USG tenant-landlord meeting highlights renter safety

By Gus Bode

By Signe K. Skinion

The Undergraduate Student Government tenant-landlord meeting Monday night discussed preventative measures that tenants and landlords should be aware of to make living quarters safer.

Sgt. Luanne Brown said there are certain safety items people need to look for when renting a place, especially when living alone.

Advertisement

Landlords are not required to make your place safe, Brown said. They are only required to bring it up to code. If you are looking into living alone, try to stay off the ground floor, burglars don’t use ladders. Dead bolts on the doors are also a necessity. And make sure that there is good perimeter lighting.

Brown said unfortunate situations occur at any time, especially when safety is not always the top concern on a student tenant’s mind.

Truly, bad things happen to a small amount of people, Brown said. But why leave yourself open to be a victim? Students are sometimes naive tenants when it comes to safety. Good burglars will get into an apartment if they want to. Bad burglars are easy to keep out.

Brown said burglaries happen all the time, but if a tenant is leaving for break or vacation, they should think about what they are leaving behind. The stuff you truly don’t want stolen while you’re gone on break hide it, take it with you or leave it at a friends, Brown said. Make it harder for the burglar. Don’t underestimate the career criminal.

Brown said there are many ways for a concerned tenant to keep burglars out of a dwelling.

The police will do a security safety check at no cost on your place, Brown said. We can tell you what needs to be done to help secure it. Light is one of the worst things for a burglar.

Lighting around an apartment or trailer is the best defense a tenant can use, Brown said.

Advertisement*

Sometimes people will call us to check on their place while they are out of town, Brown said. When we’re walking around the perimeter and those sensor lights go on, I know I jump. Think about what someone who is not supposed to be there would do.

Brian McGough, USG west side senator and chairman of the union, said the union is not only there to offer advice to people about how to secure their place, but to teach them how live off-campus without many problems.

The union offers lease counseling since renting is one of a student’s biggest concerns, McGough said. It’s important to understand the lease you’re signing. We will also try to help out when it comes to complaints between tenants and landlords and suggest ways to prevent measures before something happens.

Advertisement