Before you go

You’re already thinking about breaks, but living off-campus comes with a whole new set of responsibilities during vacations. In warm or cold weather, leasing offices will expect you to take care of a few things before you head out, and you’ll be glad you took the extra precautions to protect your belongings.

The Village at Muller Park
“When communicating with residents, we use several forms such as flyer on their door, text message, emails and posting flyers in the common areas, such as mailboxes, fitness centers and clubhouse,” Property Manager Lisa Watson said.

Olympus Properties
“We usually give a little more advice during the winter breaks because of the temperatures and more issues coming from frozen pipes and other winter problems,” leasing manager Rachel McArdle said.

General landlord rules

The Village
Make sure your heat is always left on and set no lower than 60 degrees. Otherwise, your pipes could freeze and burst.
Lock all windows and doors.
Leave a light on.
Make sure your car is locked and no valuables are visible.

Olympus Properties
Lock the doors for both home and car, as many break-ins occur when thieves know people are traveling.
Make sure all windows are closed.
Keep home keys with you while traveling or in a carry-on bag to avoid after-hours lockout charges.

Safety
Lock up your valuables. While unlikely, your landlord might make an unexpected trip into your house or apartment, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Close all blinds and windows to prevent any strangers from looking in during break.

Saving money
Unplug electrical appliances, including lamps, alarm clocks and coffee pots. This is an easy way to save energy and keep costs low to please the poor college student in all of us.
Lower your thermostat. The leasing office might have a recommended temperature to save on heating costs while away. Make sure the heat is low enough to save energy but also high enough to prevent anything from freezing.

Cleanliness
Clean out your refrigerator. Dispose of all perishable items and anything with an expiration date during break. The last thing you want to return to is spoiled milk.
Take out the trash. This is like the refrigerator rule. No one wants to be surprised by a mold sculpture in the trash can.