Rental Guide: Students deal with off-campus landlords

The relationship between landlord and tenant can turn rocky. And, like some other relationships,… The relationship between landlord and tenant can turn rocky. And, like some other relationships, one side can end up out in the cold when it all goes south.

People familiar with the renting process say that tenants and their landlords should make communication a top priotity, although there are a number of steps tenants can take if talking doesn’t work.

Kevin Stiles, manager of Pitt’s Department of Property Management, said in an e-mail that students should reach out to the landlord first if they have any problems. Although Pitt offers services to help, students should always contact their landlord first, he said.

If landlords don’t respond or respond negatively, students can discuss the issue with a member of Pitt’s office of Off-Campus Living or visit the office’s website at www.ocl.pitt.edu.

Serious complaints involving health and safety protocols are handled by the city, which looks to renters to help locate properties that need renovation.

Wayne Bossinger, field operations manager of Pittsburgh’s Bureau of Building Inspection, said the department doesn’t do annual inspections of every rented property because that would require a large amount of manpower. It primarily relies on tenants to call with concerns.

If student tenants believe their rented property is not up to building safety codes, they can contact the city helpline by calling “311.”

Guillermo Cole, public information officer for the Allegheny County Health Department, emphasized that before reaching for the phone, student tenants should first take any concerns to their landlords.

“The first thing we’re going to ask is, ‘Have you reported this to your landlord or not?’” Cole said. Still, tenants shouldn’t hesitate to call given an unresponsive landlord.

“If it’s a problem that the landlords are not doing anything about, don’t wait several weeks before calling us,” he said.

Based on a tenant’s description, the department rules the problem as either urgent or non-urgent, Cole said. An urgent problem, such as no heating or a carbon monoxide leak, would prompt immediate inspection by the department.

A rusty fire escape would be a legitimate reason to call, while a leaky faucet or a missing shower curtain would not be, Cole said. If inspectors find a safety infringement, the bureau can issue a notice of violation to a landlord giving the landlord a period of time to repair the problem.

Other common safety concerns include a building’s number of exits, smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. Conditions such as structural problems, broken furnaces or other utility issues can be brought to the attention of the Allegheny County Health Department.

Should a landlord not address a problem after a warning and the alotted time for repairs, the department will come out to inspect the complaint. An unresponsive landlord could be brought to court and fined and could receive a lien on his property, Cole said. He also mentioned that, if the problem persists after the designated period, a landlord can be brought to court and fined up to $1,000 each day the problem remains unfixed.

For non-urgent matters, the department notifies a landlord that it has received a complaint from a tenant and provides a deadline for the landlord to correct the problem. The time frame depends on the circumstances, although the landlord can receive up to 30 days for some issues.

Tenants can also take matters into their own hands and find someone to make repairs if a landlord won’t respond to requests. The bill could then be brought to the landlord.

“You can say, ‘I’ve done it. Here’s the bill. It cost me $500 to do this,’” said Susan Pearlstein, a Pittsburgh attorney specializing in landlord-tenant law and other fields.

Tenants can bring a lawsuit against landlords over the most serious problems, but Pearlstein advises students to “think about how big your problem is” before suing. Because a lease is a contract, if a landlord were breaching the terms in the lease, that could provide a basis for a lawsuit.

Of course, a lease is also legally binding for tenants, and landlords can bring an eviction against tenants on grounds of rent nonpayment, disturbing other tenants or causing property damage, among other reasons, she said.

Bossinger said his department handles about 2,000 complaints per year — many of which involve student housing in the Oakland area. Along with other factors determining where to live, he advises students to consider a building’s safety standards before hastily signing a lease.

“Think, how would you get out of the building if you had to? Every bedroom is required to have an openable window,” he said.

Stiles offered a similar precaution, telling students to do their homework before signing a lease.

“Firstly, investigate your landlord’s reputation before signing the lease,” he said. “Once you sign your lease and move in, problems are often related to communication issues. All issues of your rental should be addressed in writing in your lease. And if issues do arise, written correspondence can help. Do not make assumptions about what you believe are mutual understandings.”

More than 50 years of experience in renting lead landlord Steve Glickman to a similar conclusion.

Glickman, who owns Glickman Real Estate, said making sure tenants are thoroughly informed from the start is an optimal way to minimize potential problems.

Though he says problems with tenants have been few, issues among student tenants have come up when one tenant tries to add an unofficial roommate to the residency. Glickman offered as an example tenants whose significant others practically move in, to the irritation of the roommates actually on the lease. He said he makes sure parents of student tenants co-sign leases, and will get those parents involved if needed.

“Having parents on the lease … makes everything better. It’s more important that they’re on the lease because it keeps the tenants in a fair relationship with each other. It’s as valuable for them as it is for me,” he said.