Common Problems
Safety
Renters Insurance

While living in your off-campus apartment/house, you may have questions about your rights, your landlord's responsibilities, which Off-Campus Student Services and/or Student Legal Services can assist you with. You may, unfortunately, run into some problems or have issues that you are not quite sure how to deal with. OCSS and the SLS will work with you to help you come to a resolution.  Just a few examples of issues our office can provide assistance with include:

• Getting Repairs
  • When you need a repair made in your apartment/house, you usually call your landlord to make the repair request, but you need to always follow-up in writing. Send the written request to your landlord (hand deliver and get signed by office representative or certified mail) and always keep a copy for your records. Visit The Student Legal Services website for a sample letter as well as additional information on getting repairs.
    
  • The landlord typically has up to 30 days to repair non-emergency problems. If after 30 days of receiving the repair request in writing, the landlord has still not fixed the problem, you have a few options. Off-Campus Student Services encourages students to contact Student Legal Services to assist in exploring with option is the best, depending upon the situation.
    
    
• Provide assistant in insuring that Landlords are fulfilling their responsibilities.  The landlord must:
  • Supply the tenant in writing with the landlord's name and address.
  • Make the house or apartment comply with all building, housing, and health codes which significantly affect health and safety.
  • Make all repairs necessary to make the house or apartment livable.
  • Supply running water, reasonable amounts of hot water and heat at all times.
  • Keep all hallways and stairways safe and sanitary.
  • Provide garbage cans (for four or more units in the same building.)
  • Give tenant at least 24 hours notice before entering the apartment. A landlord cannot walk in for any reason. Except for an emergency, a tenant may refuse to admit the landlord if proper notice has not been given.
  • Maintain in good and safe working order and condition all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning fixtures and appliances, and elevators, supplied or required to be supplied by the landlord.
    
    
    
• Zoning Ordinance
  • In the city of Bowling Green, there is a law that prohibits having more then 3 unrelated occupants living in a residential dwelling unit unless the property was previously grandfathered into the law.  Prior to signing a lease, you will want to have the lease reviewed by student legal services.  Additionally, if you a signing a lease with more then 3 unrelated persons, you will need to verily that property can legal house more then 3 unrelated persons.
    

• Many, many others...

There are many things that you can do to improve your own safety on and off campus.

Safety Tips:

• Always keep doors and windows locked (even when you are home).
  
• Ask to see company ID when utility or service people come to your door.
  
• Use a peephole to determine who is knocking before you open the door. If you are still unsure as to who is there, question the stranger through the door.
  
• Check smoke detectors every month. If there is no smoke detector in your residence, ask your landlord to install one because you should always have a smoke detector!
  
• If necessary, get a security system.
  
• Keep the blinds and/or drapes closed when you are gone.
  
• Get to know your area. Know where not to walk, and where streets and alleys lead.
  
• Do not walk alone after dark. Contact a friend or the Escort Service to take you where you need to go. The Escort Service will assist BGSU students who live off campus as well as on campus.
  
• Get to know someone in the immediate vicinity that you can call in case of an emergency.
  
• NEVER leave your keys outside your place under a doormat or in a place accessible to a stranger.
  
• If you lose your keys, work with the landlord to replace your locks immediately.
  
• NEVER leave notes on your door or messages on your answering machine indicating that you are away.
  
• When driving, keep your doors locked and park in well-lit areas.
  
• In case of an emergency, call 911.
  
• If you are going to be gone from your apartment/house for an extended period of time:
  • Let a neighbor know when you will be gone and ask them to keep an eye out for any unusual activity. Provide a contact number while you will be gone.
    
  • Leave a light on when you are gone, or purchase a utility timer that can turn lights off and on automatically in your absence.
    
  • Either stop your service temporarily or have someone get your mail, newspaper, etc. each day, so that it is not obvious that you are not home.
    
  • Side Note: Never turn the heat completely off in the winter-time, especially when it is at freezing temperatures. It is advisable to keep the thermostat at at least 60 degrees, in order to be sure that the pipes will not burst. Be aware that if you do turn the heat off or keep the thermostat too low and damage occurs to the pipes, for example, you may be held responsible. If you have questions regarding legalities, please contact the Student Legal Services.
    
• Visit Fire Safety Home to get further information on Fire Safety.