Finals are finishing up and students are running out the doors to go home for the holidays. Often, these students forget to take the necessary steps to keep their apartments safe for the five to six weeks theyâll be gone.
So, just before Thanksgiving break, Campus Apartments starts a barrage of notices through email, text, and flyers to remind students to take care of a few things before they leave. But it doesnât always get through.
âTypically the week before they leave is finals, so theyâre up to their eyeballs studying,â says Miles Orth, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Campus Apartments.
Here are a few things Campus Apartments includes on every property managersâ winter break to-do list to ensure safe, secure, and well maintained student housing over the holidays.
1. Lock the windows and lower the blinds. Orth notes there are criminals who prey on college students’ apartments once they leave for a few weeks. The best way to deter them is to make sure the blinds are closed so no one can see if anyone’s home, and to ensure all the windows are locked so no one can gain access. For additional security, students are asked to take their valuables with them or put them in a safe place. If property managers see them out in plain sight, they will put them in a safer place nearby.
2. Allow the kitchen faucet to drip. In colder climates, itâs important to guard against frozen pipes. If students havenât done so already, property managers will turn the kitchen faucet on to allow for a minimal drip so the pipes donât freeze or burst while the students are gone. Orth says the kitchen faucet is best because itâs the one most likely to be turned off when students get back.
3. Unplug appliances and electronics. Coffee makers, toasters, televisions, gaming consoles, and more all take up excess electricity when theyâre plugged into the wall, commonly referred to as âvampire energyâ. Property managers will unplug the larger items to conserve energy if students forget.
4. Leave behind a note. Communication is essential, so property managers will leave a note behind letting students know what they did to make sure their home was safe and secure while they were away. Itâs also the best way to make them feel aware of who was in their apartment and the effort the managers went through.
5. Schedule large property maintenance tasks. Student housing has an advantage when students go away for the holidays: Itâs easier to get large tasks out of the way without inconveniencing the tenants. Everything from filter changes and re-striping the parking lot to vacuuming common areas and doing HVAC checks is suggested over the holiday break.