Flip That Unit

Change-over: A dreaded word for those who work in college campus leasing offices.

College students are required to be out of their leased-residence by a set date leaving the leasing office with a little under two and a half weeks for change-over which requires them to completely flip that unit for the next resident  

Evan Shelton, East Lansing DTN Resident Manager, said, “Change-over is the time frame in-between the previous resident and the new resident when we are required to clean and repair all vacant units.”

Shelton said, “This usually takes us two weeks, we work nonstop. I could be putting in anywhere from 65-75 hours a week.”

Ben Rène, community assistant at Abbott Place Apartments in East Lansing, said, “During change-over, we are responsible for making sure everything is cleared out of the units, letting in venders, such as painters, cleaners, etc., into each unit, determine the damage charges for each unit, collect and organize keys and regular office duties if a resident or future resident comes into the office.”

Shelton said, “A lot of people complain about having to wait until the end of the month to move into their apartment but we have a lot of units to flip in a short amount of time.”

“If people moved in before they were ready they would never ask to move-in early again due to the condition of the apartments are left in,” Shelton said.

Rène said when it comes to the amount of work that the employees of the leasing offices complete, he thinks the pay is much too low for what they are required to do and how quickly they have to do it.