date for payment or you may pay an additional fee. Always Inspect Use a checklist to note the condition of the apartment before you sign the lease. You will be responsible for damages or repairs unless you discussed this with owner and it is noted in writing. The Security Deposit It is equal to one or two months rent. The owner has 30 days to return the security deposit at the end of your lease. The security deposit will be reduced for repairs and damages. The rules and policies Know what you can and cannot do. For example: - Find out when your landlord can enter the apartment. - Learn about garbage disposal tags and recycling. - Ask about having parties, pets, and guests. - Understand parking space regulations. Making Payments Property managers often expect payment by the 5th of the month. You may arrange for automatic direct payment from your bank. When You Leave Leave your apartment in the condition that you moved in or you may lose some or all of your security deposit and even pay more. Things You Should Inquire About And Keep In Mind Before you commit to renting a housing unit, you should clearly understand the responsibilities involved with each of the following terms. They should be explicitly identified in your lease is words with common and everyday meanings and must be clear and coherent. Compare any lease you are considering signing with applicable tenant-landlord laws. As you are reading through your lease, make sure the following items are addressed within the document. If some things are not addressed, be sure to ask the landlord about his or her policy regarding those items. You may also request to have items added to the lease. For questions about leases and tenant-landlord relationships, contact the Off-Campus Housing Office at 607254-8718 or visit our website at offcampushousing.cornell.edu. Another useful resource is the New York State Tenants Rights Guide produced by the New York State Attorney General. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS _____ Planned improvements/special work _____ Snow removal (property and/or public sidewalks) OWNER _____ Name and address of property owner _____ Name and address of property manager _____ Name and contact info for Emergencies RENT _____ Amount _____ Due date _____ Penalty for late payment _____ Price changes _____ Conditions for price changes SECURITY/DAMAGE DEPOSIT _____ Amount _____ Conditions for return _____ Date for return TERMINATION _____ Ability to sublet _____ Conditions for sublet DAMAGES _____ Responsibility for damages _____ Assessment of damages _____ Responsibility for repairs CHANGES IN AGREEMENT _____ Conditions for changes of agreement _____ Process for changing agreement LAUNDRY FACILITIES _____ Provision of facilities _____ Ability for tenant to install machines _____ Other limitations PARKING _____ Location _____ Limitations TIME OF OCCUPANCY _____ Dates (be exact) _____ Requirements for notification of renewal _____ Number of occupants (min and max) ADDITIONAL COSTS _____ Utilities (i.e., gas, electric, phone, water) _____ Pet-related charges/deposit _____ Overnight or weekend guests _____ Parking _____ Furnishings _____ Cleaning _____ Other RESTRICTIONS _____ Smoking _____ Noise _____ Storage _____ Pets _____ Alterations (i.e., picture hanging, painting) _____ Conduct _____ Parties _____ Waterbeds INSPECTION _____ When _____ By whom (i.e., landlord, add’l inspectors) _____ Use of rental inventory _____ Certificate of Compliance (Ithaca City only) _____ Notification of inspection CLEANING _____ Responsibility _____ Frequency _____ Equipment provided