|
|
Back to School Tips for College Students (California)
By State of California
Apr 4, 2006, 3:53pm
|
|
As students prepare either to return to college or to leave the nest to embark on their college careers, the Department of Consumer Affairs is offering guidelines on how to be an educated consumer.
The consumer's golden rule is to do your homework before you buy otherwise, the product or service you purchase may not make the grade. Department of Consumer Affairs Director Kathleen Hamilton advises, "Being aware of your rights and responsibilities as a consumer will empower you to make smart purchasing decisions."
Savvy students first assignment should be to check out the departmens website at dca.ca.gov, where they can access and download a wealth of publications and information on topics, such as what steps to take to resolve a complaint, how to select a reputable business or service provider, and what their rights are in a dispute with their landlord. Students can also call the department's toll-free consumer hotline at (800) 952-5210 or order publications by writing to DCA Publications at 401 S Street, Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95814.
This is the Cliffs Note version of the DCA's smart consumer coursework for college students:
Apartment Renting 1A:
Many renters are not aware that tenants have basic legal rights that are always in force, regardless of what the rental agreement or lease specifies. These basic rights include:
Limits on the amount of the security deposit the landlord can require;
Restrictions on the landlord's right to enter the property;
The right to a refund of the security deposit or a written accounting of how it was used at the end of the tenancy;
The right to sue the landlord to enforce your rights as a tenant, if the dispute cannot be resolved informally;
The right to repair serious defects in the rental unit, to deduct certain repair costs from the rent, and to withhold rent under appropriate circumstances (at the same time, the renter has a general duty to take reasonable care of the rental unit);
Various rights under the warranty of habitability;
Protection against retaliatory eviction.
Specific details on these rights and other tenancy issues are detailed in DCA's booklet, California Tenants: A Guide to Residential Tenant and Landlord Rights and Responsibilities. The guide is available online at DCA's website, or can be purchased for $1.00. To order, send a check or money order (no cash, please) to: California Tenants, DCA, P.O. Box 989004, Sacramento, CA 95798-0004.
Futon Facts
Many students love the versatility of dual purpose seating and bedding that futons provide, particularly in shared living areas where space is at a premium. They should be aware, however, that while futons are not fireproof, they are required by law to be smolder resistant. Futon mattresses carry a flammability label certifying that state standards have been met, so students should check for the label before they buy. They should also check with the departmens Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation to make sure that the futon retailer has a valid license. If problems or concerns about the product arise that cannot be resolved after contacting the business manager or owner of the store, students may want to consider filing a complaint with the Bureau. Check out the Bureau's Futons & Flammability fact sheet (PDF format).
Credit Management 101
Developing a budget and controlling spending are the keys to creating and maintaining healthy credit. But students who are on their own for the first time often struggle with managing their finances. This may be the first time in their lives that they have had access to a credit card. To avoid getting in over their heads, students may want to check out the departmens fact sheet, Successful Credit Management Takes Planning, available online or by request from DCA Publications. If, however, students find themselves in a situation where they are overextended and unable to pay their bills, either on time or at all, there are two steps they can take to get back on track: set up a payment plan, and/or seek the advice of a credit counselor. To find out about credit services in their area, students should call Consumer Credit Counseling at (800) 388-2227.
Avoiding Credit Identity Crises
While most new college students are just beginning the process of discovering who they want to be, the last thing they need is to have someone else assume their identity their credit identity, that is. Clever con artists can use personal information and account numbers to make unauthorized charges, withdraw money from bank accounts, or even assume the student's identity to establish credit in the student's name and often the victim doesn't discover the theft until they are stuck footing the bill!
Students living in dorms or other shared living areas need to take special care to guard their personal and credit information. This means avoiding carrying more than one or two credit cards and keeping social security cards, birth certificates, credit account statements, and other vital records and personal documents in a safe place. Students should also be wary about releasing their social security number, unless it is a legitimate requirement; if it does not seem necessary for the transaction, they should question the vendor's purpose in requiring it.
Other student safeguards: do not leave bill payment envelopes in the mailbox for the postal carrier to pick up, and do shred or tear up unused preapproved credit card solicitations. As of January 1, 1998, identity theft is classified as a misdemeanor crime (Penal Code section 530.5), so if students think they have fallen victim to a credit identity thief, they should notify the police immediately. For more tips on preventing credit identity theft, check out DCA's fact sheet, Identity Theft.
Computer Repair
If the computer goes on the blink in the middle of that first term paper, students should make sure that the company they choose to perform the repairs is registered with the departmens Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair. State law requires that service dealers:
- Inform the consumer in writing when a diagnosis fee will be charged, and specify the amount of the diagnosis fee;
- Provide an itemized repair invoice, specifying all labor performed and parts installed after repairs are complete;
- Return all replaced parts; and
- Perform all repairs competently.
- Students can call the department's consumer hotline for assistance in filing a complaint if they run into computer repair disputes that they cannot resolve themselves.
Selecting A School
For those adult students who have not already selected the school they will attend, or for those who may prefer to take the vocational school route, the department can help. By requesting a copy of The ABCs of Choosing a Postsecondary School, produced by DCA's Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education, potential students can get tips on selecting the appropriate school for their chosen career and life goals. More than 400,000 students currently attend California's 3,000 private postsecondary schools, which include degree-granting and vocational institutions. Future students can also call the Bureau at (916) 445-3427 to verify that the school is approved in California and to check the school's complaint history.
© Copyright 2006 by Classbrain.com
Top of Page
|
| Search |
|
|
|
|
|
Back To School
Latest Headlines
|
|
Email this article
Printer friendly page
