The Daily Cardinal recently investigated the policies of several Madison property management companies and found several disturbing trends for student tenants.
Most alarming were the practices of one company, Madison Property Management, which was violating several city ordinances and lacking student services more than any other landlord under review.
The investigation revealed several instances in which MPM violated a recent city ordinance mandating that landlords provide photo evidence of any deductions from a tenant's security deposit because of damages or cleaning costs. The ordinance also states landlords must inform tenants of their right to request the photo evidence.
Documents from tenants showed MPM only listed the photo ordinance in a font so small it was unreadable, and several tenants stated they were not informed of the regulation by MPM.
MPM has since stated they will list the ordinance with a large sticker on security deposit forms, but even more troubling were photos from MPM showing dust and buckets used to catch leaking water as examples of what constituted property damage.
Tenant receipts also showed MPM used accounting practices that stuck student renters with unfair late fees because of supposed computer software issues.
Although MPM has stated it will be remedying the practice, when combined with the proof of photo ordinance violations and poor maintenance services, it shows students must take a proactive approach to protecting their rights as tenants. Incoming Madison alders Bryon Eagon, District 8, and Bridget Maniaci, District 2, should show they will protect the students who voted them into office by remedying these issues.
The new alders should amend the photo ordinance as a top priority, and they should propose further initiatives to safeguard students against predatory landlords—and MPM is not the only perpetrator.
However, government can only do so much to protect us. Students must also vigilantly oppose and call out these practices. Read the fine print, and know your rights. It will only take a few successful, publicized lawsuits for triple the damages to send a message to Madison landlords that we won't accept the bullshit any longer.
