Landlords and UWI students
START RANT
After reading this article my blood pressure went straight through the roof!
I am going to write my experiences with a particular landlord. I do not care who reads this blog, I am going to write it anyways and guess what! no one can stop me!
Sean Annandsingh wrote “…rental agreements should be sanctioned and fixed by law for all students of UWI and UTT for that matter, and landlords should face penalties for unlawfully capitalising at the expense of students…”
I cannot express how much I agree with this statement. Students have no voice in this matter. There is more demand than supply. Landlords shaft students with high rental fees and steadily increase ever so often. Some charge for EACH additional electronic appliance. Oh trust me, I will elaborate here…
My personal experience:
I stayed by a landlord commonly called DJ ? (or ?). My rent was $800 per month at the time. Then it went to $900 per month. Then it went to $960 per month.
The extra $60 was for a half dead microwave that I only used in the morning or night and a computer. My roommate also paid this same $60 for the same half dead microwave. So that totals to $120 for the SAME microwave PER MONTH.
This is only ONE example of how landlords take advantage of UWI students. What could I have done? Nothing! I signed no rental agreement…ok, that is my fault….but what? I still needed a place to rent, what should I have done?
Another example that is going on right now at a different apartment complex:
Rent has been increased by $100 PER PERSON for a spranger looking kinda security guard.
Mind you, there are some apartments in this building that can hold 3 persons each. Oh wait…check this…the guard isnt even armed and is half asleep most of the time. So the landlord just collected approximately $3000 more each month and provided the service of NOTHING. NOTHINGGGGG.
At my same apartment, I was never refunded my caution money of $800 for a HAIRLINE crack on the INSIDE of my closet. hmmm. So DJ ? still has $800 for me to this date which when asked for it she said “yeah yeah…hmm”.
..and that is just my experience.
The UWI administration in collaboration with the local authorities need to provide a voice for the students and encourage fair rental contracts with pre-set rates. If there are any discrepancies or fall outs, a commission of enquire of some sort should be provided by UWI where students can give their feedback and possibly take these “opportunist money-maker” bastards to court.
END RANT