Living in Chico can be rough.

Don’t get me wrong. The rent is reasonable, some of the old houses are beautiful and there are many apartment options for students.

But most students are renting their houses and apartments, and with that many problems can arise.

I’ve heard the craziest landlord stories, from tenants being threatened by a landlord with a knife to having the landlord show up at the door screaming nonsense about rent.

If you are a renter, you need to know how to protect yourself. The best way to do this is to know your rights.

When you’re looking to rent, you must have either an oral or written rental agreement or lease.

An oral agreement is binding, but only applies if the lease is a year or less. If you plan to have pets, or any special services paid for by the landlord, make sure to have that in writing.

Having a lease means that you are committed to the place for the full time the lease is in effect. Though a lease can protect you from having your rent increased, it can be hard to break the lease if you find that you cannot live at that house or apartment anymore.

While renting, your landlord is responsible to keep your living space habitable. You are responsible for damages, but they are responsible for keeping the building up to code.

For example, they must repair any broken windows, floors or stairs. They also must keep any gas, electric, plumbing or sanitation systems in working order.

Do not be afraid to be vocal if you are having any issues with your apartment or house. Call your landlords, and if they do not respond, email them.

They should respond in a reasonable amount of time, and if they do not, you can talk to an attorney and take legal action. It is important to have things in writing if you ever plan on taking legal action against a landlord.

Your landlord might think that since they own your house or apartment it gives them the right to come over whenever and “check up on it.”

Wrong.

Your landlord is required to give you a notice, in writing, that they will be coming over. They must give you this notice at least 24 hours in advance.

If you’re suspicious that your landlord might be breaking laws, do your research. Keep a log of their activity and save your emails or text messages just in case. Get as much of your communication in writing.

Being prepared and confident in your rights as a tenant can save you a lot of grief.

Greta Gordon can be reached at [email protected] or @hakunagretata on Twitter.