- Where can I find a list of available housing?
- What is an Office Listing printout?
- Can I find housing without coming to the area?
- What is the average rent?
- How long are average leases?
- Does financial aid cover off-campus housing?
- Who pays the utilities?
- Will I have to pay a security deposit?
- Is there a period during which I can cancel my lease?
- How can I find a roommate?
- What exactly is a roommate ad?
- Can I list myself as a prospective roommate?
- What is the difference between Available Space Listing and Roomate listing?
- Do all listing rates include free unlimited renewals?
- What are my rights and responsibilities as a tenant?
- How is parking?
- How big are bedrooms required to be? Are attic and basement bedrooms legal?
Where can I find a list of available housing?
The listings can be found through our Search Page. All of our listings are available online and are updated continuously. We suggest you check our site 1-2 times each day in order to receive the most up-to-date listings
What is an Office Listing printout?
Office listing printouts are for those who come into our office to search listings. When they find a couple of listings that they are interested in, they have the option of printing them out for a small fee. The fees for an Office Listing Printout can be found on the Listing Rates page.
Can I find housing without coming to the area?
Many students often want to contact landlords by telephone or email several weeks or months in advance of the time when they require housing, in the hopes of reserving a rental. This is not in your best interest.
You need to visit landlords, neighborhoods, and apartments in person. Whether a neighborhood feels safe, whether a structure is in good condition, whether an apartment is up to your personal standards, whether a landlord is sufficiently trustworthy--these are the sorts of questions most people have about off-campus housing. You really can't get answers to these questions without visiting with landlords and listers as well as by personally inspecting apartments and then following up on subsequent concerns by consulting the appropriate resource.
Also, off-campus housing supposedly reserved a month in advance may not be available once you arrive in New Brunswick. Unless you put down a "hold deposit" on your rental (and remember you should never commit yourself or your money to a unit you have not seen), the property owner is under no obligation to keep it available, nor inform you should it be rented out to someone else.
Our service calculates average rental amounts every six months. These figures are based on our listings only, and include listings in every city or town that a vacancy is posted in.
Most leases begin in May or June or in August or September and run for 12 months. Although such leases are the most common, we list units that may start anytime.
Another lease option which is popular and convenient for Rutgers students during the summer is subletting. This allows one to obtain housing from an existing tenant who already has a lease agreement with their landlord (usually for 1 to 3 months or up to the full lease term). Information on subletting can be found in the subletting section.
There are some "no lease, month-to-month" rentals in our area. These usually carry verbal agreements with no stipulations regarding minimum lengths of stay. Keep in mind that written leases are preferable to verbal ones. It is difficult to press a claim successfully against a landlord if there is no written documentation.
Does financial aid cover off-campus housing?
Financial aid can cover off-campus housing. Please contact the Financial Aid office at 732-932-7057 or visit their website, http://studentaid.rutgers.edu, for more information.
You will sometimes find that certain utility charges are already included in the rent (heat and hot water, for instance). This is not always the case, however. The actual responsibilities of the tenant and landlord, in so far as the utilities are concerned, will be spelled out explicitly in your lease. So before you sign anything, be sure that you know what your financial responsibilities will be.
We maintain a list of contact information to help you set up utilities, phone, or cable service.
Will I have to pay a security deposit?
Plan on putting down one and one-half month's rent as a security deposit. By New Jersey state law, security deposits are not allowed to exceed this amount. We provide additional information on security deposits to help answer other questions you may have.
Is there a period during which I can cancel my lease?
Unless your lease contains a clause describing such a period, you will be legally bound to the conditions of your lease upon signing it. This is why it is important to make sure that a prospective rental is up to your standards. If after signing a lease you discover that your building has structural problems, health hazards, or that your property owner is less than trustworthy, you may have no choice but to correct these problems as a tenant. You may not be able to back out of your lease. Unforeseen problems with your rental cannot be completely prevented, but they can be greatly minimized if you make use of available sources of information (other tenants, Division of Inspections, Off-Campus Housing Service, your own intuition). If you have any specific questions about a lease (especially before you sign it) or about the condition of a prospective rental, don't hesitate to call or visit our office.
You can find a roommate by viewing our roommate listings or by listing your available room. Rutgers students can list for room or roommate listings for free.
What exactly is a roommate ad?
A roommate ad is a listing for a person who is looking for a place to live in an already occupied space and has preferences in regards to what they can afford and who they are looking to live with. They can give information about themselves such as a description, smoking preference, pets and what they can afford. Post a roommate ad through List Roommate Listing Those who have a place to live but need a roommate should not list under List Roommate Listing but under Available Space Listings.
Can I list myself as a prospective roommate?
Yes, you can list yourself as a roommate. We maintain a list of students who need a place to live. This is a helpful option if you prefer the benefits of shared housing (e.g. lower rent) and yet are worried about compatibility with roommates you do not know.
What is the difference between Available Space listing and Roommate listing?
An Available Space listing should be used when you have a vacant room, apartment, or house that you want to fill. Go to List Housing Catalog to list a vacant space. Roommate listings are for people who are searching for a place to live in an already occupied space. List a roommate ad through List Roommate Catalog
Do all listing rates include free unlimited renewals?
No, only Rutgers University students are eligible for free unlimited renewals for a single listing. This means that a Rutgers student can have one free available space, summer sublet and roommate ad posted at a time. If a student wishes to post more than one ad at a time, they would have to pay the listing fee for that additional ad. Those who are not Rutgers students are able to repost a particular listing as often as they want once the previous ad has expired. However, reposting a listing is not free. There is a fee for each time the ad is renewed. Listing rates can be found on the Listing Rates page.
What are my rights and responsibilities as a tenant?
We provide basic information on landlord and tenant responsibilities. We can also refer you to other informational and legal resources.
Even though off-campus rentals may have adequate street or off-street parking, on-campus parking is often very limited. Commuters may encounter problems. Always keep in mind that Rutgers has an extensive campus bus system . Also, municipalities outside the range of campus buses are usually connected to New Brunswick by public transit. Rutgers Parking & Transportation can give you information on obtaining permits, and university and public transportation services.
How big are bedrooms required to be? Are attic and basement bedrooms legal?
In NJ each city or municipality is responsible for drafting and enforcing a set of housing and property maintenance codes. If your rental violates the guidelines, your unit may be illegally occupied and you may be subject to eviction. Remember do not overcrowd a unit and do not rent a unit that fails to meet local housing codes. Also, basement and attic bedrooms must meet additional codes
For information on housing and property maintenance codes, you should contact the city or municipality where the rental is located. We provide a listing of selected city and municipal contact information and websites. If you need a city or municipality that is not listed, contact our office by email or phone at 732-445-5737.
The Rutgers Off-Campus Housing Service is located at:
Davidson Hall 96 Davidson Road
Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854
732-445-5737
Our email address is ochscis@rci.rutgers.edu.