When you decide to live off-campus, there’s a lot more to keep in mind than simply choosing good roomies and getting along with your landlord. There are countless responsibilities you may not even realize come along with an off-campus lease, and the biggest of those responsibilities is: arranging utilities! You must begin thinking about which utilities and services are important to you and how you intend to manage them. Where will you do your laundry? Do you need cable and internet? When does your garbage get picked-up? How are you going to get to classes on time?
Below is a list of the factors you should be prepared to arrange for yourself in your new living situation. The first step is to ask your landlord which of these utilities are included, and attend to those that are not.
- Gas
- Electric
- Heat
- Phone
- Cable
- Internet
- Laundry (You are not allowed to use St. Olaf facilities for your laundering needs!)
- Transportation
- Parking for said source of transportation if it is your vehicle
- Waste and recyclables collection
- Emergency Services
To assist you in setting up utilities and home services use the following link:
Internet and Other Home Services in Northfield: https://www.inmyarea.com/internet/55057/providers
Other Responsibilities you should keep in mind…
As a tenant, your actions can affect much more than your own living space. Beyond the responsibilities you have in your relationship with you roommate (covered in Basic Information), you will additionally have new responsibilities living in a neighborhood. It is crucial that you become aware of the responsibilities and expectations of courtesy that come along with your new role as “neighbor”.
- Introduce yourself to your new neighbors so the neighborhood can welcome you and feel comfortable with your presence..
- Make sure that you keep your noise and disturbance level down to a minimum, especially during the school week. (During which time you will of course be studying anyways!)
- Tell your neighbors ahead of time if you are planning on having multiple people come to your home for a party.
- Make sure you and any guests adhere to parking laws. .
- Do your best to keep the appearance of your apartment or house and the lawn/driveway at its highest possible standard of neatness. If something is becoming a terrible eyesore, make sure your landlord maintains it.
- Be familiar with all of the ordinances for living in a neighborhood, including noise levels, alcohol use, etc.