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OFFICE OF THE DEAN OF STUDENTS
STUDENT AFFAIRS AT ILL INOIS
ABOUT THE TENANT UNION
The mission of the Tenant Union is to stimulate fairness in landlord-tenant relationships and to serve as a resource for students residing in privately owned housing. The staff strives to: empower students, teach transferable life skills, and advocate for student tenant rights. Tenant Union’s services and programs are designed to help prevent housing problems before they arise. University officials are encouraged to refer students to the Tenant Union for help with any aspect of renting privately-owned properties.
OFF CAMPUS HOUSING SEARCH
The Tenant Union helps students learn how to conduct an apartment search, resolve disputes with their landlords, reviews leasing contracts, and provide tips for roommate problems. We provide an on and off campus resource lists with landlord contact information and budget sheets. The Quick Guide to Renting is a valuable tool to help start an apartment search. It includes information about tenant’s rights and responsibilities, helpful forms, and checklists. This guide can be found as a hardcopy in our office or as a downloadable PDF file on our website.
Our new Housing Explorer (https://tenantunion.illinois.edu/housingexplorer/) is the number one tool in searching for your apartments off campus. This tool provides students an online “one –stop-shop” for their apartment hunting needs including complaint records and search tips!
LEASE REVIEW
An experienced Housing Counselor will review a lease and make suggestions for modifications before a student signs the contract. Lease review is important for protecting the tenants’ interests in their landlordtenant relationship. The Tenant Union uses the lease review process as an opportunity to educate students about how to become successful tenants.
LANDLORD COMPLAINT RECORDS
Tenant Union only takes complaints regarding a landlord’s obligations under the law or according to the terms of the lease. The complaint records exists to help students make an informed decision. They provide a history of other student renters’ experiences with a particular company over the past five years. The records reflect the companies’ complaints NOT a specific building (unless it is a code violation). Only a tenant can file a complaint about a landlord.
FILING A COMPLAINT
Every student tenant has the option to file a formal, written complaint about their landlord any time the student believes that the landlord has failed to comply with the law or with the terms of a lease contract. Tenant Union staff will work with the landlord and the student/tenant toward resolution of the problem.
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
The Tenant Union presents educational programs for students as well as Student Affairs and academic units. The Tenant Union can develop educational programs to meet the needs of specific groups. Request a presentation at https://illinois.edu/fb/sec/1019709.
FOR PARENTS OFUNIVERSITY STUDENTS
As a student-fee supported program, the Tenant Union is restricted to serving University of Illinois students, incoming students, and recent graduates experiencing problems related to the housing they leased while enrolled at the University. Parents, please encourage your students to contact us for assistance with any aspect of renting privately-owned properties.
PROBLEMS AND QUESTIONS
Experiencing roommate issues, housing problems, or have a question about a lease? Tenant Union staff will explain the tenants’ and landlords’ rights and responsibilities and provide strategies for resolving specific problems.
TENANT UNION 326 Illini Union1401 West Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801(217) [email protected]/sls/
SERVICE NUMBERS BY CATEGORY 2016-2017
facebook.com/TenantUnion
twitter.com/tenantunionuiuc
4,328
11,890
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Presentations/Outreach Activities
Housing Explorer Unique Visits (YTD)
Filed Complaints
TENANT UNION
