Question 1

What do the utility bills cover when renting an apartment in Santa Cruz?

Accepted Answer

Utility refers to the water, electricity, heating, garbage and wastewater treatment fees, security fees, Internet and cable TV fees and other miscellaneous expenses that the tenant spends every month. Some landlords will include all these costs in the rent and require tenants to pay them together.

Question 2

When renting a house in Santa Cruz, can I cancel the lease at any time after signing the lease?

Accepted Answer

You may not. Generally speaking, the lease will take effect immediately after it is signed, and neither party can terminate the lease in advance. According to the relevant laws of the United States, if the tenant has signed a long-term lease, he/she shall bear the rent for the entire lease term. Even if he/she is forced to move out, the landlord still has the right to require the tenant to pay all the rent.

Question 3

Can I go to Santa Cruz and see the house before deciding to sign?

Accepted Answer

Try not to. It is best to move in directly after arriving in the United States. Then, the closer the school starts, the higher the rent, and there is no good housing left around the school. Therefore, students, please decide the time you sign according to your actual situation.

Question 4

What documents should I bring when checking in?

Accepted Answer

Please bring your passport, I-20, payment receipt, credit card, check, etc. Please note that the property does not accept cash.

Question 5

If I want to study abroad in Santa Cruz, when should I start looking for a house?

Accepted Answer

Starting from January, if you see a suitable house during this period, you should apply as soon as possible; if you don’t find a suitable house, you can wait. But if it's May or June, do it as soon as possible. The longer you delay, the fewer cost-effective options available. After August, there are few housing options available.

Question 6

How long is the lease term of a student apartment in Santa Cruz?

Accepted Answer

The most typical student apartment lease period is generally 12 months, starting in August or September and ending in July or August of the following year.
A small number of apartments offer semester leases (5 months or 6 months), 10-month leases (end at the end of May of the following year), or leases that end in July and August (no limit on the start time). More often the case, for a lease period of less than 12 months, the apartment will charge an additional monthly short-term rental fee, ranging from $30-100 dollars per month.

Question 7

What are the options for renting a house in Santa Cruz?

Accepted Answer

In Santa Cruz, most students will choose a Flat Apartment, followed by House and Townhouse. Generally speaking, there are studio, 1 bed 1 bath, 2 bed 2 bath, 3 bed 3 bath, 4 bed 4 bath, etc. There are also room types belonging to share bedroom, such as 2 bed 1 bath, 3 bed 2 bath, etc.

Question 8

What factors should you consider before renting in Santa Cruz?

Accepted Answer

Before renting a house in Santa Cruz, you must first understand your own accommodation needs, including the rental area, the distance and time to and from school, the budget cost, whether to share the rent, etc.
After deciding on the needs, it is recommended that students take some time to study the safety of the selected area. You can log on to the relevant local website to check the safety of the area. If it is an area with a high crime rate, it is best not to choose to live in it.
When looking at the house, pay attention to whether the living facilities around the community are complete, such as supermarkets, convenience stores, hospitals, pharmacies, restaurants, banks, etc.;
Also pay attention to what the landlord provides, whether it can meet your daily needs, and what else to buy. If you plan to find a roommate to rent together, you must discuss these issues with your roommate in advance to avoid conflicts in the future.

Question 9

Should I rent a house or an apartment in Santa Cruz?

Accepted Answer

Choose according to your personal needs. Houses and apartments have their own advantages and disadvantages. Generally, apartments are more expensive, so you can consider them according to your actual situation.

Question 10

Do I need to submit a deposit certificate for the total rent during the lease period when renting a house in Santa Cruz?

Accepted Answer

It is normal for some individual landlords or apartments to require students to submit a deposit certificate of the total rent during the lease term.

Question 11

Can I rent a room with a balcony in Santa Cruz to dry clothes on the balcony?

Accepted Answer

You may not. Many states in the United States have passed laws prohibiting people from drying clothes outdoors, even in their own backyard, because it looks unsightly, affects the environment, and reduces the property value of the community.

Question 12

Can I secretly keep pets while renting in Santa Cruz?

Accepted Answer

You may not. Basically, pets also must pay rent and security deposit. Some students will secretly want to keep cats and dogs. Violation of the contract is not recommended, because it will damage their credit and may attract fines.

Question 13

What materials and documents are generally required for Santa Cruz student apartment application?

Accepted Answer

Student apartments will conduct comprehensive background checks, such as financial checks, criminal record checks, etc. Therefore, the apartment requires: a U.S. Social Security number (SSN), which is similar to a national ID number, to investigate the person's finances, United States driver's license number. The guarantor in the United States (the guarantor must also have an SSN): to further ensure that the applicant is able to pay the rent.
However, international students often do not have the above three documents. Most apartments allow international students to substitute other materials:
I-20 or Visitor Visa Form.
Copy of Passport

Question 14

Does the rental market in Santa Cruz have a great impact on study and life?

Accepted Answer

I think the environment determines the quality of life. In addition to the distance from the school and the surrounding public safety, the traffic situation in the place of residence should also be considered: whether there is public transport, whether parking is convenient, and whether there are supermarkets nearby, etc.

Question 15

How to rent student dormitory in Santa Cruz?

Accepted Answer

If you want to rent a student room in Santa Cruz, you can look at our houses on uhomes, contact your university, learn about your choice, or find a room to rent in Santa Cruz.

Question 16

How large is the student apartment in Santa Cruz?

Accepted Answer

According to the uhomes database, student apartments or student units in Santa Cruz are usually between 21m² to 235m².

Question 17

Are the student dormitories in Santa Cruz well-equipped?

Accepted Answer

All Santa Cruz University residence hall properties are fully furnished and feature a wealth of modern amenities such as gyms, BBQ areas, study rooms, card-swipe laundry rooms, communal lounge areas and more.

Question 18

Are the student apartments in Santa Cruz furnished?

Accepted Answer

Most apartments in Santa Cruz are unfurnished, so you will need to purchase furniture before you move in. You can choose to order some furniture from Amazon in advance, or you can choose to buy it as soon as you arrive in Santa Cruz.

Question 19

What are the general steps to follow when applying for student housing in Santa Cruz?

Accepted Answer

The application steps for an apartment are mainly divided into: filling in the application form -> submitting the application form -> personal background check -> sending the apartment contract -> reading the contract carefully -> signing -> payment

Question 20

What are the characteristics of Santa Cruz student apartments?

Accepted Answer

Apartments that only allow students, visiting scholars, or student family members to live in: have a clear and unified check-in time, rent-out time, etc.; Generally, the lease term is 12 months, and there are few short leases less than 5 months.

Question 21

I have booked an apartment. Can I check in directly after arriving in Santa Cruz?

Accepted Answer

Each apartment has its own clear check-in time. If you arrive in the United States after the official check-in time of the apartment, of course you can check in directly after going through the check-in procedures. However, if you arrive before the official check-in time stipulated by the apartment, you should: 1) Communicate with the apartment in time when applying for the apartment to see if there is the possibility of early check-in and tell the apartment your ideal check-in time; 2) If the apartment cannot provide early check-in, you need to find temporary accommodation by yourself, such as hotels, daily rental houses, or ask for help from early students.

Question 22

What should you pay attention to when renting a house in Santa Cruz?

Accepted Answer

Is the room number, key, etc. correct and is the apartment fully equipped with all the facilities provided? If possible, we suggest that you take a picture of the check-in list and submit it to the apartment together with the check-in list, so that both parties can retain a copy of evidence to protect themselves.

Question 23

What should I pay attention to when subletting in Santa Cruz?

Accepted Answer

It is recommended to confirm with the second lessor and the apartment party the procedures required to complete the sublease and ensure that you are no longer legally responsible for the previous contract. If it is a private sublease, students should pay more attention to: 1) These are private actions, without any legal effect; 2) If found, the apartment is likely to hold you responsible. In view of the risks associated with private subletting, please negotiate with the tenant in advance to protect your own interests.

Question 24

I booked an apartment, but when I arrived, I found it did not meet my expectations, what should I do?

Accepted Answer

Students are requested to contact the apartment management office directly to report any dissatisfaction and discuss with the apartment party. If there is no room for renewal and you do not want to break the contract, the best way is to sublet the house to someone else. We strongly discourage moving out of an apartment without informing the parties involved. Because in the United States, once the contract is signed, the contract becomes effective. If you do not move in or move out directly, it is equivalent to unilaterally breaking the contract and you will incur high penalties.

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