Guide to Unfurnished Apartment Living

The right of individuals to be secure in their persons, living quarters, papers, and effects against unreasonable search and seizure is constitutionally guaranteed and extends to students in the academic community. No provision in the housing contract gives apartment housing officials authority to consent to a search of an apartment by police or other government officials.

However, there are circumstances in which authorized persons using approved procedures may enter an apartment. These special cases include law enforcement, custodial services, safety inspections, repair and maintenance, emergency situations, and probable cause searches.

• Any law enforcement agency having jurisdiction may, in performing its statutory duties, conduct a search in accordance with legally defined procedures governing search and seizure.
• Authorized custodial personnel may enter apartments to perform routine custodial services.
• Authorized university personnel performing safety inspections may enter an apartment to ensure that health, fire, and safety regulations are being followed. Whenever possible, residents will be given at least 24-hour notice of these inspections.
• Authorized university maintenance personnel may enter an apartment to make improvements or repairs, to provide routine maintenance services, and to recover university-owned property. Whenever possible, residents will be given at least 24-hour notice.
• Authorized university personnel responding to an emergency may enter an apartment to protect a resident's health and welfare, or to make emergency repairs to prevent property damage.
• Authorized university officials may enter an apartment when there is probable cause to believe that violations of university or civil regulations are being committed and that a delay to procure a search warrant would endanger the health and safety of the residents, or result in the probable destruction of evidence. Probable cause means: having reasonable grounds for suspicion, supported by circumstances sufficiently strong to justify a cautious person's belief that a party is committing an illegal act.

When the apartment to be searched is occupied, probable cause searches will follow these guidelines:

• No apartment or room shall be entered without knocking, whether the door is locked, unlocked, or ajar.
• The university official will identify themselves and state why an entry is desired. If the door is closed, the official will then request that the door is opened.
• If the door is not opened or the official is refused entry, the official will:
  • Knock again and restate personal identification and the reason entry is desired.
  • State the intention to use a passkey to enter if the door is not opened.
  • Wait at least two minutes to allow the occupant(s) sufficient time to awaken, dress, or decide rationally whether to allow entrance to the apartment and then, if necessary, use a passkey to enter.
  • State again, upon entering the apartment, the purpose of the entry or search, the fact that it is being conducted on the basis of probable cause, and the identity of the specific objects being sought out.
• The next two items below apply whether or not the apartment or the room to be searched is occupied at the time of the search.
  • Only items specifically prohibited or pose an immediate danger to the health and safety of the residents will be removed from a room without the express permission of the owner.
  • The university official conducting the search is free to seize illegal materials in "plain view," but the extent of the search must be in keeping with the factual information upon which the probable cause for the search is founded. If an extensive search is required (i.e., opening all drawers, luggage, and locked boxes) and the resident has not given permission, the university should contact the IU Police Department for a search warrant.
  • All evidence seized during searches complying with the above regulations may be used in university disciplinary hearings for violations of the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct and Indiana University Apartment Housing Rules and Regulations; evidence seized in violation of the search standards may not be used. A resident who believes this policy has been violated should report the incident to the Office of the Dean of Students.
  • When authorized university personnel or their agents must enter an apartment or room when no occupants are present, two staff members should be present, if possible. Residents will be notified of such entries and the reasons for them upon their return. In all instances, such entries shall be made only for the purposes listed above.
  • The apartment door will be locked on departure whether it was originally locked or not.

Most of the time, a plunger will open a stopped drain. Please do not try to clear a clogged drain with drain-cleaning chemicals. Several members of our plumbing staff have been injured by these chemicals. Inform the staff if you have used a chemical drain cleaner and leave a note by the sink or tub informing the plumbers that a chemical has been used in the drain. This will help prevent serious injury to our staff.

Electrical outlets must be used appropriately. Electrical appliances and equipment must not overload circuits, be left on and/or unattended, or be improperly wired so as to create a safety hazard. Holiday lights must not overload circuits and, if appropriate, must be fireproofed in accordance with environmental health & safety standards.

Wall switches control some electrical outlets. If an outlet does not appear to work, make sure the plug is inserted securely into the electrical socket and then turn on the wall switch. If the outlet still does not work, check the circuit breaker panel. If a circuit breaker is "off," unplug some appliances and switch the breaker to the "on" position. When a circuit breaker cannot be switched to the "on" position, the circuit may be overloaded. If the problem persists, contact your Housing Manager's Office.

You are responsible for the proper care of the appliances and equipment in the apartment. All apartments are equipped with window coverings, which are flame retardant and should not be replaced or modified without prior authorization. No appliances or equipment may be removed from the apartment for storage or other purposes unless authorized in writing by the housing manager. Due to the potential for property damage, waterbeds are not permitted in apartment housing.

If you will be absent from your apartment for an extended period of time, notify your Housing Manager's Office so your apartment can be checked periodically. This is especially important during the winter when frozen pipes could be a problem, or in the summer when an air conditioner drain could clog.

It is also a good idea to have your apartment checked by a friend or neighbor who can notify both you and your Housing Manager's Office if a problem arises. Make sure to provide your Housing Manager's Office with an apartment entry authorization form for a friend or neighbor in case the key is misplaced.

When using the garbage disposal, leave the water on for 10–15 seconds after the grinding has ended to flush the drain. Do not place grease or hard or fibrous waste, such as bones, fruit pits, corn husks, pea pods, celery, banana peels, etc., in the disposal. The disposal should be run at least once a week to prevent a clogged drain.

Please note that University Apartments do not have garbage disposals.

Authorized university personnel may periodically conduct health and safety inspections of the apartments. The purpose of these inspections is to help keep the buildings free from fire hazards and pest infestations and to survey various maintenance needs in the apartments. The apartment housing staff has an obligation to all residents and to IU to conduct these inspections. Management personnel, accompanied by a member of the housing staff, perform the inspections.

You will be notified by email of upcoming inspections. Staff will make every effort to inspect the apartment within two weeks after delivery of the notice. Staff will make an appointment with you upon request. Repeated health and safety violations will result in judicial action and/or non-renewal of your contract.

During spring and fall, it is often difficult to regulate heating or cooling consistently. Tulip Tree, 3rd & Union, and Campus View are the only apartment complexes with central air conditioning. The heating and cooling system will be switched according to the calendar (approximately in April and October) and the long-range weather forecast.

Please do not operate the air conditioner with the windows open. On hot, humid days, excessive moisture will accumulate at the convector and may drip onto the floor or into the apartment below. At Banta and Nutt, Evermann, Redbud, and University, please do not turn off the valve in any of the heating or cooling convectors. Doing so may cause the unit to freeze and burst in extremely cold weather. You may be liable for property damage if these situations occur.

Window air conditioner units are allowed in apartments that do not have central air conditioning. RPS staff must install the units. There is no charge for installation.

Maintain the stove by wiping up spills as they occur and cleaning regularly. Always turn the stove and oven off when not in use and when no one is in the apartment. Never leave cooking food unattended. Never use the stove and oven as additional storage space.

RPS has a service staff available to respond to apartment housing needs. Please report all problems to your Housing Manager's Office as soon as they become apparent. After-hours emergencies (e.g., loss of water, heat, or electricity) or anything that poses a safety or security risk (including electrical hazards, flooding, clogged toilets, or broken glass) should be called into your housing assistant.

Other concerns or questions about issues, such as pest control, the condition of equipment and appliances, and grounds or snow removal problems, should be directed to your Housing Manager's Office during regular business hours. These office phones are monitored 24 hours a day.

When planning to vacate the apartment, you must notify the Apartment Housing Assignments Office and complete the necessary forms. Your contract explains the cancellation policy and contract term. You should also email askrps@indiana.edu, or call 812-855-1764 the Apartment Housing Assignments Office, Campus View 119, for an explanation of the contract and for information on moving to another apartment or renewing your contract.

When you vacate, staff will conduct a final inspection (check out) of the apartment. When contacting the staff, let them know if you wish to be present for the inspection. Any charges for cleaning or damages will be assessed at the final inspection. All keys to the apartment must be turned in upon vacating the unit. Failure to do so could result in a charge of $100 or more.

Apartment housing offers professional, licensed pest control service at no additional charge. Specialists respond to any problems with infestation by ants, bees, silverfish, roaches, or rodents. Every apartment is required to receive periodic pest control inspections, and follow0up treatments are scheduled as needed.

You will be notified by email before each inspection. The program's success depends on your full cooperation, and participation is a condition of your contract. When necessary, we expect you to have your apartment prepared for the pest control treatment on the scheduled day and time.

Pesticides alone cannot solve a pest problem. You must practice high standards of housekeeping for pest control measures to be effective. Please:

• Dispose of garbage promptly, either in the disposal or in sealed bags.
• Wash dishes as soon as possible after use. If you cannot wash them immediately, rinse them with hot water and run the disposal.
• Keep food preparation and storage areas (counter, table, range, and refrigerator) clean. Remember to clean the drip pans under the burners and the walls around the range, especially if you have been frying foods.
• Tightly cover leftover food.
• Rinse cans, bottles, and jars before disposal. See recycling below for more information.
• Keep your apartment clutter free. Papers, boxes, and clothing should be picked up. If you recycle, please dispose of the items frequently to avoid attracting pests.
• Keep opened food cartons (flour, mixes, cereal, pasta, etc.) sealed tightly in plastic bags or other tight-fitting containers.

If you have a pest problem, please contact your Housing Manager's Office immediately. We can provide housekeeping suggestions or extra pest control.

RPS is committed to reducing, reusing, and recycling materials. Instruction on how to recycle can be obtained from the Housing Manager's Office or the Area Coordinator's Office. It is the responsibility of each resident to educate him/herself about recycling. If you are unsure how to recycle, place items in the trash rather than risk contaminating the recycling bins. Ask your center desk for the location of the recycling bins.

Refrigerators should be cleaned regularly. When cleaning a refrigerator, baking soda in the rinse water will help prevent objectionable odors.

Keep food tightly covered or wrapped to help prevent odors and frost build-up. Place items on the shelves so that air can circulate freely within the refrigerator. If the refrigerator is packed too full, it will not cool properly.

If you are leaving for the summer and returning to the same apartment for the next academic year, you may sign a Summer Storage Contract that will allow you to leave your belongings in the apartment over the summer for a nominal fee. Contact the Apartment Housing Assignments Office at Campus View 119 for details. Otherwise, there is no storage space for residents' belongings in apartment housing. Contact off-campus storage companies if you need extra storage space.

You are responsible for bagging the trash in your apartment and placing it in the proper bins outside your building. Do not leave bags of trash sitting in hallways, stairwells, laundry rooms, outside your door, or on the ground around the bins. Trash burning is prohibited. Do not put any trash in recycling containers.

If you have a medical condition requiring the use of hypodermic needles, do not dispose of the needles in the trash. Your Housing Manager's Office can give you a Sharps container for disposal of the needles. Return the full container to the Housing Manager's Office for disposal.

Window screens must be secured at all times. Residents may be charged a replacement fee if a screen is missing. For safety purposes, the windows in Tulip Tree must not have hinges removed. Do not allow children or others to climb on windows or push on windows or window screens. Screens are intended to keep pests out. They are not designed to withstand a child's or adult's weight.

The screens in Campus View are fixed and will not slide upward. Do not try to move these screens. They can be easily dropped and could cause damage or injury to those below.