Signing a lease and moving off campus can be a confusing and frustrating step for some college students. With this in mind, about 30 students received information about
living off campus by attending the first Tenants' Rights Workshop last night.

The event, co-sponsored by the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) Legal Affairs and members of the recently dissolved Undergraduate Student Government (USG), provided students information about what to look for when signing a lease, how to protect yourself from illegal fees and how to handle potential conflicts with a realtor. They also handed out a booklet that walked students through the renting process.

The main goal of the seminar was to "empower students to challenge any problems with a realtor in a legal and mature fashion," Pat Daley, former USG vice president, said.

Local attorney Andy Shubin, the featured speaker, walked students through the lease-signing process.

Shubin explained the obligations both tenants and realtors agree to when signing a lease, which can be verbal or written.

Shubin also cautioned students to read their leases carefully and know what they are signing.

Students may notice differences in the way they are treated by realtors in State College versus non-college towns, Shubin said.

Some students don't realize that documents, such as lease applications, can be legally binding, he said.

Shubin also said the leases tend to be broadly written and usually are more beneficial to the landlord.

Another possible issue for students is getting back the security deposit they pay the landlord when signing the lease.

"From my experience in this town, the landlords see the security deposit as theirs," Shubin said.

He continued to say the law states, upon moving out, the realtor has 30 days to return the security deposit to the tenant or submit a list of the apartment's damages.

"Landlords will be aggressive in going after [students] for damages," he said.

In order to protect the security deposit, Shubin recommended students compose an itemized list of damages and also to take pictures to document the apartment's condition.

Taking photographs or videotaping the apartment's initial state is a cheap and simple solution to settling a dispute, Shubin said.

After speaking about leases, security deposits, subletting and privacy, Shubin addressed problems that individual students were having.

Shubin warned prospective tenants to be very careful when entering 'as is' agreements -- when realtors allow students to move in early in return for cleaning the apartment themselves.

"It's a matter of personal choice, but you'd better well document all damages," he said.

Monica Henderson (freshman-division of undergraduate studies) said she found the seminar very beneficial.

"I plan on getting my own apartment and I heard many horror stories so I want to know my rights before going into that ordeal," she said.

Sean Sherlock, director of UPUA town affairs, said he was happy with the event's turnout and considered it a success.

"I am pleased with all the questions [asked]," he said.

Sherlock also said UPUA Legal Affairs hopes to make the Tenants' Rights Workshop an annual event in the fall.