Section C · Page 22
The University Daily Kansan
Monday, August 16, 1999
Rent with missing roommate rough for students
By Lori O'Toole
Kansan staff writer
Nobody knows where Quinton Randel went after he left unexpectedly last January, but Gabe Zeckers and his five roommates would like to find him — along with his share of the $1,600 monthly rent and other expenses he owes them.
Attempts to reach Randel through his friends and his parents have failed. Zeckers, Lawrence senior, who attended Washburn Rural High School with Randel, was disappointed and angry. He also felt some guilt and regret since he was the one who invited Randel to move into the house.
"If I had to do it over again, there's no way I'd live here again," he said. "I'll never live with this many people again. The more people there are, the less responsibility there is."
Zecker's problem is not uncommon in Lawrence. With approximately 65 percent of KU's students living off-campus, many students have a disappearing roommate story they can share.
The University of Kansas provides some help.
Meanwhile, some apartment complexes are coming up with new lease approaches that eliminate — or at least alleviate — the missing roommate dilemma.
Zeckser's lease, like the majority of Lawrence apartment and house leases, say that the tenants are "jointly and severally liable" for rent. In
other words, landlords do not care if the rent comes from one person or is split equally among roommates as long as it is paid.
One of Zecker's roommates, Scott Rowland, KU 1998 graduate, said two roommates left him between semesters during the 1998-97 academic year while he was living at Colony Woods Apartments, 1301 W.24th St.
"They decided to go back home." Rowland said. "They felt like they weren't responsible for second semester."
Rowland, who had previously worked about 15 hours a week, began working at least 40 hours a week in order to afford the rent for his two-bedroom apartment.
"I was stuck with their rent for a month, but then they began to pay a small portion of it each月 after I confronted them about it," Rowland said.
Rowland was also able to find a new roommate
"It's an interesting problem," John Salvino, president of Master Plan Management Inc. said. "It all falls back on being jointly and severally liable."
Salvino said when a tenant approaches him with a problem concerning a disappearing roommate, he will try to contact the co-signer, if there is one listed. However, if the co-signer, usually a parent or a relative, is also nowhere to be found, the rent must be paid by the remaining tenants.
Landlords. Inform your landlord about the situation. While he or she may not always be willing or able to help, you may work out a sublease or some other solution.
MIA ROOMMATES
Legal Services for Students. The organization is located at 148 Burge Union and can help if the situation does not include more than one University of Kansas student. Attorneys and representative offer free advice and information.
"Most people who experience this
Housing and Credit Counseling. The non-profit United Way organization employs trained individuals and offers advice and counseling for all parties involved. It is based in Topeka, but has a part-time office at 2518 Ridge Court.
Student Senate Landlord-Tenant
Sub-Committee. The standing students' rights sub-compete can direct you to informational sources. Chairman Greg Smith said the University ambudman will serve as a mediator in some situations.
Small claims court. If the expense involved is at or about $1,800, you can file with the Douglas County Court and attempt to collect the debt. You will need an address for the wayward roommate. This is a more pricey avenue, but not as much as hiring a private attorney.
- Private attorneys. The Lawrence area yellow pages are spilling over with options. Although a potentially expensive decision, some attorneys specialize in real estate law and may be able to offer insightful advice.
are distraught and concerned because they know they can be held liable, "Salvino said, 'We do spend a lot of time trying to find a sublease.'"
Salvino said if a sublease was not feasible, there are other ways to handle the situation.
"There was a situation in which one gentleman left, and I ended up evicting both of them and signed up the roommate for a different lease." Salvino said. "There's lots of different instances."
When a roommate hits the road, there are organizations in Lawrence that students can turn to.
Legal Services for Students, 148 Burge Union, offers free legal advice
Michele Kessler, associate director and attorney, said that nearly half of the landlord-tenant problems that are brought to the organization deal with roommate issues.
to students.
The catch — a big one — is that if the dispute involves two KU students, legal services can not help. If the dispute is not between two or more students, a representative will review the lease with the students, tell them their options and possibly help them write letters to the involved parties.
Kessler said if the money involved is at or above $1,800, small claims court is an option. However, finding the roommate and collecting the
money still poses problems.
"I usually advise the students to go to court to get a judgment against the person," she said. "If their parents would be concerned or if that person is looking for a job, it will be worth it."
Gerryman Robins, agent of Apple Lane and Quail Creek Apartments, 2111 Kasol Dr., had a past tenant who was successful in small claims court.
Lawrence seems to stand out among Kansas cities when it comes to off-campus housing.
in the late 1960s, as the property manager for the Pines in Topeka, one tenant paid all the rent after her roommate left. Then, with the paid bills as documentation, she was able to go through the court to win it back.
"It seems like Lawrence has more roommate problems." Debra Christians, Housing Division Officer for Housing and Credit Counseling's Topeka branch. "I'm not sure why that is. We also get a lot of referrals from KU."
Christians, who works with tenant and landlord complaints from across the state, receives the most calls from Lawrence, Topeka and Manhattan.
In addition to the number of roommate conflicts reported, Christians said that it is more common for Lawrence landlords to require students to have a parental signature on leases so that landlords have an additional avenue for seeking late rent.
Jefferson Commons, located behind Super Target, 3201 Iowa, is a new
However, there are lease changes occurring in Lawrence.
apartment complex that is designed to accommodate students.
While Jefferson Commons tenants are still jointly responsible for damages to the shared kitchen, living room and dining area, each bedroom has its own lease and security deposit. The responsibilities of the bedroom rent belong to an individual rather than to all tenants sharing the apartment.
"Each tenant is only responsible for their portion of the rent," said Tamara Hofhines, resident relations director. "If a roommate leaves, they're not obligated in any way for the other roommate's rent."
Hohines said she thought this lease approach made tenants feel more comfortable.
"It makes people more willing to share an apartment." she said.
Other expenses such as late fees and bedroom damages at Jefferson Commons are also charged only to the individual rather than to all tenants in the apartment.
While Lawrence's rental market awaits potential alterations instigated by new — and possibly improved
— lease approaches, some tenants such as Zeckser are still trying to find the financial sources necessary to cover the burden left by their disappearing roommate.
Residence halls' phone service changes prefix
"We're hostile about the situation, but we all kind of gave up." Zecker said. "We're all working to help pick up the slack. It's been a really expensive lesson."
— Edited by Mike Miller
By Matthew Friedrichs Konson editor
The University of Kansas has added 5,000 new phone numbers to the campus phone system. Phone numbers 312-0000 through 312-4999 will supplement the 10,000 current phone numbers that begin with the 864 prefix.
Students moving into Templin Hall for the Freshmen Summer Institute were among the first on campus to receive the new numbers.
Elizabeth Pesek-Shields, equipment planning technician II, said Networking and Telecommunications Services would change the numbers for other on-campus living areas to 312 this summer.
"We had to come up with a way that made sense," she said. The logical approach includes changing the phone numbers for residential students — who change location frequently — while freeing more 864 numbers for academic and administrative offices.
Anna Hines, assistant director of network services at NTS, said officials at the University were aware that the 864 numbers would eventually run out when they acquired them in 1986.
When the University began to run out of 864 numbers, the decision was made to purchase the 312 numbers from Southwestern Bell.
Fax machines and the phase out of "key-system" technology multiple phones that ring successively as more than one call came into the same number
— were among the increased demands that necessitated additional phone numbers, Hines said.
People using campus phones will still be able to dial other campus phones using the last five digits of the number.
Calls to formerly valid 864 numbers will be forwarded to a recording that explains the change and that offers to connect the caller with the University operator.
- Edited by Phil Cauthon
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Joseph R. Pearson Hall undergoes a facelift. The addition and renovation are expected to be completed by summer 2000. This photo was taken from the east in late July. Photo by Lisa John/KANSAN
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