Community organizations are offering a campus forum Thursady that caters to those convinced that their landlords are ogres or tenants are pigs.
Representatives from the Landlord/Tenant Hotline, a nonprofit agency funded by a city grant that gives general information about laws governing the two groups, and third-year law students will be offering advice and answering questions about common sources of conflict such as leases, repairs, security deposits and evictions.
"We basically work to educate renters and landlords about their rights and responsibilities under state law," said Ben Tucker, manager of the Landlord/Tenant Hotline.
Tucker added that hotline employees hope to reach out to community members to discuss common landlord and tenant pitfalls, so that they avoid future problems.
"A lot of people come to us once it's too late," he said. "For example, they may find themselves in a lease they don't like or figure out that they need to move but signed a strict lease. Sometimes leases are tough to get out of and people often don't realize until they've already signed one."
In addition to weighing fair languages in leases, the workshop will take on the subject of security deposits and how tenants can get them back when they decide to move.
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"Basically, the tenant is responsible for any damages beyond normal wear and tear, which is the normal depreciation of an object in a regular way, but the law really isn't clear and is very vague," Tucker said. "Our advice is to try to document what the apartment looks like when you move in and when you move out so that you have some evidence in the event of a dispute."
The speakers also will tackle some more humorous dilemmas - unless you are the victim of the problem - such as sewage spewing out of a bathtub.
"The other thing people need to know is that there are laws against a landlord retaliating against a tenant when that person requests necessary repairs," Tucker said.
He added that when an agreement deteriorates to the point of eviction, many people don't understand that a landlord cannot evict a tenant without a court order.
"If a neighbor complains because you are having sex too loud and the landlord decides to give you an eviction notice, you need to understand that he has to go to court to kick you out first and that some reasons cited for eviction just aren't legal," Tucker said.
The Landlord/Tenant Hotline has a staff of UNM students trained to be counselors and mediators who are trained in state law and provide information and referrals to callers and walk-in clients.
The hotline's staff members are now revamping its mediation program, so assistance is generally focused on evaluations of situations and advice. The program is anoynmous, with staff members only requiring a person's first name.
The office also is partially funded through required paperwork it sells to landlords.
The hotline can be reached at 256-9442 and its offices are at 134 Harvard Dr.
"We assist with referrals, but a lot of problems we handle are things people can help solve themselves, and they don't necessarily need attorneys," Tucker said. "Of course, it is always helpful to find out what the law is before they have a problem."
Thursday's forum is from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Room 120 of Dane Smith Hall.
Other sponsors include the Student Activities Center, UNM Law Clinic and Association for Non-Traditional Students.
