Disputes between landlords and tenants are commonplace in college towns. Fortunately, most spats are on a relatively small scale, dealing with problems such as getting leaky faucets fixed or covering minor damage to a property.
These problems are usually resolved fairly easily. But sometimes things go wrong.
The East Lansing Housing Commission spent more than an hour last week scolding landlord Betty Feintuch for what city officials said were unfair leasing practices and threats of eviction to her tenants if they reported code violations to the city. This type of behavior is a tenant’s worst nightmare.
Feintuch was found guilty in February of coercive conduct for trying to keep some tenants from reporting problems. She was fined $500 as a result.
And the Housing Commission could take further action against her. Members already have told her to rewrite her leases to make them more clear and ensure tenants’ rights are protected.
We more often hear horror stories from the other perspective. Some students can be lousy tenants, not caring about how they care for a property since many students move frequently.
Such carelessness can lead to fines from the city or substantial costs to landlords to repair their properties. It also leads to a stereotype of all students as irresponsible and reckless renters.
And we all pay for that perception with higher rent or larger security deposits. Renters, on the other hand, can’t charge their landlords additional fees to protect themselves from unprofessional behavior.
Instead, tenants should learn to protect themselves. Renters need to make sure they carefully read leases before they sign them, and seek help from an outside service if something doesn’t seem right.
ASMSU, MSU’s undergraduate student government, offers free help through its Legal Services, and the MSU-Detroit College of Law Rental Housing Clinic also will help renters muddle through the murky waters of leases and landlord trouble.
Renters also can protect themselves by filing complaints against negligent landlords. East Lansing officials, as shown by the Housing Commission’s recent actions, take code violations and unfair treatment by landlords seriously.
But if a complaint is never filed against a scrupulous landlord, that person will be able to treat future tenants in the same way.
Most East Lansing landlords are fair and professional people who care about their tenants and their property. And most students are good tenants who care about the places they live.
But, just like in those cases when a landlord has to deal with a bad tenant, renters need to make sure they stand up to any unfair behavior by a landlord.
Everyone deserves a safe, welcome place to live.
