4 Page Two THE MICHIGAN DAILY -- SUBLET SUPPLEMENT Sunday, March 26, 1972 Sunday, March 26, 1972 THE MICHIGAN DAILY - SUBLET SUPPLEMENT Looki If the neo-penal pleasure dome that is South Quad is getting you down and you're thinking you'd; like to exchange it for an early cinderblock Ann Arbor.apartment, now's the time to do something about your living situation for. next year. However, one soon discovers that finding an apartment is not as simple as re-registering for the dorm. Other vigilante groups may beat you to just the place you want, empty houses disappear, and landlords up rents just when you were ready to put your money down., Sometimes in the course of apartment hunting, you discover that maybe you won't get on with' your roommates as well as youI thought you would. As the inevi- table debates arise over whether to go modern or traditional, as po- tential roommates decide to live In! co-ops or go to Europe, the advan-. tages of apartment living slowly seem questionable. While the Off-Campus Housing Bureau cannot remedy all of these problems, it does provide assist- ance to potential apartment-dwel- lers in many ways. The Bureau, -located on the sec- ond-floor of the Student Activities, Building performs the following services: -Keeps a formal registration record of landlords and rental properties; -Lists vacancies as they be- come available; -Lists vacancies for students who have apartments or houses and who need roommates to share the facilities and the expenses; -Lists apartments or other ac- commodations for students when they wish to sublet if the address is registered with the bureau by the landlord; -Supplies a Student Rental Agreement to registered landlords . - - fig jot who will use it; -Reviews other leases which some registered landlords use in order to judge the acceptability of those leases; -Maintains close liaison with the Ann Arbor Department of Building and Safety; -Helps to interpret leases to students if they bring them in for the bureau to examine; -Provides a sample of the Stu- dent Rental Agreement to any stu- dent who wishes to use it as a guide when examining other leases he might be offered; and rl -Helps women find jobs in pri- vate homes where they can earn their complete board and room (few jobs are offered to men each fall.) ice to Off-campus housing is primarily found in apartment buildings around campus, though there are a small number of rooms andl houses available.! Most apartments are in new or relatively new buildings, which will be filled with groups of single stu- dents as a rule. New efficiency apartments which have been de- signed for two single students av- erage about $160 a. month plus electricity. Most apartments, how- t ever, have been designed for three, four, or five students, with a price n range from $60 to $80 per person;t per month. While most are furnished, they sometimes do not have a desk for each person or enough end tables, lamps, or pillows. They are in- variably carpeted throughout and most have room air conditioners. The more plush apartments have fine furniture, dishwashers, and central air conditioning. A few buildings have swimming pools, study rooms, party rooms, and T.V. lounges. Very rarely are one-man apart- ments available for $100 a month. Also rare are two-man apartments h for $125 a month. Therefore, only luck or ingenuity will find such a n A tk ra tm stl bt mc place for apartment hunters. mo Apartment buildings don't al- po ways offer parking facilities. While future buildings in Ann Ar- va: bor must provide parking facili- pe: ties, buildings presently without ho parking facilities are not required ity to provide them. There is very little available nowIyo in older, inexpensive apartments, wi and such buildings are usually tio found by chance. If fit to live in, do it usually will be snapped up by yo the first person who makes an ap- rea pointment to see it. There are quite a few rooms still to available each year though the las number is diminishing. Linens and da cleaning are sometimes provided mo in these rooms, but not always. They are only furnished with the mc necessities for sleeping and study- pa ing. Some rooms are shabby while tho others are luxurious in beautiful, on private homes. Once in a while,,ad one finds a small rooming house'ma with kitchen privileges. If the if place is clean and the landlord owl maintains it as such, this is a very So good financial arrangement if all fev one wants is a place to cook and lat a modicum of privacy. ci What to check f you're checking or when If you're looking for an apart- ment, here's a list provided by the Off-Campus Housing Bureau for things to check for in your future apartment: -Is the building listed with the Off-Campus Housing Bureau? -Is it completed? -Condition of public areas (halls, walls, lighting); -Trash containers in back, yard? -Parking space? -Laundry facilities in or near the building? -Trash chute in hall? -Storage locker in basement? -Resident or general manager available at all times? -Fire -exits sufficient and con- venient? -State of cleaniness in unit- closets, drawers, walls, stove top and oven, refrigerator, bath- room; -State of repair in unit- walls, shower, kitchen appli- ances, plumbing, venetian blinds, drpes, mattresses; -Condition of furniture and upholstery; -Are all locks secure and in working conditions .(d o o r s and, windows); -Adequate amount of furni- ture - one straight chair, one easy chair or sofa space, and one desk per person; -Amount of drawer-space; Amount of closet space-one Photos by DENNY GAINER Poem by TOM DU VAL > an apt. closet or half a large closet per person; -Garbage disposal (not re- quired) and its condition; -Good drains and water pres- sure in bathroom and kitchen; -Lighting-number of outlets in each room and are they in working condition? - -Hot water-24 hour service; -Utilities - paid by whom? Check electric heat . costs and electric water heater; -Air - conditioning - monthly operating costs paid by whom? -General size in relation to number of occupants - size of rooms, amount of floor space; -Vacuum cleaner conveniently, located; - -Cleaning 'staff for public areas; and -Convenience to s h o p p i n g area. If you're looking for a fur- nished room, here are some things to look for: -Direct access to a public hallway and from the hallway to the bathroom; -Ceilings and walls in' good repair; -Furniture in good repair; -Clean floor and floor cover- ings; -A desk, book-shelves or cases, and a bed with a firm mattress; -Good lighting with outlets for lamps; -Window space for light and ventilation; -C 1 e a n bathroom facilities maintained by the owner; and -If basement room, two thirds above ground. Above all, the bureau urges that all students bring in their leases for experienced persons to read over. Leases have been uncovered this year which have clauses which would allow land- lords to increase rents over the term of the lease without prior notification of the tenant. Tenants' phoi FIRE DEPARTMENT ..... POLICE DEPARTMENT ... OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING B ANN- ARBOR. TENANTS Ut INTERNAL REVENUE SERV (rent-freeze violations)