The Tenant Resource Center really doesn’t need any extra publicity this time of the year, we are slammed with calls and people stopping by, and this year its extra confusing with all the law changes, so we are open some extra hours. Here’s some info for movers.
FIRST AUGUST MOVING DAYS UNDER NEW TENANT LAWS
This August 14th and 15th will be the first August moving days since SB107 and SB466 drastically changed tenant/landlord law in Madison. Movers may find themselves confused with what has and has not changed and what rights they still have. The Tenant Resource Center (TRC) is here to answer questions and help tenants protect themselves as they move from one apartment to another. The main office is open for walk-ins, no appointment necessary, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at 1202 Williamson Street, Suite 102 in Madison, call 608-257-0006. TRC also has a Campus Office at the Student Activity Center, 3rd floor, Cubby #1, 333 East Campus Mall with summer hours of 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays and 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
In addition to normal business hours, TRC will hold extended campus office hours August 14-16 from 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. to provide extra help for students during moving week. Questions can also be emailed to asktrc@tenantresourcecenter.org for a quick response. For information on the law changes check out our website at http://tenantresourcecenter.org/pc/laws.html . You can also read many brochures on common topics all of which have been updated with the new laws.
TOP FIVE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE MOVING OUT, BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE TENANT RESOURCE CENTER
Here are five great tips for tenants and important reminders for landlords in the moving season.
5. Did you know that rental laws changed this year? The Tenant Resource Center (TRC) has some great brochures that quickly sum up the changes to rental rights and responsibilities, useful for tenants in a rush and overwhelmed with moving. Check them out on our website at http://tenantresourcecenter.org/pc/quick.html
http://tenantresourcecenter.org/pc/movingout.html
4. Even with the new laws, landlords may not require tenants to pay in advance for carpet cleaning or perform the cleaning themselves before move-out. It is the landlord’s responsibility to prove that the carpet was soiled or stained beyond normal “wear and tear”—and not already in that condition when the tenant moved in—and then deduct the actual cost of cleaning from the deposit if appropriate.
3. Schedule a check-out time with your landlord if possible. If there is a dispute about something, it can often be quickly resolved by talking with your landlord in person. For example, you could decide to clean certain items better before the cost is taken out of your deposit, or other similar things pointed out during a check-out inspection. Fill out a check-out form together (if possible) and keep a copy. A sample check-out form is available on the TRC website at http://tenantresourcecenter.org/pc/publications.html#forms .
2. Tenants are encouraged to take pictures of the apartment before turning in the keys. Landlords are no longer required to provide photographic evidence in order to deduct from the security deposits. It is now up to the tenant to take their own pictures documenting the state of the apartment in order to protect themselves from the landlord making false or exaggerated claims about damage to the apartment.
1. TRC will have extended campus office hours August 14-16. Just drop in at the campus office at Student Activity Center, 3rd floor, Cubby #1, 333 East Campus Mall from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., if you have moving-related or other rental problems. Additionally, e-mail questions to TRC are frequently checked and at asktrc@tenantresourcecenter.org.
