"Look Before You Lease"is the mantra for students thinking about renting apartments or houses in Champaign-Urbana. Normally, it is not intoned until at least mid- January; people aren't even considering living arrangements for next year until after the fall semester is over. However, in recent years the rental season has been kicking in earlier and earlier, so it's not too soon to offer some suggestions that can help you make sound, educated decisions.

1. Relax. It's way early. You've got papers and projects due and exams are looming. Take your time and shop around. Guess who has all the bargaining power this early in the season? If you guessed the tenant and not the landlord, try again.

Besides, what would you think of a landlord who starts advertising your apartment and pressuring you to decide whether or not to renew your lease in October or November? Put yourself in the place of those tenants and imagine how you'd feel.

Also, unless you're considering living alone, signing a lease means rustling up some roommates to join you in the deal. There are always risks in this but at such an early date those are increased.

• First, by the time August 15, 2007, gets here, you may all hate each other.
• Second, some of them may have flunked out/gotten married/dropped out/transferred/etc.

2. Buildings not yet built. In case you missed it, numerous students signed leases for the current academic year to rent buildings not in existence a the time they signed. Not a problem in itself; however, when the buildings still weren't ready when the tenants arrived with their belongings to move in, that was a problem. Do not make this mistake yourself. If the building isn't built and ready for occupancy when you go to sign the lease, look elsewhere.

3. Be aware that Urbana has a new ordinance outlining landlord-tenant relations, which offers some additional protection to tenants than they otherwise get, such as certain protection of privacy. If these things are important to you, but you're planning to rent in Champaign or out in the county, be sure they're in your lease in writing.

4. Get it in writing. Regardless of what you may have hear, there is no such thing as a "standard lease." It is important to understand this, because your lease is what defines your relationship with your landlord. If you want new furniture (or any furniture, for that matter B>it must be written into your lease. Verbal promises are simply not enforceable.

Make sure that any items added to your lease or terms deleted from it are all initialled by both you and your landlord. It doesn't do any good to write amendments all over the margins if your landlord hasn't indicated by signing alongside them that he/she agrees to these changes.

5. Amenities. Frequently, leases will refer to "extras," such as parking spaces, who pays for what utilities, grounds maintenance, care of appliances and furniture, and other items. These may be especially common in the case of large rental houses, although they can appear in any lease. While they are mentioned, rarely are they well defined.

For example, parking spaces are sometimes offered but not specifically allocated to a particular vehicle or rental unit. Surprise towing can be the result. In the case of utility bills, if they are your responsibility, it's worth knowing what they're likely to be. This early in the year it's impossible to go to the current tenants in a unit you're checking out to see how high they can get--it just isn't cold enough. But this is the kind of research you need to do to avoid unpleasant surprises.

If amenities are mentioned, make them specific and in writing.

6. Summer sublet/fall option. Some companies offer this. You sign a lease which begins in May and runs through August of the following year. What? You say--that sounds like a 15 month lease. Congratulations, you are correct.

Of course, the promise is that for the following summer, someone will pick up the lease for you and let you off the hook for those last three months. Unfortunately, if they can't find someone as gullible as you, you're stuck. Just remember, this is a 15 month lease and any other representation cannot be relied upon.

7. Never put money down to "reserve" an apartment or house. The only money you should put down is when you actually sign the lease. If you pay money to reserve some property, you might as well consider it a donation to the landlord.

8. Signing a lease. Once you've done this, it's too late to do anything else but prepare to move in on opening day and start paying rent. Your signature on that paper commits you to its terms, regardless of what happens afterward. Therefore, do not sign first and ask questions later. Get a sample lease from your prospective landlord and take it to the Tenant Union for review before you commit yourself. Leases cannot be broken; they are binding contracts.

Take your time in looking to rent an apartment or house. It's a big decision involving thousands of dollars. Give it the thought, care and attention it deserves.