Unless you have a lease in YOUR NAME ONLY, you sign and agree to assume responsibility for each of the co-tenants who have also signed the lease. You are "jointly and severally bound" to adhere to the terms of the lease, regardless of personal changes that may occur during the year therefore if a roommate doesn't pay, the remaining co-tenants on lease are liable to the landlord for all rent.

Always check with management prior if considering sublet and lease assignment agreements.

• Will they abide by the terms of the lease?
• Utility usage and division of rent payment
• Drug/alcohol/smoking use in the household
• Overnight guests
• Standard of neatness & sharing of responsibilities
• Noise levels
• Preferred sleep & wake times
• Pets & allergies
• Sharing of personal items
• Will they respect your boundaries?
• How will problems be resolved?

• Craigslist
• Davis Enterprise
• DavisWiki
• Facebook - there are multiple Davis housing pages
• Nextdoor is a free app that allows you to communicate with others in your neighborhood and is a good place to find and list rental properties.
• Rental Property Management Companies - search online
• UC Davis Community Housing Listing Service
• University Farm Circle (UFC) Sabbatical Housing
• Affordable Rental Information

• How long does it take to travel to campus?
• Is it close to a bus stop?
• Can you walk/bike or is driving necessary?
• How much is a campus parking permit?
• Who are the surrounding neighbors, students or families?
• What amenities/stores are nearby?

• Are you and your belongings going to be safe and comfortable during the daytime/nighttime?
• Do the doors, windows and sliders have locks that work?
• When is the last time the locks were changed?
• Is there a working smoke detector in the hallway outside the bedrooms, in every bedroom and on every floor?
• Is there a working carbon monoxide detectors?

• Will the length of the lease work for you?
• Is subletting allowed and who is responsible for finding subletting, the tenant or the landlord?
• What is the security deposit amount?
• What other deposits or fees are required?
• Will rent be pro-rated? Landlords do not have to pro-rate rent.
• Are pets allowed, if so what is the pet deposit, pet fee or pet rent?
• What appliances are included? Landlords are not required to include appliances.
• What amenities are available? Are they clean and in good working condition?
• What is the current condition of walls, carpets, plumbing and electrical outlets?
• Who is responsible for yard maintenance – the tenants or landlords?
• Are any utilities included in the rental cost? Who is responsible for hooking them up and paying installation fees? How will they be divided? Is there a shared meter and if so, how are utilities divided??
• Has the unit recently been cited for a code violation? Code violation history is important to know because violations stay with the property, not the tenants. 

RED FLAGS

• The property is not registered as a rental property as required by the City of Davis.
• The landlord or property manager has not given you a copy of the Renters’ Rights and Responsibilities form as required by the City of Davis.
• The landlord or property manager is not using the Move In/Out Checklist as required by the City of Davis or a checklist that is at least as comprehensive.
• Common areas are dirty and/or not well kept.
• The exterior of the building is not in good shape: foundation cracks, no screens, broken windows.
• The lawn overgrown or full of weeds.
• Landlord or property manager is not available to meet in-person and is asking you to send money for the rental without seeing the rental property.
• Advertised rate is significantly lower than average rent for the area.
• Visible mold or a musty odor is present when touring the unit.
• Not able to see the actual unit before move-in. If this is the case, reschedule until you can see the actual unit.
• The landlord or property manager telling you it is okay to sign a lease that does not specify a particular unit.
• Accepts cash-only payments.
• Landlord or property manager tells you not to notify the City of Davis that this is a rental property.
• There are no screening or credit checks.
• The tour is rushed.
• Landlord or property manager’s contact information is missing: full name, phone number, email and address in case you need to send them a letter.

WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION

• Check online reviews for both the rental unit and the landlord or property manager.
• Ask current tenants how they like living there and if they have had any problems with management.
• Contact the Rental Resources Program by email at rentalresources@cityofdavis.org for the fastest response and ask whether there are complaints about the property or the management. We cannot verify the complaints but will tell you the number of complaints received and the issue. For example, received 3 complaints about pest issues, received 5 complaints about not returning security deposits, received 2 complaints about management being non-responsive, receive 4 complaints about mold, etc.

When looking for rental housing, be alert for online home rental scams. Scammers will copy real estate listings from legitimate websites and re-post the information claiming to be the property owner. The Yolo County District Attorney advises potential renters to be aware of common real estate scam red flags:

• The advertised rental rate is significantly lower than the typical rent for a home of that size;
• The property’s representative is unable to meet with the renter in person, often claiming they are out of the state or country;
• The “owner” asks for cash payment upfront or asks the renter to wire money, especially through Western Union or Money Gram.

Renters are advised never to give out financial information, and refuse background or credit checks, until you have met the homeowner in person. Before making deposits or payments, view the home in person.

For more information on real estate scams, please call 855-4-YOLO-DA or visit yoloda.org. Check out the Yolo County District Attorney's press release on Housing Scams.