Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is this house owned or managed by Franklin College?
A. No. There is no connection between ownership nor managing of TheBrickHouseFC and Franklin College.
Q. Do you have to be a student to rent a room here?
A. The house and lease arrangement is best suited for students.
Q. Will I be living with strangers here?!
A. Nooo. We don't want that any more than you do. It will be up to you gather the other people you want to be housemates. Once you have a total of three to five people that have signed leases, first month's rent, and security deposit then we will execute the lease and you'll be the proud new tenants for the upcoming year. We require a minimum of 4 rooms to be rented but prefer to have tenants for all five rooms to keep the per tenant rent the lowest.
Q. How much is rent?
A. $525 per tenant for the 2025-2026 school year if four tenants. If there are 5 tenants rent is slightly less.
Q. Is the house furnished?
A. No. We provide a refrigerator, stove/oven, washer, and dryer. The rest is up to the tenants.
Q: Do you have to be female to rent here?
A: No. The rental is not co-ed though unless all tenants are over eighteen years of age. There is a limit of one person per rented room.
Q. Do I have to have a meal plan to live here?
A. Nope! Your eating arrangements are entirely up to you.
Q. Do you have references available?
A. Yes! We have current and previous tenants who would be happy to share their experiences with you.
Q. Do you rent by the bedroom or by the entire house?
A. By the bedroom. Each bedroom has a separate lease and a separate lock. The key to that lock also opens the exterior doors to the house.
Q. How does the lease work?
A. Each tenant has a separate lease that is co-signed by a parent. This helps protect the individual student in the case of a housemate failing to meet their obligation.
Q. How long is the lease?
A. Leases typically start by June 1 and run until the Tuesday after commencements the following year. For move-in dates other than June, rent is prorated for the remaining months until move out in late May. We do need approximately a week between previous tenants moving out and new ones moving in for cleaning and maintenance items to be addressed.
Q. How do lease payments and utility payments work?
A. Lease payments are paid in monthly installments and due by the first of the month for the upcoming months. Utility payments are paid in arrears. This means they are accrued in one month but payable at the end of that month. This is because we don't how much was "used" until we get the bill from the utility company. For example, a few days before the October rent is due I will let tenants know what the September utilities were so they can pay September utilities due with the October rent. Some tenants prefer to pay them separately and that is fine to do. Payment can be by check or Venmo for both rent and utilities.
Q. Can I pay rent and utilities electronically?
A. Yes, by Venmo. You may also be able to have your bank issue a check from their bill pay portal but remember that rent payment is due by the first of the month and is late if received after.
Q. Can I rent the entire house?
A. Yes, by renting all 5 rooms. Unrented rooms are locked and not available for use by other tenants.
Q. Are utilities included?
A. The gas, electric, water, and sewer bills are split evenly among the tenants. While these bills vary by usage and can depend on the weather, in the past the amounts have typically ranged from $30 to $48 per tenant after being split five ways.
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Q. Is cable TV included?
A. No.
Q. Is there a dishwasher?
A. No.
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Q. Is high speed Internet included?
A. Yes.
Q. Is parking available?
A. Free parking is available in the driveway. Five average-sized cars fit in the driveway with careful parking. Per city ordinance, there is no parking in the grass.
Q. Are a washer and dryer provided?
A. Yes. You will need to provide laundry detergent and other needed supplies. Tenants are responsible for cleaning out the lint trap after each load in the dryer.
Q. I only need housing for the school year. Do I need to pay rent in the summer too?
A. Rent is spread over 12 months even if you do not live there over the summer. You, however, do not have pay utilities for months that don't live there for any portion. For leases signed after June for the upcoming year, rent is only charged beginning with the move-in month.
Q. Do tenants pay utilities?
A. Tenants split the cost of electricity, gas, sewer/trash, and water equally. Utilities are accrued for one month and paid by the rent due date the following month.
Q. Is the security deposit refundable?
A. Yes, less any outstanding charges, repairs, and cleaning the full security deposit is refundable upon successful completion of the lease. Most years all tenants have gotten the full amount refunded by check after moving out.
Q. Who is responsible for cleaning the inside of the house?
A. The house is professionally cleaned before new tenants move in. Once tenants move in it is their responsibility to clean while living there. Tenants do need to clean prior to moving out and repair any damage.
Q. Who is responsible for mowing grass and shoveling snow?
A. Tenants.
Q. What happens if my housemate doesn't pay their rent or utilities?
A. It does not affect the other tenants, it's my responsibility to address it with that tenant.