Gap between leases can cause problems for students
Tweet
With the end of their lease dates looming in the near future, students may be starting to think of housing issues. Some may even find themselves scrambling for a place to live during the time between the end of their current lease and the start of the fall semester.
DTN Management, a local property manager with apartment complexes including Arbor Glen, Dover’s Crossing and Abbott Pointe, has 12-payment leases that run from Aug. 1 to July 24, said Colin Cronin, DTN area director.
Cronin said having to deal with the time gap between the dates has many residents approaching him looking for solutions about what they should do for living arrangements during the time span.
“A lot of the time people concentrate on when they are going to move in and not when they are moving out. But you got to keep your schedule in mind,” Cronin said.
He said that DTN can usually work out a deal with students who are moving to another DTN apartment for the fall.
“Usually the lease dates work out so they can extend one lease and move up one lease so they don’t have to move out, or shack at a friend’s house for a week,” he said.
Zoology senior Andrea Christensen said she realized her apartment lease at Arbor Glen was ending near the end of July, but since it was renewed for the coming year, she didn’t worry.
“They state it in the lease multiple times,” Christensen said. “I’ve also seen apartments that have papers on their door that say they need to out by the 24th, and that they are going to come in and inspect then.”
Cecelia Filko, property manager of 2900 Place Apartments, said security deposits are put down when residents move in to ensure they return apartments to their original condition.
“We do the final inspection when they move out,” Filko said. “If there are no damages we process the account, and if there aren’t any charges the money is refunded to the lease holder. If there are damages we do apply the security deposit (for repairs). If there are portions left after that, the money is refunded to the resident.”
Filko said that most security deposits withheld at 2900 Place Apartments go to pay the final utility bills such as electric and water, but that they also can be used for extra cleaning costs and pickup of large items such as mattresses.
Political science senior Michael Haught said he and his roommates were wrongly charged more than $1,000 when the management of the house he was living in switched.
He said the house’s previous tenants weren’t required to fill out a damage form, assessing the state of the house upon their move-in and move-out dates.
He and his roommates ended up winning a court case and didn’t have to pay the money, he said.
“I would suggest not to let the management companies push you around, you have rights as a leaser,” Haught said.
Commentary
Add your $0.02, go to the comment form or follow the comment feed
Elizabeth
(07/10/08 11:50am)Report
Being a MSU alumni, previous tenant (for 5 years) and previous employee of DTN Management, it is very surprising to me that this article has just now been published. I realize that the State News has published other articles regarding DTN Management and MSU students who have had issues in the past, however this is the one of the first articles that discusses the lease terms and the problem with the lease. One major problem is that DTN almost forces the majority of their residents to stay living in DTN properties because of their lease term. DTN sets up the lease term for tenants to think they have no other option but to stay in a DTN apartment for the next 3 to 5 years. Most apartments not owned by DTN have leases that begin on a date that the tenant can move in and leases are 3, 6, 9, and 12 months in length.
Also, I, as well as many other tenants have experienced the problem with security deposits and being charged a large amount of money for an alleged damage to the apartment. DTN sends out a bill if there has been damage. But this usually isn’t received for a good 1-2 months after. If you are a student who has graduated and moved to another state, you receive a bill instead of your refund, how are you suppose to know for sure that what DTN claims as a damage was actually a damage. They give you no proof whatsoever on what has been damaged, they just send you a bill with a small description of the damages and if you don’t pay it they threaten to take you to court. Granted there are some tenants who do not know how to take care of their apartments, but when DTN Management does not come through your apartment to make an assessment before you move out, then I would question if and when a tenant receives a bill from DTN stating a large amount of money is due because of whatever damage has been allegedly done. After my first year living in a DTN property, I learned my lesson and the 4 years after that I asked my property manager to come in to my apartment at least twice before I moved out to make an assessment on any possible damages. As a previous tenant I do not think it is right to have to be the one to ask your property manager to come assess your apartment. DTN should have all their employees do an assessment BEFORE a tenant moves out of their apartment. And not just a quick walk through!! A walk through will never be a sufficient fair way to determine damages.
As a previous employee of DTN, assessments do begin right after a tenant moves out, but if a tenant forgets a few items such as a few bags of trash, is it really fair to charge a tenant especially since DTN sends in cleaning and painting crews anyway? DTN does give out a small checklist for residents, but it does not cover everything that is stated in the lease in regards to what is considered as damages. I hope that DTN has made changes since they apparently revamped their management. For all those students and other DTN residents be very aware that DTN is like any other business, they make money and they will keep making money no matter what hoops they have to jump through. Be smart and one step ahead when it comes to deciding to live at a DTN property or any other apartment community.