As the semester draws to a close, students living in off-campus apartments are facing the seemingly impossible task of restoring their apartments to their original condition before they move out this summer.
Most off-campus apartments require that tenants put a security deposit down for any damage that might occur during the lease period. Many companies say getting the deposit returned is an easy task.
Robin Homan, a spokesperson for Heritage Realty Group Inc., said getting the money returned is as basic as keeping the apartment clean.
"When you go into these places some of them don't live like humans with the beer cans, soda and trash," Homan said. Along with keeping your apartment clean, students should avoid damaging walls because repairing them can be costly, she said.
Todd Hawbaker, office manager for Park Forest Enterprises Inc., agreed, saying cleaning is one of the major things students should consider.
"Students don't leave time to clean or are too exhausted by the time all of their things are moved out," Hawbaker said. He said 80 percent of his apartments require some additional cleaning.
Hawbaker said he is a stickler for cleaning, but other things are not quite as important. Although he does not charge for nail holes in the walls or minor carpet damage residents will be charged for lesser infractions.
"We charge for things like holes kicked in the wall and burned out light bulbs or batteries in smoke detectors," Hawbaker said.
Jean Welling, staff assistant for Students Affairs and Off Campus Living, said landlords cannot charge for normal wear and tear, but they can charge for damage done by tenants.
Heritage Realty Group Inc. does not charge for day to day maintenance, but they do have other charges.
"At move out, we charge 15 percent above the contracted rate because damages should be taken care of before that time," Homan said. Even with this additional charge, Homan said she has never seen any damage that warranted keeping the entire security deposit.
While Heritage Realty Group is not unique in its 15 percent penalty, many apartments pass on only the cost of repairs subcontractors bill them.
Hawbaker said it was common for students to try to make repairs themselves to avoid charges. Some maintenance requires a lot of skill and students often underestimate the job and do it poorly, he said.
Megan Porter (senior-psychology) said she was charged $200 for damages and cleaning when she moved out of her apartment.
"There were cigarette burns in the carpet when we moved in, and they still charged us for that," Porter said. She did not think to contest the charges. "The blinds in that apartment broke while we were living there and maintenance never came to fix them, so we were charged for that," she added. Porter, who now lives in another apartment complex, said she doubts she will get her deposit back from the management. A representative of Parkway Plaza, 1000 Plaza Dr., said charging for minor repairs is common and generating profit is never an issue.
"We get services completed and deduct the amount from the tenant's security deposit. Then we send a copy of the bill from the subcontractor to the tenant," the representative said. Most deductions are for outstanding rent and minor damages. Parkway Plaza requires the carpets to be shampooed, unlike other management companies in the area, the representative added.
The Student Affairs Off Campus Living Office has a Web site (http://www.sa.psu.edu/ocl/) that offers tips on dealing with rental problems. Welling said if a student feels that charges are excessive, he or she can make an appointment with the attorney for students at 863-7094, which is a free service for students.
