Volume 126 Issue 106
kansan.com
Monday, April 14, 2014
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COMMENTARY Spring Game
scurriess team
FOOTBALL
MONDAY, APRIL 14, 2014
PAGE 14
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
HOUSING
Tips for appropriately dealing with bad landlords
MADI SHULTZ
entertain@kansan.com
Some landlords act like their mission is to make the lives of tenants harder. It may seem like the tenants only option is to give up and accept their landlord is awful for what they are, but there are more options to make these unpleasant situations easier.
Sometimes landlords can take advantage of college students' lack of knowledge when renting a house or apartment. Although it is an unfortunate situation, college tenants can take precaution when moving into a new place.
Landlords have been known to withhold security deposits or seek legal action for more money if they believe their place has been damaged. Other landlords work as part of a larger company, so they are not always available when you need them. And other landlords do not properly maintain their properties, so students end up dealing with leaky pipes or broken fixtures.
Vol
Calling a professional to inspect your possible new home can save time and money, and proves
you are not a just a naive student.
Kailee Karr, a junior from Cedar Rapids, Iowa suggests getting to know your landlord before moving in.
"I think you should meet her or him and ask as many questions as you can. Think about, especially 'what if' situational questions," Karr said. "You should feel close to your landlord and that they have your best interest in mind."
Asking more questions before moving in will help you learn if this is a place where you want to live. In addition to talking to your landlord, you should get the terms of the lease in writing. This way nothing can be misunderstood or not communicated properly.
Caitlin Szelk, a sophomore from Hampshire, lll., wishes she kept this in mind when she moved into her new place last year. Szelk had only seen a model apartment before moving in. When she arrived to move in, she did not see what she expected.
"When me and my family got there, it was super dusty, there was mold everywhere, no fire alarms, no CO2 detectors. I had a mushroom
growing out of my window, and there were stains everywhere. It was horrible," Szelk said.
After Szlenk's landlord did not respond to her requests, she and her roommate, "got a city fire marshal to come and check out the apartment to put on record that the apartment was not in a condition to house residents."
Instead of living in a place that is not safe, Szlenk did what some college students are afraid to do: She contacted a higher authority after not receiving help from her landlord. Although this can be intimidating, sometimes it is the necessary step for proper action to be taken.
From personal experience, Karr suggests that you live in a place that is maintained by somebody in the area. Like Szlenk, Karr lived in an apartment where the landlord was always unavailable to help.
"I had never met him face-to-face, so there was a lot of distance between us there, too. He wasn't personally connected to our issues with the house, he so got to choose when he wanted to tend to our issues," Karr said.
Karr said she tries to look at this as a learning
experience, but hopes it never happens again. In the future, she plans on paying more attention to, the property and location, as well as the person running the place.
"Warning signs are people who seem disinterested, unprofessional, or focus every meeting on money issues," Karr said. "Don't settle for a landlord that is unprofessional. The best house can quickly become a nightmare if it's poorly maintained."
When dealing with difficult landlords, there are many ways to handle the situation. Be firm when communicating what you expect from the lease and remember to get it in writing. Taking photos can eliminate an argument about whether any damage was caused by you or a previous tenant. If all else fails, contacting higher authority can resolve any issues.
Edited by Chelsea Mies
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BEN LIPOWITZ/KANSAN
this was no longer about which side had more talent.
Junior pitcher Robert Kahana pitched a complete game during Kansas' first game of their double-header against TCU on Saturday. Kahana allowed three runs off nine hits.
"The leaders were just getting on everybody in the locker room," Stowers said. "The twos looked better than the ones out there."
By the time the Blue Team took the field for the third quarter, everything about them seemed different. Their pride was on the line and, if they weren't careful, their starting roles could be, too.
That's what Weis wanted to create by flipping the score. But the Blue Team forced the comeback on their own, emerging with a 20-10 victory, with the score every bit as important as how the Blue Team achieved it.
And in the moments when the top players needed to make plays, they found a way to get it done, whether it was Montell Cozart or Tony Pierson or Stowers.
"You're getting season-like situations," Stowers said. "That's a damn good rhythm to get into."
Edited by Sarah Kramer
Jayhawks avoid the sweep against TCU
Coming off their disappointing series sweep against Iowa in their midweek two-game set, the Jayhawks were set to play the hottest team in the Big 12. Kansas (22-15) welcomed the Horned Frogs of Texas Christian University (22-13) in a three-game series at Hoglund Ballpark this past weekend. The Horned Frogs came into the conference matchup riding a five-game winning streak, having not lost in the month of April.
SHANE JACKSON sports@kansan.com
The Jayhawks dropped the first two games 5-2 and 3-1 in tightly contested pitching duels. They salvaged the series by avoiding the sweep and winning game three. With the
5-1 victory in the nightcap of the doubleheader on Saturday, the Jayhawks moved to 6-6 in conference play to keep their season alive.
In game one on Friday night the Jayhawks saw the best pitcher in the country, left-handed pitcher Brandon Finnegan, a first-round draft prospect who allowed a mere 35 base hits coming into game one. Kansas scored two runs off nine hits, eight of which came off Finnegan in the 5-2 loss.
"I thought we played well all three games," said coach Ritch Price. "Luckily we played well enough in the final game to salvage the series; they came in red hot, playing their best baseball."
Senior pitcher Jordan Piché
has settled into his new role as the Friday night starter. After getting beat up in his first start against Kansas State, he tossed the most innings of his Jayhawk career with six, allowing four runs off 10 hits.
Game two was another battle of the arms as the Horned Frogs tossed out their crafty right-handed pitcher Preston Morrison. Kansas struggled to get contact off his off-speed stuff as they managed only four hits, and their lone run coming from a solo shot over the left field wall by junior outfielder Connor McKay in the seventh.
"It's coming back to me," Piché said. "It's a different mindset; I don't like giving up hits and as a starter you are going to give up hits."
"Morrison is real good with his sinker and slider," McKay said. "He kept us off balance with his fastball. Hats off to him for pitching a phenomenal game."
Junior right-handed pitcher Robert Kahana pitched a complete game in a losing effort for Kansas. He allowed three runs off nine hits for his second complete game of the season, to avoid using the bullpen in the first of a doubleheader on Saturday.
After scoring a combined three runs in the first two games, the Jayhawks got their offense going in game three. Junior outfielder Dakota Smith, who didn't start in game one of the doubleheader, had three runs batted in, including a sliding triple in
the sixth to score two.
Kansas' senior right-handed pitcher Frank Duncan tossed a beauty in game three, as he went 8.1 innings deep, allowing one run off five hits, striking out seven in his fourth win on the year.
McKay added home runs eight and nine on the year, with two more solo shots over the left field wall. He now leads the conference in runs batted in with 38.
Kansas will look to keep its season alive with a crucial midweek home series against non-conference opponent Grand Canyon. Game one of the two-game series will be Tuesday, April 16, at 6 p.m.
— Edited by Amber Kasselman
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