Welcome to the online home of the Student Tenant Union @ UW Madison! We offer education to the UW Madison campus community about YOUR tenant rights, what legally a landlord can and cannot do, how to read and understand your lease, and other useful information to keep your renting experiences safe and enjoyable. We also provide referrals to other agencies that can assist students and advocacy at the local government level for better tenant protections.
Do you think you have the worst landlord in Madison? Does your roof leak? Has nothing been replaced in your apartment since before you were born? Does it feel like you live in a third world slum? Lead paint peeling off the walls? You name it... we want to hear about!
You and every other student on this campus deserve more than a crappy apartment... and you certainly pay for way more than you get. Let's show Madison landlords that it is time for them to clean up their act. And it will be fun!
What you have to do to win: Just use this form to tell us why you think your landlord or apartment is the worst in Madison!
What you get if you win: Most importantly, you'll have the joy of publicly humiliating your landlord. Student Tenant Union will hold a press conference outside the house or building of the winning entry. When bad landlords are exposed, student renters take note (check out this example from 2002 when ASM ran the contest). Secondly, Student Tenant Union will document the problems with the apartment, and call the Madison Building Inspector on behalf of the winning tenants. In acknowledgment of a full year spent living in horrible conditions, the winning entry will also receive some small prizes including 4 gift certificates to Hawk's Bar & Grill.
What do you get if you don't win: All entries will receive a response from Student Tenant Union volunteers that outlines the parts of tenant/landlord law that apply to their situation. Additionally, all entries will be saved in our database, and can be viewed by future prospective tenants who want to know about past problems people have had with a certain landlord.
Questions about the contest? Email us or call Jason Wargolet at 414-840-5595.
Come to Tenant Education Week, sponsored by the Student Tenant Union @ UW-Madison and Students for Social Welfare! All week we'll have housing counselors on hand to help you with your questions and concerns and to help you prepare for moving into your next apartment. We'll also hold Renters' Rights Presentations at both Memorial Union and Union South. This is a great opportunity to learn about your rights and get involved!
Drop in for direct assistance with problems you're having with your landlord.
Learn what you need to know about topics such as tenant protections, moving into your new apartment, how to document problems, what to do about reparis, or what can and cannot be deducted from your security deposit.