Do homework, know rights before renting apartment
By Daily Bruin Staff
Sept. 21, 1997 9:00 p.m.
Monday, September 22, 1997 Do homework, know rights before
renting apartment APARTMENTS:
For first-time apartment shoppers, the process of renting or
leasing may be tough.
Some of the most important items to know about are rent prices
and the terms of a rental agreement.
"A rental agreement is protection of the landlord and the
tenant," explained Westwood apartment manager Don McNair in a
previous article.
Those rental agreements come in two forms: month-to-month and
lease.
With month-to-month rentals, a landlord can give a 30-day notice
to vacate. With a lease, the manager must have a reason for
evicting tenants.
Rental rates are also an issue. Students, very often on a
limited budget, have to pay high rental rates in Westwood because
of their desire to stay close to campus. An average one-bedroom
apartment in Westwood ranges from $800 to $1,000 per month, while a
two-bedroom apartment costs between $1,100 to $1,600 per month.
Although there are few guarantees that rental rates remain
stable, some communities, such as Santa Monica and Beverly Hills,
have strict laws as to how much rent can increase each year.
The best safeguard, of course, is knowing your rights before
siging anything.
This primer on tenants’ rights was obtained from the California
Public Interest Research Group, who may be contacted with further
questions.
