Searching for off-campus housing can start surprisingly early in the school year, especially at colleges where on-campus housing is limited. Your freshman may only be a few weeks into their first semester when the pressure starts to choose roommates, tour apartments, and sign a lease for sophomore year.

Before your student signs an off-campus housing lease (or asks you to co-sign), there are some important questions to ask about rent, roommates, utilities, parking, security, maintenance, insurance, subletting, and what happens if plans change.

Special Note: If your student is considering applying to be a Residential Assistant (RA), think carefully before signing an off-campus lease. Accepting an RA position generally does not automatically release a student from a private off-campus lease. Off-campus housing is independent of the university, so check the lease carefully for cancellation, subletting, or lease-transfer provisions before signing.

Before Visiting Off-Campus Housing

Do some quick research: Check the school’s parent Facebook group. There should be prior posts about good and not-so-good off-campus experiences. If there were maintenance issues, cleanliness problems at move-in, security concerns, or excessive move-out fines, they will likely be reported there.

Beyond Facebook, check Google reviews and look on Reddit, too. No sense taking time to visit if the feedback and reviews tell you to skip it.

Don’t judge a property based on one angry review. Look for patterns – especially repeated complaints about the same maintenance, management, security, cleanliness, towing, or move-out issues. Weigh recent reviews more heavily than older reviews.

20 Questions To Ask Before Signing An Off-Campus Lease

In the many years we’ve helped families with dorms and off-campus living, we’ve heard it all when it comes to rules, requirements, and fees. So before you sign a lease, ask these questions to avoid surprises, extra fees, or frustration. Keep in mind that many employees at off-campus apartment complexes are students, so you may want to confirm their answers in writing.

1. Does each bedroom have its own lease? This is an important distinction. With an individual lease, your student is generally responsible for their own rent only. With a joint lease, the tenants may be jointly responsible for the entire monthly rent, meaning one roommate’s failure to pay could potentially affect everyone. If there’s one lease for a multi-student unit, how are late payments and other issues handled?
2. Is the unit furnished? What specific furniture is included? Get bed sizes early – for some reason, it can be hard to get the right information later! Are there any restrictions on what you can bring or can’t bring?
3. Is subletting permitted (for study abroad or other reasons)?
4. Which utilities are included in the rent? What other utilities will be needed, and what are the estimated monthly costs?
5. Who is responsible for pest control?
6. What deposits, application fees, administrative fees, first/last month’s rent, guarantor fees, or other upfront costs are required, and which are refundable?
7. What security features are in place? Ask about controlled building access, bedroom and window locks, outdoor lighting, security cameras, and on-site security. Also ask whether residents are permitted to install doorbell cameras, additional locks, or other security devices.
8. What is the exact lease duration? Even if it is described as a 1-year or 12-month lease, know that it is often 2-3 weeks shy of a full year, so they can prep the residence for turnover.
9. What is the renewal process and timeline? If you’re signing the lease in early fall, the time to confirm renewal is likely early fall next year.
10. Is parking included & is there a dedicated spot or first-come, first-served? Is the parking area secure?
11. Where do guests park, and what is the towing policy?
12. How to get to campus if not within walking distance – is there a bus system that stops nearby, or will the student need to drive? Campus question: where do off-campus students park, and what is the process/cost for securing a spot?
13. What additional fees may be assessed – for example, for sharing utilities, paying rent by ACH/online bill pay vs. card vs. check? What are the policies for fines?
14. What amenities are included with the lease, and what costs extra?
15. What type of rental insurance is required? Ask about required liability limits and whether the policy also includes personal property coverage for your student’s belongings. (See section below.)
16. How are maintenance requests handled, especially urgent issues?
17. If there is no central air, does the complex provide window units during summer months? If not, can you use your own?
18. Can we move in at our leisure starting with the lease start date, or are there assigned move-in dates/times? If assigned, how do we get priority for selecting a date?
19. If a roommate needs to move out, what is the roommate replacement process? Some leases allow the landlord to replace with their choice, not the existing roommates’ choice.
20. What are the move-out requirements and potential fines/charges for cleaning, wall repairs, furniture damage, etc?

If the school offers free legal services, the student should take the lease to them to review everything before signing.

What To Look For When Touring Off-Campus Housing

If you’re looking at the apartment or house in person, here are a few additional details to research.

• Ask if you can see any actual apartments, not just the model unit.
• Ask residents what they think of the management, security, and repairs/maintenance requests.
• How is the cell service in the actual (or similar) unit?
• How is trash removal handled? Some buildings mandate concierge at your door pickups (for a fee usually), and some require a long walk to a dumpster.
• How is the water pressure?
• Are there signs of pests or water damage?
• How are deliveries (food/groceries) and packages handled?
• Are there laundry facilities inside the unit or shared hallway facilities?
• If possible, drive or walk the route from the apartment/house to campus at the time the student would normally be commuting.

If you have concerns, check with the Better Business Bureau or the state’s attorney general’s office for complaints.

Comparing Off-Campus Options: Be Sure To Compare Apples To Apples

Don’t compare options on advertised rent alone. Be sure to calculate:

Rent + required fees + parking + expected utilities + internet + renter’s insurance + transportation/campus parking if needed.

Rent that is $75/month cheaper may actually cost more once you add monthly parking, other fees, and a campus parking permit.

You’ve Signed A Lease, But What If Plans Change

This does happen. Personal situations, school fit, athletic commitments – it happens, and plans do change. Roommate conflict may also become an issue, unfortunately.

As soon as you know you need to exit a signed lease, reach out to the roommates first to see if they know of anyone still looking for a place to live.

If not, check with your landlord to see if they have a wait list.

And go back to that parent Facebook group – there are students transferring in, students too late to secure on-campus housing, and other situations that leave families scrambling for living arrangements. Just be sure to coordinate with the roommates and landlord before making any arrangements with a replacement tenant. Follow the lease’s required process for subletting, reletting, or replacing a roommate.

How To Get Ready For Off-Campus Living

Once you’ve signed the lease and have an approximate move-in date, start planning with roommates for furnishing spaces such as the kitchen, bathroom(s), and shared living areas.

The kitchen will take the most coordination, and now is a good time to ask roommates what they already have to contribute before anyone starts shopping. Maybe someone’s parents are ready for new dishes or silverware or a toaster and will hand down their current items.

I always recommend creating a shared spreadsheet (such as a Google Sheet) and making a list of what is needed in the first column, then creating a column for each roommate and starting to divide up who will bring which items. As with dorm planning, I recommend splitting the list rather than splitting the costs of new items so it’s clear who takes which items when it is time to move out. Keep that planning spreadsheet until then so you remember who brought the toaster and the baking sheets!

For our full list of trusted and affordable items for off-campus apartments and houses, please see the College Apartment Essentials Guide.

Renter’s Insurance Is A Must

Many off-campus landlords require students to have renter’s insurance, but it’s important to understand exactly what coverage is required and what the policy includes.

A renter’s insurance policy typically includes two important types of coverage: personal liability coverage and personal property coverage. Liability coverage can help if your student is legally responsible for damage to the apartment or injury to someone else. For example, if an overflowing bathtub damages the unit below, liability coverage may come into play.

Personal property coverage is different – it protects your student’s belongings against covered losses such as theft, fire, or certain types of damage. Don’t assume the landlord’s insurance will replace your student’s laptop, furniture, clothing, or other belongings if something happens to the building.

Before purchasing a policy, check the lease carefully to see how much liability coverage the landlord requires, and make sure the policy also provides adequate personal property coverage for everything your student is bringing.

GradGuard is a leading provider of off-campus renter’s insurance policies, and you may already be using them for tuition insurance. The quote process is online and easy to complete – you’ll just need the name of the school and the off-campus address.

What Have You Experienced?

If you’ve had a unique experience with off-campus living, we’d love to hear about it. Share it in the comments below!

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