Housing:

They have been vilified and cursed by students when the heat refuses to turn on and the water will not stop running. Then, they are venerated and celebrated by the same students when they respond to calls in crisis situations. "They" are landlords, and for students who live off-campus, "they" are a fact of life. Eleni Zatz Litt, director of the Office of Off-Campus Living, has a number of common sense suggestions aimed at maintaining a positive relationship with a landlord. First and foremost, she said, students should read their leases carefully before signing, because there are many "standard" leases in circulation. "A lease is a binding legal agreement," she said. Nearly all property owners and managers in the University City area list with her office, Litt said, adding that OCL has a collection of all available leases "on file." "We do not promote particular landlords," she said. "We suggest [prospective tenants] look at the Penn Consumers Board survey." The survey, which is conducted every other year, is a "good indicator" of student satisfaction with various landlords, Litt said. She cautioned, however, that the results of the survey can be somewhat skewed if the only tenants who respond are the ones who are extremely pleased or displeased with their property's owner. Litt also stressed that students have a responsibility to be aware and educated when they enter a contract with a landlord. She added that there should be no rush in the rental process because University City's current "soft" housing market means there are plenty of properties available. Finally, Litt said tenants can avoid many potential problems by getting permission from their landlord to sublet. "You need to have a signed agreement because the original tenant is responsible to the landlord," she said. "Get a security deposit."