Predatory landlords, rent inflation and illegally-withheld deposits are all problems in the current renting market. Bloomington, a college town with high demand for limited housing, is particularly at risk.
That’s not to say Bloomington lacks renter protections. Both the city of Bloomington and IU have resources to prevent renters from becoming prey.
City Renter’s Rights
Ready to sign a lease? First visit the city’s Department of Housing and Neighborhood Development and check your rental property’s file for a HAND-issued current occupancy permit. This means your unit is officially registered with the city and has had inspections every 3-5 years — i.e., no secret mold underneath the wallpaper.
Got questions about trash pickup, utilities, parking or noise? Check out the city’s residential services shortcuts.
Already encountered a maintenance issue? If you notified your landlord, and they have not corrected the problem in a reasonable timeframe, submit a rental complaint to HAND through the uReport system on the City of Bloomington’s website. Then, HAND will follow up with a call to arrange an appointment for a rential inspection and investigation of your report; for this reason, rental complaints are not anonymous, unlike other uReport submissions.
HAND investigates these violations and publishes the monthly Update Newsletter for “information about City programs, services, and events” and “community news and events;” sign up for the e-mail newsletter or review previous editions on the HAND Update Newsletter website.
If you’re facing discrimination or civil rights violations during the housing process, file a complaint with the Bloomington/Monroe County Human Rights Commission. The BMCHRC investigates allegations of discrimination in housing as well as public accommodations, employment and education.
Evicted unjustly or struggling after eviction? Contact the Eviction Prevention Project for help with legal information or advice, obtaining mediation or local social service agency referrals, and help navigating new housing.
All these processes are completely free.
IU Rental Assistance
IU provides similar services for students, but you can get free, one-on-one help with Student Legal Services. The SLS department consists of four IU Maurer School of Law licensed attorneys and legal interns whose sole responsibility is to offer you confidential legal advice and representation. These services are already included in your Student Activity, so don’t hesitate to call them or show up the Student Legal Services building with any legal question or problem.
You can ask the team to review your lease or for help checking your understanding of it. Even after moving in, you can bring up landlord or living situation issues. Even after moving out, SLS can help explain and advocate for your security deposit problems — whether that’s trouble getting it back or unjust deductions.
The SLS department also deals with problems that impact international students in particular, such as validating international travel and updating legal documents.
Looking for extra resources for student renters? The Office of Student Life has a compendium of resources for off-campus living.
Still unsure of your renter’s rights and responsibilities? Review the City of Bloomington’s online documents: Indiana renters or essential information for renters. Alternatively, you can email HAND or drop in at City Hall.
This article was originally published in the Housing & Living Guide, an IDS special publication.
