Damages

Housing & Residence Life has the following acceptable conditions standards for our living spaces and furnishings:

• Walls, ceilings, and floors should be free of stains, holes, and damage to paint.
• Light fixtures should be operational with globes/covers that are free of defects.
• Window blinds and/or shades should operate freely and be free of stains, dirt, rips or other damage.
• Doors and locksets surfaces should be free of stains and dirt, hinges should operate freely, doors should close without using force, locksets should be easily operated with key/access card, for keyed doors the key should not insert roughly into the lockset or stick upon removal.
• Wood furniture should be free of stains, cracks, or marred wood; all legs of chairs/tables should be firmly fixed and stable; laminate surfaces should be free of stains, scratches, and cracks. Please see the page for your housing to review the list of furnishings provided in your residence area.
• Upholstered furniture should be free of stains and tears. Please see the page for your housing to review the list of furnishings provided in your residence area.
• Appliances should be clean and free of cooking stains, all elements should function, and oven and refrigerator racks should be intact.
• Windows should be clean and free of cracks/chips in the glass, screens should be free of tears and holes, windows should open freely as designed.

It is the responsibility of residents to report any damage to the room, including any items that are missing or not in an acceptable condition as outlined above. To do so, submit a work order during the first two days after move-in. You may be billed for damages that were not documented during staff inspections or in a work order at the beginning of occupancy.

Please assist in identifying the individual(s) responsible for any damage in communal property (hallways, lounges, apartment/suite living rooms, bathrooms, etc.). When the individual(s) cannot be identified, charges will be assessed for all residents who share the facility. Intentional damage to property is not tolerated, and is subject to the Terms & Conditions of the Housing Agreement, and judicial or administrative action.

Damage and/or defacement other than normal wear and tear will result in assessment of charges and billing to the person(s) responsible. The condition of all facilities and furnishings are routinely checked for damages. Any time there are damages in your area, please complete an online maintenance request to report such damage and the parties responsible.

If you are an undergraduate student, we encourage you to check out with your RA when you move out. This process allows you to explain possible damage in rooms, hallways, and common areas.

RAs and other University staff will assess spaces for any possible damages beyond normal wear and tear during the move-out period. Please be aware that you will be billed for any damages you caused to rooms/suites/apartments, and for keys not returned.

The standard labor rate set by Facilities Management (FM) for housekeeping is $29.00 per hour. For maintenance staff, the rate is $52.50 per hour. The replacement cost of items will vary depending on the item and whether the whole item or a part of the item needs to be replaced. Housing & Residence Life staff will be in contact with residents regarding financial restitution for damages. In cases where multiple residents are responsible for a damage, the cost is split amongst the responsible residents. Residents may appeal in writing to the Housing & Residence Life Director of Operations within five (5) business days of receiving notice of a damage charge. Intentional or excessive damages may also result in a referral to the University Judiciary Committee (UJC) for violation of standard nine.

Damage charges will be placed onto a student’s SIS account only after the appeal period has passed, and must be paid by the end of the following month. An unpaid bill will keep you from receiving transcripts or registering for classes.

To minimize billings, please be sure that any damages, and the people responsible for the damages, are identified before the end of the year. Also be sure everyone in your room/suite/apartment is careful to clean before they leave. Do not leave trash or personal items in the room, suite or apartment. Finally, be sure to follow the correct procedures when returning your keys, if applicable.

Residences are painted on a four-year cycle at minimum. Our painters work year-round, painting bedrooms only when vacant, concentrating on common areas and outside painting when the rooms are occupied. Residents are not permitted to paint their own spaces.

Avoid paying for paint and wall damage! When planning to hang posters, consider the best way to secure them to the wall. Most wall putties will not affect surfaces or finishes, provided one reads the manufacturer's directions carefully.

Residents may not drill holes in the walls to attach lead or plastic wall anchors. Glow-in-the-dark stars may look good, but paying for their removal is expensive, so please find another way to decorate your room.

Our painters use low-odor, non-toxic latex paint. When we are planning to paint in your area, we post notices prior to starting work. Please help us maintain your residence halls in good condition.