The Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution and the BYU Off-Campus Housing Office held an educational workshop focused on tenant rights and roommate conflict management on Oct. 7 and 8.
A representative from the CPCR, who asked to remain unnamed, gave a presentation on tenant rights. The CPCR offers consultations, mediation, arbitration and education, according to its website.
"We most often cover BYU off-campus housing landlord-tenant cases, but we can also cover other disputes, such as roommate or classroom issues," the website said.
Tenant rights include the right to live in a place fit for habitation, as outlined in the Fit Premises Act. Other rights include needed repairs made within a certain window of time, access to the unit, 24-hour notice of a landlord entering the unit, plumbing, heating, water and dangerous conditions fixed within 24 hours of notice.
Tenants also have responsibilities to their landlords.
"We hope that students and tenants can learn what their rights are and their responsibilities are so that they can be good tenants," Sharylann Smith, an off-campus housing official, said. "You want (your landlord) to provide the services, but you also need to be able to keep their residence nice and clean and in good working condition and pay your rent."
If students have conflicts with their landlords, they can turn to the CPCR for arbitration. Arbitration is where a neutral third party hears both sides of a conflict and comes to a legally binding solution.
"Arbitrators are usually a panel of three made up of a BYU-contracted landlord, a BYU student and a BYU Law School faculty member (or BYU administrator with a J.D.), all neutral to the case," the CPCR website said.
Conflict can also arise between roommates. The second part of the workshop focused on dealing with roommate conflict.
Francesca Matern, an off-campus housing official, presented on roommate tips. She said having roommates can teach students how to manage conflict in healthy ways.
Matern said understanding different communication styles, finding bonding opportunities, having boundaries and talking openly are essential skills for dealing with roommates.
"A lot of times people don't really realize that something that they're doing is bothering somebody else," Maegan Daley, an off-campus housing official, said.
She said this is why students need to have hard conversations with their roommates. Sometimes, nothing will change until they speak up.
"There's a lot of times where it's like your heart's beating," Daley said. "You don't want to have the hard conversation ... even though you're nervous, just do it."
The BYU off-campus housing website has resources related to roommates, including a roommate search tool. It is also a good educational resource for those looking for housing.
Several off-campus housing officials said students should be aware of red flags in housing.
"(A) red flag would be if they're making you feel rushed to sign a contract," Daley said. "That's a red flag for me because they're getting you to sign something that you may not be comfortable with."
Provo has many places to live, so tenants do not need to be pressured to sign contracts quickly, according to off-campus housing officials.
Matern and Daley said seeing a unit in person before signing the contract is a good idea, as photos can be deceiving.
The BYU off-campus housing website also includes a list of BYU-contracted housing, which is not the same as housing considered BYU-approved housing.
"We tell people the term to look for is contracted rather than approved. If they're approved, they have no relationship with us, but if they're contracted, they do," Maytern said.
BYU can negotiate more with contracted housing. If students live in community housing, BYU can offer resources but cannot contact the landlord.
For legal advice, students can speak with a lawyer. If apartment conditions or roommates are dangerous, they can call 911.