Renters Resource: Before Renting

Roommates

• How well do you know your potential roommates? Consider any personality differences - will those be an issue? Are you living with them just to lower rent costs?
• How many people do you plan to live with?
• Certain parts of the city only allow 3 "unrelated" people to live under one roof, while others allow 5. This Zoning Map provided by the City of Whitewater shows the different Residential Zones. In the areas colored brown or light brown there may be up to 5 "unrelated" people living in these areas, however, the vanilla or yellow colored areas can only have be up to 3 "unrelated" people living in these areas.

Landlords

• Whitewater has many different landlords. Be sure to check out all your options before making a decision. The Housing Guide, located on the WSG website, has of contact information and property listings for some landlords.
• The quality of a property is often a reflection of the landlord. An uncared for property can indicate bad management. Also, properties that are not kept up have a high potential for unreasonable heating bills during the winter months.
• Landlords are not obligated to change anything about the property unless it is put in writing. Make sure the apartment is in acceptable condition before you sign your lease.

Location

• Once you have found roommates, you can begin to search for an apartment or house to rent. Check out the city zoning laws to see how you can live.
• Do you want to be close enough to walk to classes? Or move further from campus for lower rent and higher quality?
• No matter where you choose to live, local laws determine acceptable behaviors. City of Whitewater municipal code

Unsure where you're going to live? Check out WSG's Housing's Guide to search properties, landlords, bedroom sizes, and more.