If it seems illegal, it probably is — though this rule may not ring true in every case, off-campus students pestered by aggressive real estate agents should know that as long as they live in an apartment, they control who enters their home. Agents who bring clients to view apartments must get the current residents’ consent, or they are breaking the law.
Unwanted visits are only one example of a litany of abuses real estate agents often perpetrate against students unaware of their rights as first-time tenants. Many agents do an excellent job serving newcomers to the apartment market. Less scrupulous agents abuse this trust, however, by turning residents’ ignorance to their advantage, shuffling students in and out of apartments with little to no regard for the previous tenants’ wellbeing while aggressively pushing substandard housing for the clients who hire them.
These same real estate agents would never consider taking clients to a house unannounced, nor would they dare bring guests to a Back Bay family’s apartment without consulting them first. That they can disregard students’ privacy so easily shows two things: some real estate agents do not respect local law, and some students do not understand it.
Though these abuses are troubling, residents deserve as much blame for this mistreatment as the agents. Students must know that bringing guests unannounced is considered trespassing, and they have the right to report this activity to the police if it does not stop. First-time renters should also research the housing market independently before even talking to an agent so they understand market rates.
Building goodwill in neighborhoods is also vital. Many Allston and Brighton residents begrudge students for throwing mountains of trash on the street during move out weeks. If students treat their neighborhoods more like a home instead of temporary places to live, they will receive the same amount of respect as their neighbors, and the attention of government officials who should be on the look out for their best interests.
If law enforcement does not come to students’ aid, they must go above their heads to their elected representatives — a tall order considering local politics is probably the last thing on the student radar. As long as students ignore the politics in the area they live, however, the candidates controlling their lives will take them for granted.
Case in point: City Councilor Mike Ross (Back Bay, Fenway) proposed an ordinance to restrict the number of college students living in a single apartment to four per unit. Though Ross claims the rule would keep students safe from overcrowding, the move is actually a thinly guised effort to drive students out of neighborhoods to placate longtime residents. Many apartments have more than enough capacity to hold five or more students, but if Ross’s proposal becomes law, neighborhoods will become even more hostile to students, who will continue to lack the community support and respect they deserve.