Breaking a lease can cost money, time
BY ANGIE SCHAFFER
Moving out for the first time
can be a testament to a student’s
hard-earned independence.
But living off campus isn’t
always as glamorous as it seems.
When students are strapped
for cash, some are forced to break
their leases on their houses or
apartments.
Financial expenses are not the
at the Housing Fair
only reasons that students choose
to move out Roommate disagree
ments, unsafe neighborhoods
and unresponsive landlords also
cause students to leave.
Attorneys at ASUN Student
Legal Services see these problems
frequently, said Attorney Thomas
E Keefe.
Student Legal Services gives
free legal advice to students in
such situations and can even rep
resent them in court if necessary.
Shelley Stall, attorney for
Student Legal Services, offered the
following tips to help protect stu
dents:
■ Keep written records of all
communication with the land
lord.
■ If the landlord doesn't fix die
problem, the tenant should send a
“ 14-30” letter, which says if the
problem is not corrected within 14
days, the lease will be terminated
and the tenant will move out in 30
days.
■ If the problem is not fixed
within 14 days of the landlord’s
receipt of the letter, the lease is
nonbinding, and the tenant is free
to move out
Roommate problems can also
lead to alease termination.
Disagreements between
roommates, whether for econom
ic or personal reasons, can lead to
a broken lease. Student Legal
Services suggests that roommates
Please see LEASE on 8
Thrift stores offer deals
BY SHARON KOLBET
Christmas
lights, retro furni
ture and vintage
materials can all
be found at a local
secondhand
store.
And all can be
used to furnish a
college apartment
in a place that is as
easy on the eyes
as it is on the
budget
For students
who are strapped
for cash, decorat
ing a living space
can often be a
Holy Naah/DN
Televisions and tables, at The Salvation Army at 737 P St,
provide an inexpensive alternative for students looking to
spruce tq> their dorm rooms, apartments or houses.
cnaiienge. but anyone with a little patience, creativity and a trip to
one of the local secondhand stores can create the decor of their
dreams.
Daniel Kunkel, an employee at Goodwill, 1700 S. 17th St., said
when someone wants to furnish a new apartment, a thrift store is a
good place to start
“We have bedding, baskets, chairs and knickknacks,” he said.
Lincoln has more than a dozen thrift and consignment stores
that offer furnishings with high impact and low prices.
“You can often find a great couch for 30 bucks,” said Janet Rice,
assistant store manager at Goodwill, 4555 Vine St
For those looking for a little inspiration on how to spruce up their
decorating scheme, there is even a book devoted to the idea of
“thrift-store chic.”
“Pad: the Guide to Ultra-living,” by Matt Maranian, espouses the
idea of the “why buy it when you can make it?" philosophy.
With simple tools like a can of paint, a black light and glue gun,
the subjects of Maranian’s book transform their small apartments
Please see DECOR on 8
Looking for an
apartment off campus?
Come and grab your FREE one stop shopping guide
for Lincoln apartments at the Housing Fair on
Wednesday. This guide includes comparitive
information on over 100 local apartments, including:
♦contact information *utility & internet availability
♦additional facilities ♦deposit, rent and MORE!
Guides are also available online at:
www.unl.edu/ASUN
or can be picked up at the ASUN office,
136 Nebraska Union during regular business hours.
For more information contact
ASUN at 472-2581
■■ — ■ warn i ■ . ■ _ _i_i___
9th & Claremont • 474-7275
•Walk to campus
•Swimming pool/sundeck
•Private patio/balcony
•Dishwashers
•Furnished Bunds
•beautiful Landscape
•Fitness Facility
•Garages
•Microwaves
•24-hour Maintenance