EDITORIAL: What tenants need to know

The Undergraduate Assembly's landlord survey will be a useful tool for students seeking housing. But with the Undergraduate Assembly working on a new landlord survey and off-campus living guide, it's possible that students may soon be able to claim some control of the situation. Knowledge truly is the key to making sure students' off-campus needs are met. Far too often, students don't know their rights and fall victim to landlords who shirk their responsibilities. Now, hopefully, students will be better prepared to deal with housing problems and get pressing issues like garbage collection and security questions solved. In addition, the survey should illuminate how individual landlords treat students. Armed with this information, potential renters can knowledgeably decide whether or not to rent from a particular company. For the effort to succeed, it's crucial that students who currently live off campus participate by filling out a survey. Unless the UA collects a substantial amount of data, the survey will be meaningless. By taking a few minutes to fill out the questionnaire, students will be helping each other and themselves. It's also key that the UA actively distribute the guide once it's complete. In order for the landlord survey to become an annual publication, as it was just a few years ago, students need to have the opportunity to see how effective the survey can be.