College Students Be Award Of Apartment Scams

Sunday, August 14th, 2022 -- 10:20 AM

College students looking for apartments for the school year should be careful not to get scammed.

State consumer protection administrator Lara Sutherlin says crooks have been making fake apartment listings online and asking people for upfront fees to rent a place. "So anytime someone is trying to show you an apartment sight unseen, and they want you to pay up front, that's a scam and you should avoid it." Sutherlin says you should be wary of any landlord who wants you to hurry up on signing a rental agreement or lease. "Super important that landlords and tenants understand their rights and their obligations under a rental agreement. And so first of all, you should get it in writing. And you should go into the apartment yourself before you rent."

Sutherlin says it's important you make a checklist and take pictures of all the existing damage when you move in. "These apartments have been used over time and they've been used by other college kids who've had a lot of fun over the years in college, which means there could be stains in the carpet and cracks in the walls and you don't want to have to pay for that out of your security deposit after a year's rent." If you do run into problems with your apartment, you can contact the state's rental helpline at 800 422 7128 or online at D A T CP dot W I dot US. You can also find the state guide to tenant's rights online at D A T C P dot W I dot Gov.

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