Search for Graduate Housing

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA OFFICE OF OFF-CAMPUS LIVING

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You may choose to live on campus, in the high-rise apartment buildings at Sansom Place, or you can choose to live

off-campus, as most of graduate and professional students at Penn do. Philadelphia, the fi fth largest city in the United

States, has a reputation as one of the most livable cities in the country, a major urban center that has retained the

feel of a “city of neighborhoods.” While rents have continued to go up, accompanying the urban renaissance the city

has been experiencing and the high demand for housing, the pace of increase has slowed down in the last couple

of years. Actual listings for summer-fall 2010 have not been posted yet, however, you can expect a small

increase over 2009 rents. If heat is included in rent, increases may be higher. For all the increases in rental rates over

the last several years, the cost of housing in Philadelphia continues to be more affordable than in other East Coast

cities, such as Boston and New York. With a well-developed and well-coordinated mass transit system (SEPTA), many

areas of the city and the suburbs are within easy commute. However, the Campus is ideally located at the eastern

end of University City and in close proximity to the area known as Center City and the vast majority of graduate and

professional students choose to live in Center City and University City, within easy reach of school, shopping, cultural

and recreational attractions and outstanding restaurants.

Services

Interactive database of available rentals, updated daily, with several hundred available units at every one time. Listings include individual rental units (studios, one-, two-, three or more- bedroom apartments and houses) furnished or unfurnished, as well as house share and sublet opportunities. Most of our rental listings are for University City and Center City areas. Suburban listings are also available. Available units can be either in high-rise or other types of apartment buildings, in converted University City Victorian homes or Center City brownstones. Run your customized search at www.upenn.edu/offcampusservices.

If you are looking for a roommate, whether you already have a place or not, you can use our roommate search service to reach out to other graduate students, who are also looking to share an apartment.

The offi ce maintains lists of apartment buildings and landlords/realtors for the main areas of the city, with contact information for each and links to websites, if available.

OCL organizes an annual rental housing fair every spring, at which time students can become familiar with the many housing options available, meet landlords, tour properties and make informed decisions about housing.

Consumer information about leases, landlord tenant law, housing code requirements, utilities, apartment rental costs, budgeting, safety, renter’s insurance, daycare and schools, transportation, temporary housing, fi nances, etc. All this information is also available online, under our different menu options.

OCL reviews leases and offers counseling to tenants who have lease questions or are involved in landlord/tenant disputes.

University of Pennsylvania students have access to University subsidized legal assistance in landlord and tenant matters. A referral from OCL must fi rst be obtained.

When to Start

In the last several years, due to a tight rental market in Philadelphia and surrounding counties, and especially in the Center City and University City areas, it is not uncommon for graduate students to begin inquiries as early as January and the actual search in March. Companies that target the graduate student market will usually have information about available apartments as early as March/April. Other companies, however, will not know about availabilities until 90 or 60 days before the new lease is supposed to start. Check the lists of apartment buildings on our website to see when the buildings have their summer - fall availability information.

While most graduate students are probably interested in a late August or September 1st lease, it is important to be fl exible about the beginning date of a lease, especially if it is a good apartment. The housing search season begins in March and goes on as late as the beginning of August. If you cannot visit Philadelphia to look for housing before late summer, you are still likely to fi nd a place to live, but it may not be the best housing choice to make.

2 | Search for Graduate Housing

“Philadelphia has a

reputation as one of

the most livable cities

in the country, a major

urban center that has

retained the feel of a

‘city of neighborhoods.’”

How Can the Offi ce of Off-Campus Living (OCL) help?The University of Pennsylvania Offi ce of Off Campus Living (OCL), at 3702 Spruce Street (phone number 215-898-8500, fax number 215-573-2061) is designed to assist students, staff and faculty at all stages of their off campus living experience, from locating suitable housing, to fi nding roommates, reviewing leases and assisting students in landlord-tenant matters. You can access all our information online at www.upenn.edu/offcampusservices. When you are in town you can use the offi ce as your base for your housing search. Our user-friendly offi ce has computer terminals for your searches and telephones to call and set up appointments.

A wide range of housing options is availableto graduate and professional students

at the University of Pennsylvania.

You may choose to live on campus, in the high-rise apartment buildings at Sansom Place, or you can choose to live

off-campus, as most of graduate and professional students at Penn do. Philadelphia, the fi fth largest city in the United

States, has a reputation as one of the most livable cities in the country, a major urban center that has retained the

feel of a “city of neighborhoods.” While rents have continued to go up, accompanying the urban renaissance the city

has been experiencing and the high demand for housing, the pace of increase has slowed down in the last couple

of years. Actual listings for summer-fall 2010 have not been posted yet, however, you can expect a small

increase over 2009 rents. If heat is included in rent, increases may be higher. For all the increases in rental rates over

the last several years, the cost of housing in Philadelphia continues to be more affordable than in other East Coast

cities, such as Boston and New York. With a well-developed and well-coordinated mass transit system (SEPTA), many

areas of the city and the suburbs are within easy commute. However, the Campus is ideally located at the eastern

end of University City and in close proximity to the area known as Center City and the vast majority of graduate and

professional students choose to live in Center City and University City, within easy reach of school, shopping, cultural

and recreational attractions and outstanding restaurants.

Services

Interactive database of available rentals, updated daily, with several hundred available units at every one time. Listings include individual rental units (studios, one-, two-, three or more- bedroom apartments and houses) furnished or unfurnished, as well as house share and sublet opportunities. Most of our rental listings are for University City and Center City areas. Suburban listings are also available. Available units can be either in high-rise or other types of apartment buildings, in converted University City Victorian homes or Center City brownstones. Run your customized search at www.upenn.edu/offcampusservices.

If you are looking for a roommate, whether you already have a place or not, you can use our roommate search service to reach out to other graduate students, who are also looking to share an apartment.

The offi ce maintains lists of apartment buildings and landlords/realtors for the main areas of the city, with contact information for each and links to websites, if available.

OCL organizes an annual rental housing fair every spring, at which time students can become familiar with the many housing options available, meet landlords, tour properties and make informed decisions about housing.

Consumer information about leases, landlord tenant law, housing code requirements, utilities, apartment rental costs, budgeting, safety, renter’s insurance, daycare and schools, transportation, temporary housing, fi nances, etc. All this information is also available online, under our different menu options.

OCL reviews leases and offers counseling to tenants who have lease questions or are involved in landlord/tenant disputes.

University of Pennsylvania students have access to University subsidized legal assistance in landlord and tenant matters. A referral from OCL must fi rst be obtained.

When to Start

In the last several years, due to a tight rental market in Philadelphia and surrounding counties, and especially in the Center City and University City areas, it is not uncommon for graduate students to begin inquiries as early as January and the actual search in March. Companies that target the graduate student market will usually have information about available apartments as early as March/April. Other companies, however, will not know about availabilities until 90 or 60 days before the new lease is supposed to start. Check the lists of apartment buildings on our website to see when the buildings have their summer - fall availability information.

While most graduate students are probably interested in a late August or September 1st lease, it is important to be fl exible about the beginning date of a lease, especially if it is a good apartment. The housing search season begins in March and goes on as late as the beginning of August. If you cannot visit Philadelphia to look for housing before late summer, you are still likely to fi nd a place to live, but it may not be the best housing choice to make.

2 | Search for Graduate Housing

“Philadelphia has a

reputation as one of

the most livable cities

in the country, a major

urban center that has

retained the feel of a

‘city of neighborhoods.’”

How Can the Offi ce of Off-Campus Living (OCL) help?The University of Pennsylvania Offi ce of Off Campus Living (OCL), at 3702 Spruce Street (phone number 215-898-8500, fax number 215-573-2061) is designed to assist students, staff and faculty at all stages of their off campus living experience, from locating suitable housing, to fi nding roommates, reviewing leases and assisting students in landlord-tenant matters. You can access all our information online at www.upenn.edu/offcampusservices. When you are in town you can use the offi ce as your base for your housing search. Our user-friendly offi ce has computer terminals for your searches and telephones to call and set up appointments.

A wide range of housing options is availableto graduate and professional students

at the University of Pennsylvania.

Choice of NeighborhoodMost graduate students choose to live either in Center City or in University City. While the numbers clearly indicate that the graduate student population in University City has been growing steadily over the last several years, Center City continues to be the neighborhood of choice for graduate students.

University City

This area is situated within the area known as West Philadelphia, extends west to 50th Street and also includes the Powelton Village area, north of Campus. Well over 5,000 Penn students, graduate and undergraduate, rent apartments/houses in this area. While undergraduate students cluster in the area immediately west of Campus, to 42nd Street, graduate students tend to go farther west, all the way to 48th Street, and beyond, usually within the area covered by the Penn Transit. Thousands of other Penn affi liates - staff, faculty, alumni - own or rent in the University City neighborhoods of Spruce Hill, Garden Court, Cedar Park, Squirrel Hill and Powelton Village.

The rental housing stock of University City consists mainly of Victorian homes, homes, converted into apartments, and small, medium and high rise apartment buildings. Several high-end options have been added to the University City housing stock, through renovation of old buildings or construction of new ones. The Domus high rise luxury apartment complex, directly across the street from Penn Law, at 3411 Chestnut Street, features amenities that make Domus one of the top luxury buildings in town and the high rental ranges refl ect this status. The Left Bank, at 31st and Walnut Streets, offers luxury apartments at prices comparable to Center City apartments of similar quality. The Radian, a 14-story, top-of-the-line student apartment building, houses mostly undergraduate students. The Hub, a 101-unit apartment building at 40th and Chestnut Streets, has been popular with graduate students in the last three years since it opened. Other high rise apartment buildings in University City include Chestnut Hall, at 3900 Chestnut Street, The Fairfax, at 42nd and Locust Streets and Garden Court Plaza, at 4701 Pine Street. 4111 Walnut building and many of the apartments along 41st and 42nd and Walnut Streets, owned and managed by Campus Apartments, have been recently renovated and, in terms of prices, the units are at the high end of the rental market in the area. The renovation at 40th and Pine Streets, Pine Arms, added another high quality housing option for graduate students. In Powelton Village, the Old Quaker Building and the Courts Apartments offer comfortable apartments at prices among the highest in University City, yet lower than the Center City prices.

Most places in University City are within walking distance to the Law School (about 15-25 minutes) or a very short bike ride. The University of Pennsylvania Transit Services offers door-to-door transportation to the Penn affi liates who live in University City (to 50th Street and including Powelton Village). This service is available between 6 p.m. and 3 a.m. and it is free with a Penn ID. The University also runs buses along established routes in the neighborhood. Some of the large area landlords run their own free shuttles to/from the campus area. (A.H.Klein Properties and Campus Apartments).

The University City area is home to many cultural institutions, and a large number of award-winning restaurants. Programs for clean and safe streets, marketing initiatives and many developments in retail and entertainment are making University City a choice destination for living and having fun. You can do your food shopping at one of the nicest supermarkets in town, The Fresh Grocer, at 40th and Walnut Streets, and you can go right across the street and watch one of the movies at the luxury movie theater, the Bridge.

Center City and Art Museum

Some of the most popular Center City neighborhoods are Fitler Square and Rittenhouse Square (both west of Broad Street), Society Hill and Olde City (east of Broad Street). Center City housing is comprised of modern luxury apartment complexes and condos, brownstones and townhouses, row homes and warehouse apartment buildings. In recent years, Center City rents have continued to go up, as hundreds of rental units were removed from the rental market due to condominium conversions. A cooler housing market has slowed down the condominium conversion trend but has not affected the rental market, which continues to be tight.

Center City is a popular choice for graduate students, and several thousand of them choose to live there, especially in the area west of Broad Street. Many of the students who live in Center City cite the existence of shops, cafes, movie theaters, and fi tness facilities as the main attraction. High prices, diffi culty in locating suitable units, parking and walking distance to/from campus have been cited as disadvantages. While street parking is not easily available, some apartment complexes offer indoor parking at an additional cost. Many students who live in Center City use public transportation or bike to and from Campus. Between 5:15 p.m. and 12:30 p.m., Monday - Friday, transportation to/from Center City - up to 20th Street - is available to Penn affi liates through the Penn Transit Service. Dial 898-RIDE to access the service.

The Art Museum area has more reasonably priced high-rise apartments, brownstones and row homes, though the area is not as easily accessible to/from the Penn Campus. There is no direct public transportation, so you can either bike, use a car, or plan to spend extra time going back and forth every day. Some apartment buildings offer their own shuttle services. For people who love the outdoors and want to bike and jog, Nearby Fairmount Park may represent a great advantage, along with the newly completed jogging and biking path along the Schuylkill River that connects the Art Museum to Center City and University City.

Steps in off-campus housing search1. Budgeting

Rents. Based on previous years, you can expect a small increase in rent prices. Generally, rents have gone up 3-6% each year. Expect higher increases if utilities are included in rent.

University City Rents across University City vary widely, depending on location, type of building and amenities. In 2009, studios in University City ranged between as low as $450 to as high as $1,550.

One bedrooms ranged from as low as $600 to around $1,450 at the Hub apartment building. Excluding the Left Bank and the Domus buildings, whose prices refl ect Center City prices, average rents for the whole area (west to 50th Street) for the year 2008 were $736 for a studio, $924 for a one bedroom, and $1,324 for a two bedroom. A monthly base rent budget of $700 - $900 for a studio and $850 - $1,100 for a one bedroom should get you good quality accommodation.

Center City Center City studios and one bedrooms include a wide range of options. Several examples using 2009 rates are cited below, though both cheaper and more expensive options exist. Prices for apartments in brownstones may be lower, but such units are more diffi cult to locate.

“Philadelphia is more than

just a city, and can feel like

everything at once: it is a

collection of neighborhoods;

a large, yet somehow

intimate, patchwork of

traditions and contradictions;

a historic and modern mix of

cosmopolitan ethnicities and

parochial sensibilities.”

East of Schuylkill to Delaware and Art Museum Area

Unit Size Rental Range Average

Studio $700 – $1,900 $1,147

One Bedroom $1,050 – $2,400 $1,640

Two Bedroom $1,325 – $3,275 $2,172

Studios Average Rent One Bedroom Average Rent

2400 Chestnut $1,305 $1,405

Locust on the Park $1,400 $1,875

1500 Locust $1,343 $2,015

Rittenhouse Claridge $1,095 $1,556

The Chatham $1,050 $1,350

The Sterling $1,204 $1,682

RiverLoft $1,599 $2,189

Other* $1,008 $1,150

* Studios and one-bedrooms in brownstones and apartment buildings such as Westminster Arch, Westbury, Embassy Apartments and other similar places.

4 | Search for Graduate Housing

Choice of NeighborhoodMost graduate students choose to live either in Center City or in University City. While the numbers clearly indicate that the graduate student population in University City has been growing steadily over the last several years, Center City continues to be the neighborhood of choice for graduate students.

University City

This area is situated within the area known as West Philadelphia, extends west to 50th Street and also includes the Powelton Village area, north of Campus. Well over 5,000 Penn students, graduate and undergraduate, rent apartments/houses in this area. While undergraduate students cluster in the area immediately west of Campus, to 42nd Street, graduate students tend to go farther west, all the way to 48th Street, and beyond, usually within the area covered by the Penn Transit. Thousands of other Penn affi liates - staff, faculty, alumni - own or rent in the University City neighborhoods of Spruce Hill, Garden Court, Cedar Park, Squirrel Hill and Powelton Village.

The rental housing stock of University City consists mainly of Victorian homes, homes, converted into apartments, and small, medium and high rise apartment buildings. Several high-end options have been added to the University City housing stock, through renovation of old buildings or construction of new ones. The Domus high rise luxury apartment complex, directly across the street from Penn Law, at 3411 Chestnut Street, features amenities that make Domus one of the top luxury buildings in town and the high rental ranges refl ect this status. The Left Bank, at 31st and Walnut Streets, offers luxury apartments at prices comparable to Center City apartments of similar quality. The Radian, a 14-story, top-of-the-line student apartment building, houses mostly undergraduate students. The Hub, a 101-unit apartment building at 40th and Chestnut Streets, has been popular with graduate students in the last three years since it opened. Other high rise apartment buildings in University City include Chestnut Hall, at 3900 Chestnut Street, The Fairfax, at 42nd and Locust Streets and Garden Court Plaza, at 4701 Pine Street. 4111 Walnut building and many of the apartments along 41st and 42nd and Walnut Streets, owned and managed by Campus Apartments, have been recently renovated and, in terms of prices, the units are at the high end of the rental market in the area. The renovation at 40th and Pine Streets, Pine Arms, added another high quality housing option for graduate students. In Powelton Village, the Old Quaker Building and the Courts Apartments offer comfortable apartments at prices among the highest in University City, yet lower than the Center City prices.

Most places in University City are within walking distance to the Law School (about 15-25 minutes) or a very short bike ride. The University of Pennsylvania Transit Services offers door-to-door transportation to the Penn affi liates who live in University City (to 50th Street and including Powelton Village). This service is available between 6 p.m. and 3 a.m. and it is free with a Penn ID. The University also runs buses along established routes in the neighborhood. Some of the large area landlords run their own free shuttles to/from the campus area. (A.H.Klein Properties and Campus Apartments).

The University City area is home to many cultural institutions, and a large number of award-winning restaurants. Programs for clean and safe streets, marketing initiatives and many developments in retail and entertainment are making University City a choice destination for living and having fun. You can do your food shopping at one of the nicest supermarkets in town, The Fresh Grocer, at 40th and Walnut Streets, and you can go right across the street and watch one of the movies at the luxury movie theater, the Bridge.

Center City and Art Museum

Some of the most popular Center City neighborhoods are Fitler Square and Rittenhouse Square (both west of Broad Street), Society Hill and Olde City (east of Broad Street). Center City housing is comprised of modern luxury apartment complexes and condos, brownstones and townhouses, row homes and warehouse apartment buildings. In recent years, Center City rents have continued to go up, as hundreds of rental units were removed from the rental market due to condominium conversions. A cooler housing market has slowed down the condominium conversion trend but has not affected the rental market, which continues to be tight.

Center City is a popular choice for graduate students, and several thousand of them choose to live there, especially in the area west of Broad Street. Many of the students who live in Center City cite the existence of shops, cafes, movie theaters, and fi tness facilities as the main attraction. High prices, diffi culty in locating suitable units, parking and walking distance to/from campus have been cited as disadvantages. While street parking is not easily available, some apartment complexes offer indoor parking at an additional cost. Many students who live in Center City use public transportation or bike to and from Campus. Between 5:15 p.m. and 12:30 p.m., Monday - Friday, transportation to/from Center City - up to 20th Street - is available to Penn affi liates through the Penn Transit Service. Dial 898-RIDE to access the service.

The Art Museum area has more reasonably priced high-rise apartments, brownstones and row homes, though the area is not as easily accessible to/from the Penn Campus. There is no direct public transportation, so you can either bike, use a car, or plan to spend extra time going back and forth every day. Some apartment buildings offer their own shuttle services. For people who love the outdoors and want to bike and jog, Nearby Fairmount Park may represent a great advantage, along with the newly completed jogging and biking path along the Schuylkill River that connects the Art Museum to Center City and University City.

Steps in off-campus housing search1. Budgeting

Rents. Based on previous years, you can expect a small increase in rent prices. Generally, rents have gone up 3-6% each year. Expect higher increases if utilities are included in rent.

University City Rents across University City vary widely, depending on location, type of building and amenities. In 2009, studios in University City ranged between as low as $450 to as high as $1,550.

One bedrooms ranged from as low as $600 to around $1,450 at the Hub apartment building. Excluding the Left Bank and the Domus buildings, whose prices refl ect Center City prices, average rents for the whole area (west to 50th Street) for the year 2008 were $736 for a studio, $924 for a one bedroom, and $1,324 for a two bedroom. A monthly base rent budget of $700 - $900 for a studio and $850 - $1,100 for a one bedroom should get you good quality accommodation.

Center City Center City studios and one bedrooms include a wide range of options. Several examples using 2009 rates are cited below, though both cheaper and more expensive options exist. Prices for apartments in brownstones may be lower, but such units are more diffi cult to locate.

“Philadelphia is more than

just a city, and can feel like

everything at once: it is a

collection of neighborhoods;

a large, yet somehow

intimate, patchwork of

traditions and contradictions;

a historic and modern mix of

cosmopolitan ethnicities and

parochial sensibilities.”

East of Schuylkill to Delaware and Art Museum Area

Unit Size Rental Range Average

Studio $700 – $1,900 $1,147

One Bedroom $1,050 – $2,400 $1,640

Two Bedroom $1,325 – $3,275 $2,172

Studios Average Rent One Bedroom Average Rent

2400 Chestnut $1,305 $1,405

Locust on the Park $1,400 $1,875

1500 Locust $1,343 $2,015

Rittenhouse Claridge $1,095 $1,556

The Chatham $1,050 $1,350

The Sterling $1,204 $1,682

RiverLoft $1,599 $2,189

Other* $1,008 $1,150

* Studios and one-bedrooms in brownstones and apartment buildings such as Westminster Arch, Westbury, Embassy Apartments and other similar places.

4 | Search for Graduate Housing

Additional costs. If utilities are not included in rent, please be aware that the cost of natural gas, oil and electricity is high. Also you should consider adding the cost of a renter’s insurance policy which will add about $20 to your monthly expenses. While water is almost always included in the rent and heat can sometimes be included, electricity is most often the tenant’s responsibility and the tenant always pays telephone and cable. (Detailed information about utilities and insurance is available on our website.)

2. Searching

A good way to fi nd out about the choices available to students is to use the resources of the Offi ce of Off-Campus Living. The interactive apartment search database will give you information about hundreds of available units in the areas that are of interest to you. Additionally, information about the major buildings in Center City and University City, with contact information, prices and timeframe for inquiry and application, is also available on line and in the offi ce.

The Landlord Survey, a student-generated document, can provide valuable information about specifi c landlords and specifi c buildings. The Survey can help you make better-informed decisions and is available through our website or at http://www.gapsa.upenn.edu/gapsa-landlord-survey.

You can also fi nd information on available apartments at www.phillyweekly.com, the site of the Philadelphia Weekly, a free publication coming out every Wednesday.

The Penn Law Admitted Student Website also links to a very useful housing search tool (https://goat.law.upenn.edu/cf/housingrecommendations/) where you can get the inside scoop on where current and graduating students live. You start by identifying the area of the city (there is a helpful map tool), price range, and/or number of bedrooms. You will then be able to learn more about the strengths and weaknesses of the apartments that meet your criteria, estimated utility costs, a description of the building’s services and amenities, management contact information, etc. Wharton also has a useful housing guide: http://clubs.wharton.upenn.edu/welcome/housing/WWW%202009%20Housing%20Guide.pdf.

Quite popular from the West Coast to the East Coast is Craig’s List at www.craigslist.org.

Electronic newsgroups often post listings of available apartments or sublets and shares. Access to newsgroups is restricted to persons with Penn email accounts. When you get your account, you can check upenn.forsale, sublet and phl.housing.

Once you have narrowed down your choices, visit the units that match your needs, if this is possible. Compile a list of advantages or disadvantages for each, so you can make the decision easier. If/when you fi ll out an application and put a deposit down, that deposit is often non-refundable if you change your mind. That is why it is important to have some basic questions/requests answered before putting any money down. If you make the decision to rent after obtaining the information over the Internet, make sure you ask detailed questions about the property, obtain pictures, be extra careful and, if at all possible, have a friend visit the place for you. Detailed written correspondence in situations like this is important.

3. Applying and signing the lease

In preparing for the application process, remember that the landlord will run a credit check on you and that he/she may require proof of income. Certain buildings in Center City have very stringent income requirements, and they may ask for a co-signer to the lease. For international F1 visa students, who will not be issued a Social Security Number until they secure on-campus employment, it is

advisable to have a copy of the Penn admission letter to accompany the I-20 form. A Social Security Number is not required to sign a lease, open a bank account or a utility account, but most landlords do require a SSN, and they must be educated regarding the new regulations put forth by INS.

Keep in mind that this tight market is a landlord market and that the tenants may not be able to negotiate the lease. Once signed, the lease is a legally binding document and breaking the lease without fi nancial loss is only possible if you or the landlord can secure another qualifi ed tenant for the apartment.

If a lease contains illegal clauses, they are not enforceable; unfair clauses, however, can be. Regardless of what the lease says, remember that the law requires that landlords provide a safe and healthy unit, in compliance with the requirements of the Property Maintenance Code.

As of September 2006, the city of Philadelphia requires all landlords to provide a new tenant with a “Certifi cate of Rental Suitability,” issued by Licenses and Inspections. A landlord must also attest that all fi re protection and smoke detection equipment required is present and in proper working order, and that the operating systems and the property are free of defects which affect health and safety.

Become an informed consumer and an educated tenant. Know your rights and responsibilities. Even if you are not able to do much negotiation at the beginning of the lease, you will still be protected by the landlord-tenant law, and by federal, state and local ordinances.

4. Moving In

When you take possession of the premises, fi ll out a move-in/move-out checklist. If your landlord does not provide you with one, use the OCL form, which you can also download from our website. During your tenancy, bring all the problems regarding your apartment/house to the attention of your landlord. It is your responsibility as a tenant to do so. Keep communication open. Make sure the landlord has provided you with ways of reaching him/her in case of an emergency and for any routine maintenance and repair problems. Follow up a call that has not been immediately responded to with a written note, or better yet, an email. If you get no response, send your letter certifi ed mail, return receipt requested. Keep the premises clean and remember that you are responsible for any damage done through misuse, abuse and negligence.

Obtain renter’s insurance. The landlord’s insurance policy does not cover your possessions. Check OCL website for more information.

5. Moving Out

Give proper notice of lease termination and provide the landlord with written notifi cation of your forwarding address for the return of your security deposit. Leave the apartment clean and remove your possessions. Ask the landlord to inspect the apartment with you before termination.

If you have doubts about the return of your security deposit, document with pictures the condition of the premises before leaving. Wear and tear is the responsibility of the landlord but delivering the premises clean and in a condition similar to the one at the beginning of the lease is yours. Remember that if you are sharing the apartment/house, you can become responsible for the damage or rent of your roommate if he/she has failed to fulfi ll his/her obligations.6 | Search for Graduate Housing

Additional costs. If utilities are not included in rent, please be aware that the cost of natural gas, oil and electricity is high. Also you should consider adding the cost of a renter’s insurance policy which will add about $20 to your monthly expenses. While water is almost always included in the rent and heat can sometimes be included, electricity is most often the tenant’s responsibility and the tenant always pays telephone and cable. (Detailed information about utilities and insurance is available on our website.)

2. Searching

A good way to fi nd out about the choices available to students is to use the resources of the Offi ce of Off-Campus Living. The interactive apartment search database will give you information about hundreds of available units in the areas that are of interest to you. Additionally, information about the major buildings in Center City and University City, with contact information, prices and timeframe for inquiry and application, is also available on line and in the offi ce.

The Landlord Survey, a student-generated document, can provide valuable information about specifi c landlords and specifi c buildings. The Survey can help you make better-informed decisions and is available through our website or at http://www.gapsa.upenn.edu/gapsa-landlord-survey.

You can also fi nd information on available apartments at www.phillyweekly.com, the site of the Philadelphia Weekly, a free publication coming out every Wednesday.

The Penn Law Admitted Student Website also links to a very useful housing search tool (https://goat.law.upenn.edu/cf/housingrecommendations/) where you can get the inside scoop on where current and graduating students live. You start by identifying the area of the city (there is a helpful map tool), price range, and/or number of bedrooms. You will then be able to learn more about the strengths and weaknesses of the apartments that meet your criteria, estimated utility costs, a description of the building’s services and amenities, management contact information, etc. Wharton also has a useful housing guide: http://clubs.wharton.upenn.edu/welcome/housing/WWW%202009%20Housing%20Guide.pdf.

Quite popular from the West Coast to the East Coast is Craig’s List at www.craigslist.org.

Electronic newsgroups often post listings of available apartments or sublets and shares. Access to newsgroups is restricted to persons with Penn email accounts. When you get your account, you can check upenn.forsale, sublet and phl.housing.

Once you have narrowed down your choices, visit the units that match your needs, if this is possible. Compile a list of advantages or disadvantages for each, so you can make the decision easier. If/when you fi ll out an application and put a deposit down, that deposit is often non-refundable if you change your mind. That is why it is important to have some basic questions/requests answered before putting any money down. If you make the decision to rent after obtaining the information over the Internet, make sure you ask detailed questions about the property, obtain pictures, be extra careful and, if at all possible, have a friend visit the place for you. Detailed written correspondence in situations like this is important.

3. Applying and signing the lease

In preparing for the application process, remember that the landlord will run a credit check on you and that he/she may require proof of income. Certain buildings in Center City have very stringent income requirements, and they may ask for a co-signer to the lease. For international F1 visa students, who will not be issued a Social Security Number until they secure on-campus employment, it is

advisable to have a copy of the Penn admission letter to accompany the I-20 form. A Social Security Number is not required to sign a lease, open a bank account or a utility account, but most landlords do require a SSN, and they must be educated regarding the new regulations put forth by INS.

Keep in mind that this tight market is a landlord market and that the tenants may not be able to negotiate the lease. Once signed, the lease is a legally binding document and breaking the lease without fi nancial loss is only possible if you or the landlord can secure another qualifi ed tenant for the apartment.

If a lease contains illegal clauses, they are not enforceable; unfair clauses, however, can be. Regardless of what the lease says, remember that the law requires that landlords provide a safe and healthy unit, in compliance with the requirements of the Property Maintenance Code.

As of September 2006, the city of Philadelphia requires all landlords to provide a new tenant with a “Certifi cate of Rental Suitability,” issued by Licenses and Inspections. A landlord must also attest that all fi re protection and smoke detection equipment required is present and in proper working order, and that the operating systems and the property are free of defects which affect health and safety.

Become an informed consumer and an educated tenant. Know your rights and responsibilities. Even if you are not able to do much negotiation at the beginning of the lease, you will still be protected by the landlord-tenant law, and by federal, state and local ordinances.

4. Moving In

When you take possession of the premises, fi ll out a move-in/move-out checklist. If your landlord does not provide you with one, use the OCL form, which you can also download from our website. During your tenancy, bring all the problems regarding your apartment/house to the attention of your landlord. It is your responsibility as a tenant to do so. Keep communication open. Make sure the landlord has provided you with ways of reaching him/her in case of an emergency and for any routine maintenance and repair problems. Follow up a call that has not been immediately responded to with a written note, or better yet, an email. If you get no response, send your letter certifi ed mail, return receipt requested. Keep the premises clean and remember that you are responsible for any damage done through misuse, abuse and negligence.

Obtain renter’s insurance. The landlord’s insurance policy does not cover your possessions. Check OCL website for more information.

5. Moving Out

Give proper notice of lease termination and provide the landlord with written notifi cation of your forwarding address for the return of your security deposit. Leave the apartment clean and remove your possessions. Ask the landlord to inspect the apartment with you before termination.

If you have doubts about the return of your security deposit, document with pictures the condition of the premises before leaving. Wear and tear is the responsibility of the landlord but delivering the premises clean and in a condition similar to the one at the beginning of the lease is yours. Remember that if you are sharing the apartment/house, you can become responsible for the damage or rent of your roommate if he/she has failed to fulfi ll his/her obligations.6 | Search for Graduate Housing

For more information: www.upenn.edu/offcampusservices 215-898-8500, ocliving@exchange.upenn.edu

DISCLAIMER: OCL materials are intended for use only as consumer information and a general overview of issues and concerns related to rental housing. They are not exhaustive and should not be relied upon as legal advice.

If you have questions about living off-campus,check www.upenn.edu/offcampusservices

or call/visit the offi ce at any timebefore, during or after your tenancy.

We hope that by following these guidelines you will make your off-campus living experience a happy one. Once you have lived in your residence for some time, remember to fi ll out the Penn Consumers Board Landlord Survey and let others know about good places and not so good places to live. You can check Landlord Survey information and rate your landlord by going to http://www.gapsa.upenn.edu/gapsa-landlord-survey. Contact us with your comments. Call us at 215-898-8500 or write at ocliving@pobox.upenn.edu.

Make sure you also check out related information on OCL website or in the OCL offi ce: Leases, Security Deposits, How to Get Repairs Done, and Checklist for the Smart Tenant.

Graduate Housing on Campus

On-campus graduate student housing is also available near the Law School at Sansom Place (36th & Chestnut Streets). They offer the following: • Nine- and 11-month occupancy agreements beginning September 1, with potential for summer occupancy;• Furnished rooms and apartments;• 24-hour security and front desk services;• Access to ResNet, Penn’s data, voice and video network; wired and wireless internet access;• Designated fl oors for Law School students

Visit www.upenn.edu/housing/assignmentsgrad.html for more information and an application. Applications for Fall will be available on March 1 and are processed on a rolling basis beginning May 1. Learn more about Sansom Place programs and activities at http://scs.business-services.upenn.edu.

For further information, contact:www.upenn.edu/housingPhone: 215.898.8271Fax: 215.573.2061