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off-campus housing services
Section 3: Moving in & Getting Settled
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Download the Moving Countdown Checklist.
PART 1: STORE YOUR STUFF
If your new apartment is too small to hold all of your belongings or you are leaving for the summer and need to store your gear for a few months, consider renting storage space in any of the self-storage facilities in Tucson.
When you shop for storage, consider price, location, security, and the hours of access. To determine how much space you need, imagine stacking a room with your stuff to be stored—furniture, bicycles, small appliances, boxes of clothing, books, etc. Then calculate what size room would hold it all. With those measurements in mind, contact a handful of the storage warehouses listed in the Yellow Pages and get price quotes. A 10’ by 10’ space generally costs about $50 per month.
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Part 2: MOVING IS EXPENSIVE
Moving month is expensive. Estimate your budget before you move, making special considerations for the first month. Be sure to include the following when working on your budget for that first month:
- Rent
- Security deposit
- Utilities hook-ups / deposits + first month of service
- Internet
- Electricity
- Phone
- Cable / entertainment
- Moving service or truck rental
- Boxes and other moving supplies
- Food & supplies (condiments & cleaning)
- Tuition & fees
- Books & supplies
- Parking pass (UA or city)
- Car insurance & fuel
- Bus pass
- Other bills (credit cards & loans)
Part 3: START YOUR RENTAL FILE
You’ve heard that “your best defense is a good offense.” So go buy a 3-ring binder with a few zip-close pockets, a calendar section and a notebook before you move in. Decorate it any way you like, but put EVERYTHING in your “Rental File.” It’s your own personal X-File: The Truth is In There. So when you can’t remember how long its been since you asked the landlord to fix the leaking dishwasher, you can refer to your file, and you’ll be able to back up why you’re paying less this month for rent, or why you should get that $800 security deposit back in full. If you keep this up, you will save a lot of dough, if you don’t, you get Homer’s D’oh!!!
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Here’s what goes in The Rental File (copies of all of the following):
- Your lease– everything you signed
- Your rental insurance policy
- Condition Assessment Report
- Agreement for any storage rental
- Roommate Contract
- Correspondence related to your rental property (Rental Repair Requests, Notices, Landlord responses to written requests ...)
- Calendar with Notes for all important dates: when you paid your rent, when something broke, when you contacted or tried to contact your landlord, notes of any discussion. Write only in pen as this is a permanent record.
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Part 4: INSPECT & DOCUMENT
To protect yourself, insist that you inspect the premises with the landlord before you move in. You may be held responsible for any damage you, your roommates, and guests do to the premises while you live there, but not for normal “wear and tear,” or things that happened before you even got there! Use the Condition Assessment, page 63, and take photos to document the actual condition along with an acknowledgment that these damages or problems existed before you moved in and that you are not responsible for them.
If the premises aren’t clean when you move in, and you have to clean them, ask the landlord to make an adjustment to your first month’s rent, change the lease to indicate that you do not have to clean before you move out, or give you some other concession for having to take possession of a dirty residence. And document it in your Rental File.
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Part 5: GET RENTER’S INSURANCE
Property losses are usually unexpected. Insurance is a means of protection in case life goes south. Most renters are not covered by their landlord’s insurance, so it is in your best interest to invest in your own policy. A cautionary note: below are listed very general insurance terms. Discuss specifics with your agent to understand your own policy. If your parents claim you as a dependent, check to see if you are covered under their homeowner’s policy. Usually, students are covered up to ten percent of their parents’ insurance – even if your parents are out-of-state.
Policies Typically Cover:
Direct loss of personal property due to:
Fire, lightning, windstorm, hail, explosion, vehicles, sudden or accidental damage from smoke, and theft.
Additional living expenses and liability claims.
Not Normally Covered:
Flood (but not a break in a pipe, seepage or water backup), wear and tear, earthquake, and water bed damages (a special endorsement for this may be purchased).
Types of Coverage:
A “Personal Articles Floater” is all-risk coverage and is inexpensive.
“Replacement Insurance” gives you what it costs to replace the item and ignores depreciation from present value.
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How to File a Claim:
Call the Police and make a report! Most insurance claims require it. Keep your agent’s phone number and your policy number handy in your Rental File.
How Do I Know What Policy is Best For Me?
The Tucson Fire Department advises tenants to take a household inventory to determine the amount of coverage needed. Most insurance companies have household inventory sheets available to aid in calculating how much coverage is needed. And if you have an inventory with pictures of your belongings, especially the valuable ones, it’s much easier to prove the value of damages or stolen property.
Costs:
In Tucson, the average cost for renter’s insurance is between $120 and $180 annually for $10,000 coverage depending on construction type.
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