General Information

Moving In

You should receive a receipt for whatever deposits are paid. Getting a deposit back will be much easier if you keep your canceled check or receipt.

If your landlord requires a deposit, he or she must give you a summary statement of all damages initially existing in your apartment, including all Sanitary Code violations. You must then review the list, include any additional discrepancies, sign it, and return the list to your landlord within fifteen days. If you do not return your landlord's list or compile a list of your own, in any later lawsuit the courts will rule that you agreed with your landlord's list.

Taking photographs or videotapes of the premises is also a good idea, especially if there is serious damage. Photographs should be independently signed and dated by a commercial film developer.

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Preparing to Move: Moving Checklist

Things to do when moving off-campus

1. Sign up for interim housing if necessary while you search for a unit - contact the Office of Residential Life & Learning at (617) 627-3248 for interim housing.
2. View our website: http://ase.tufts.edu/och/ daily.
3. Visit the Off-Campus Housing Resource Center (OCH) in South Hall.
4. Change address using Student Info Systems (SIS) immediately.
5. Ask Landlord when and where to pick up apartment key.
6. Verify with landlord which utilities you are responsible for paying (this should also be clear on your lease)
   • Mass Electric: 1 (800) 322-3223
   • Keyspan (gas): 1 (617) 469-2300
   • NSTAR gas and electric (Somerville/Cambridge): 1 (800) 592-2000
   • Comcast Cable: 1 (888)-COMCAST or 1 (888) 266-2278
7. Get Renter's Insurance. This is optional.

Move-in day

1. Conduct inventory of apartment condition with roommates and landlord- walk through unit, note all items that require repair, have landlord and roommates sign.
2. Test all smoke detectors.
3. Create a roommate contract or pick one up at the Off-Campus Housing Resource Center. This should detail pertinent items such as a cleaning schedule, how rent will be paid, names that will be placed on utility bills…etc. The more specific the contract, the more likely you will avoid problems or conflicts between roommates.
4. Ask the landlord about the following items:
   • Location of trash and recycling units.
   • Location of laundry facilities.
   • Emergency numbers for repairs or problems during work hours and after hours.
   • Each student should receive a copy of the lease that was signed by both parties.

Roommate/Subletting Issues

1. Talk with roommate(s) about how bills and rent will be paid.
2. Talk with roommate(s) about apartment expectations.
3. Talk to the landlord about his/her subletting policy.
4. Create a subleasing contract or pick one up at the Off -Campus Housing Resource Center. All of the above should be specified in writing and a copy given to all parties concerned.
5. Make sure subleasor(s) have a contact number for repairs or problems.

Important Telephone Numbers

• Off-Campus Housing Resource Center 1 (617) 627-5319
• Tufts Police Department (non-emergency Medford) 1 (617) 627-3030
• Tufts Police Emergency (any campus) 1 (617) 636-6911
• Medford Board of Health 1 (781) 393-2560
• Somerville Health Department 1 (617) 625-6600 ext 4300

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Moving Companies and Storage Information

The most commonly used service for the Tufts community is College Boxes, a partnership maintained through Tufts Student Resources. Their services include shipping and storage.

Below are independent resources whose services include shipping, storage, and moving. You are encouraged to visit the Better Business Bureau website when researching companies.

All the above, unless otherwise specified, do both local and long distance moving. For help and information about moving, or quotes from and comparisons between moving companies, try:

• 123movers.com

Disclaimer: Please note that the University assumes no responsibility for the contracts between individuals. The Off-Campus Housing Resource Center (OCH) is not responsible for the outcome of any housing arrangements. OCH does not endorse any persons, agencies, or services; they are listed only to serve as informational aids in your housing quest.

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Living in the Neighborhood

Parking
Landlords cannot offer on-street parking--they can offer parking only on their private property. Each residential community has parking regulations. These may include parking on one side of the street or "permit parking only". To receive a permit to legally park on the street, you must register your car at your local address and insure your car in Massachusetts.

Both Medford and Somerville have designated Permit Parking Only streets.  If no permit is visible, it will probably result in a parking ticket, or even in having your car towed. In certain areas, on-street parking is allowed, but be aware of Street Cleaning and Snow Removal signs. To park on campus, you must purchase a sticker annually from Tufts Traffic & Parking Department. Students with vehicles registered out-of-state, must show proof of vehicle insurance.

For more information, contact the appropriate Traffic & Parking Department below or download the Tufts Community Relations Off-Campus student brochure.

• Medford Traffic and Parking: (781) 393-2470
• Somerville Traffic and Parking: (617) 625-6600 ext 7900
• Tufts Traffic & Parking: (617) 627-3692

Respecting Your Neighbors
One of the major changes resulting from living off-campus regards your neighbors: they are not all college students. Their ages, work schedules, sleeping schedules, and other living habits will necessarily be different from yours. Noise levels, social behavior, and standards of cleanliness acceptable on-campus will be unacceptable off-campus, and questionable off-campus behavior may not be tolerated at all in the community. You should entertain sensibly, remembering that the drinking age is twenty-one years old off-campus as well as on-campus.

You are responsible for your guests as well as any noise you and your guests make on the street, sidewalks, porches, cars, or in your residence.

Safety and Security
Take precautions to protect yourself and your possessions. Thinking ahead and planning will help you to be prepared if an emergency arises. The Tufts University Department of Public Safety publishes a crime prevention and fire safety handbook you might find useful. 

Fire Safety

• Fire Extinguishers: Although landlords are not required to provide fire extinguishers, you should consider investing in at least one.
• Emergency Exits: Stairways and doors should be kept clear for emergency exits. Make sure your windows are not painted shut. If there are locks on your windows or bars with keys, keep the keys near the windows. Know how to exit from an upper floor in case of an emergency.

Security

• Personal Security: Your landlord is required to provide adequate, working locks for apartment doors and windows. Make sure they work and you know how to use them. It your apartment has windows that are accessible from the ground or from a ledge or garage roof, ask your landlord to install stop-locks that allow your windows to be opened only a few inches. Be observant at all times when you are walking in your neighborhood, especially alone and/or at night. Be aware of your immediate location, have your keys readily available, and most of all, trust your instincts…if you are feeling unsafe, find the nearest house or store to take refuge in.
• Car Security: Unfortunately, the Boston area has one of the highest car theft rates in the nation. You may want to purchase an anti-theft device.
• Insurance: Apartment insurance can cover all or part of the cost of possessions lost through fire or theft. In most cases, it will also cover the cost of items stolen from your car.
• Operation Identification: Valuables can be engraved with your ID number at the Tufts Department of Safety. If anything is stolen, the engraved number can help the police recover the items.

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