Priced Out: WSU students learn about their rights as renters

By Carina Branson and Zena Taher/KSN-TV

Students at Wichita State University learned about their rights as renters and what they need to know before settling into a new place.

At the WSU Renters Panel, there was much discussion about housing and what younger people need to know.

One of the panel members is a financial counselor who says housing is challenging to find, so students have to build good credit. She says a good way to do this is by getting a secured credit card. Good credit makes applicants more appealing.

“The affordability and availability of housing is definitely a problem that needs to be addressed,” said Beth Corrigan, the financial counselor and outreach coordinator at Consumer Financial Service of the Heartland.

She says it’s also important to budget to cover bills and keep up your credit score.Despite more housing, Wichita seeing a 10% increase in rent

Another panelist was a lawyer with the nonprofit Kansas Legal Services, who discussed ways tenants can advocate for themselves when they face maintenance issues.

He says the first course of action is using a written 14-30 notice in which a tenant essentially says they’ll end their lease in 30 days if they don’t et a maintenance situation resolved or get a good faith effort to resolve it within 14 days. He also says you can sue to get the maintenance done, but do not withhold rent. He says the best way to avoid a sticky situation with a landlord is to research who you’re renting from.

“Do your homework before you sign a lease. Make sure you can afford it and make sure the landlord is someone you want to do business with cause there are some great landlords out there, and there are some that will not meet their obligations under the lease,” said Steve Minson, a staff attorney with Kansas Legal Services.

He says college students often call because they have issues covering rent. He says if you aren’t paying rent, there isn’t much legal recourse for that. Because of that, he says it’s important to make sure you’re choosing a place you can afford, and that if you have roommates co-signing, they’re reliable and won’t ditch your lease.