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Renters need to know their rights to avoid fines
Last updated on 09/29/2009 at 9:29 p.m.
With homecoming inching closer, students are planning celebrations for the upcoming weekend.
What students may not know is that many off-campus property management companies have policies in their contracts against the gathering of a certain number of people. Students that plan to have parties at their rented properties are subject to the law.
“We have certain criteria deemed to be a party,” said Chris Rubeck, property manager of College Housing Group. “If there’s more than 16 people drinking with loud music, we consider it a party and it is against the fire code.”
Many property managers in the area have similar criteria for a gathering to be considered a party and for fines to be issued. In addition, Pittsley Realty, Star Properties and College Housing Group have specific fine amounts for kegs and noise violations.
Senior finance major Ryan McShea had an experience during this time last year regarding a party being busted at his apartment.
McShea said employees of the company came into the party unannounced, took pictures of the people there as well as the alcohol and he was fined because of the pictures.
“I’m almost positive the landlord hires people to come around to different parties,” McShea said.
“They act like they’re just mingling with people and take a picture on their camera phone just to document the keg or the amount of people to verify that you did, in fact, have a party. I understand where they’re coming from with trying to crack down on parties because it’s their property. But as a student it was kind of deceiving.”
After these employees had their proof of the party, they approached McShea’s roommate.
They told him they had proof of the violations because of the party that they couldn’t fight, and they would be fined.
According to Chapter 10 of the DeKalb Municipal Code, titled “Landlord-Tenant Regulations,” landlords need to give reasonable notice, defined as one hour prior, before entering a rented facility unless the tenant has consented previously. In the case of an emergency or if the property manager fears damage to the unit, however, no notice is needed.
J.T. Murray, property manager at Pittsley Realty, said the company does not hire students to bust parties, but they do hire someone to patrol the property. He said the company would ask permission before entering a unit.
“They knock on the door and identify who they are and what they’re there for and let the people know exactly what is going on,” Murray said. “Obviously they ask them to break up the party and let then know what they’re being cited for.”
Murray said that violations are more of a noise issue.
“It doesn’t really matter if there’s like 20 of you there, as long as you’re not causing a noise issue with your neighbors and as long as you don’t have a beer keg,” Murray said.
An employee at Star Properties discussed this issue similarly, saying that if there are 40 people in a rented property just watching a movie, they won’t be fined. However, if there are five people causing a noise problem, fines could be issued.
Rubeck said College Housing Group is very professional in the way it goes about busting parties.
Rubeck said he suspects another property manager employs students to bust tenants’ parties, but College Housing Group employs a “party buster” to monitor the properties who carries a badge with his picture and the name of the company displayed within view. “If he sees something, he identifies himself and asks to speak to the tenant,” Rubeck said.
If the “party buster” is speaking to a guest, he does not have to identify himself, Rubeck said. However, Rubeck said this employee is restrained and tolerable.
“If the tenant is cooperative, he’s reasonable,” Rubeck said. “If they’re argumentative, if they say they’re not having a party when they obviously are, then he fines them.”
Rubeck said College Housing Group doesn’t bust parties to collect money in fines, but to deter damage to the units.
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