Rising juniors and seniors may want to think about being a little more careful saving their money over the next year.
The cost of rent for the College Row apartments will experience a 5.9% increase starting the next lease term, which begins June 1.
“Right now, a quad [room] runs between $683.00 and $706.00 per month, including all utilities except electric service,” Allison Fisher, manager of College Row, explained. “When rents increase, quad [rooms] will cost between $726 and $751 per payment.”
The price range is due to the range of sizes of individual rooms within quads.
Rent for a room in a triple is currently approximately $770 and will increase to at least $800, according to a student currently living in a triple who renewed the lease for next year.
But the cost of rent is not the only payment that will be increasing at College Row for the 2010-2011 lease term. The safety deposit will double in price, increasing from $250 to $500.
Fisher says, however, most students will see that money again when their lease ends.
“As long as their account is current and they have not damaged their apartment, residents will receive their security deposit back at the end of their lease term,” she stated. “The majority of residents receive their full security deposit back, but at times residents do receive less than the full amount of their deposit if they have caused damage to their apartment. But we find that most residents keep their apartments in great shape and enjoy living in a facility that is well-kept.”
Fisher added that residents who have renewed their lease for the 2010-2011 term will not pay the increased deposit.
She also stated the decision to increase the amount of the security deposit was made jointly between College Row and F&M.
Many students have much to say regarding the rent increase.
One such student is Brittney Graff ’11. This school year, she lives in a quad at College Row, and though she is planning on renewing her lease for next year, she is dismayed at the change in her rent.
“Right now, my rent is $682 per month,” she said. “But starting with the next lease term, I’ll be paying about $726 each month. And while I understand that many places have to increase their prices, I just think that this is a really big increase from one school year to the next.”
Graff also said she thought twice about resigning her lease, but decided to stay in College Row since she liked its close proximity to campus.
Tim Berryman ’11, a current House Advisor for Ware College House who will move into College Row next year, agreed with Graff.
“I’m really upset about the increase,” he said. “I can get a place on my own for a comparable price, so I was hesitant to sign the lease with College Row.”
“The fact that they can charge so much a month for an apartment is ridiculous,” he added.
Room selection for juniors and seniors, some of whom will live in College Row, should be finished by early March [see “Room selection process to remain unchanged,” page 1].
Senior Megan Lello is a senior staff writer. Her e-mail is mlello@fandm.edu.
