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UW Housing Agreements

Apartment Checkout

Move-out and key return steps

  1. Schedule a room inspection. Your RA will explain this during your floor’s mandatory Closing Meeting.

    • If you cannot contact your RA, you may contact another RA in your building by calling your Residential Life Office.
    • If you do not make a virtual inspection at least 24 hours in advance of checking out, you may incur improper checkout charges.
       
  2. Update your address on MyUW, discontinue subscription deliveries, and update your address with online vendors to avoid having items shipped here after you move out.
     
  3. Sign up for direct deposit to ensure a fast and easy refund. Refunds take four to six weeks after move-out. If you don't have a U.S. bank account, a refund check will be sent to your local address in MyUW.
     
  4. Pack your belongings and follow the Residence Hall and Apartment Cleaning Guidelines
    • ​You can check-out vacuums through your community vacuum check-out schedule. Check with your RA/CA.
    • Carts will be provided by HFS for move-out. Information about when and where to check them out will be available in your community.
    • Please clean your room and return furniture to its original configuration. Cleaning charges and damage charges will apply if room is not properly cleaned or any damages are found.
       
  5. Pick up your mail and packages and return your keys to your Regional Desk. If the desk is closed, you may put your keys in the drop box.
    • Drop box at Lander Regional Desk is located on the wall to the left of the desk as you go toward Local Point.
    • Drop box at Nordheim is located to the left of the office’s service window.
    • Drop box at Willow Regional Desk is located in the Willow Package Room directly across from the entrance.

Tips

Early termination

You must let us know of your intent to vacate by submitting an online Agreement Termination Notice. Before you submit your notice, please review your agreement, particularly Section XVI, which addresses charges associated with moving out before the end of the agreement period including situations which may exempt you from termination charges as well as how to avoid late termination charges. You will remain responsible for ongoing charges through the end of your agreement regardless of when you submit your notice or when you move out.

After a student moves out, their name is added to the First Out, First In (FOFI) list. The purpose of this list is to fill vacant spaces with new housing applicants. The FOFI list is ordered by student’s move-out date. The student at the top of the FOFI list is prorated from their housing as of date a new applicant moved in.

Dining

Dining Account funds are nonrefundable and nontransferable. Any dining funds remaining on your account after noon on the last of your agreement will be forfeited. Please check your balance via the Online Card Office. If you feel you will have difficulty spending your remaining balance before the end of the quarter, please contact UW Dining for spending options at 206-685-4950 oruwdining@uw.edu.

Account refunds

Any charges on your housing account must be paid before you vacate. Charges related to moving out can be viewed on the Incidental Charges page. Account balances can be checked on your Statement of Account page. 

Unless your account is held due to charges for damages, cleaning, an unpaid balance, or other reasons, any refundable housing credit will be issued after you vacate or cancel your agreement. Refunds are issued in three ways: direct deposit, check, or credit/debit card. More detailed information can be found on our Financial Information for Residents page.

Any balance of funds on your Husky Card Account will remain accessible for your use and will carry over to next year.

Abandonment

If a resident’s room/space appears to be empty of possessions but keys have not been returned, the resident’s room/space may be presumed abandoned. If this occurs during the agreement period, an abandonment letter will be placed on the room door for five days, after which HFS will take possession of the room/space. If you abandon your room, you will be charged for a lock change and key replacement, moving, handling and storage of your belongings, and applicable cleaning or repair charges, in addition to any room payment owed.

Storage

There is no storage space in the residence halls or apartments. If you are vacating and need to store your items for a certain period of time, consider contacting a private storage company. One such company that is familiar to the UW and that HFS works with is Dorm Room Movers. Contact them directly to learn more.

Inspections and maintenance

During the gap between agreements custodial and maintenance staff may enter your unit to perform cleaning and maintenance. As necessary you will receive additional notifications about these situations. If there is a vacant unit within your apartment, a new resident may be moving in. Please ensure that common areas within the apartment are clean and welcoming for your new roommate. Do not enter or use vacant bedrooms at any time or for any reason.

Rental references

You are welcome to list the Student Services Office contact information when asked for a rental reference or rental history verification. Upon receiving a rental reference, HFS will disclose the information requested, typically the dates that you lived on campus, whether or not your account was paid on time and is current, if you vacated properly, and if you are eligible to live with us again. Landlord requests must be received in writing by email (hfsinfo@uw.edu).

Claim your bicycle

HFS Facilities works with UWPD for the removal of abandoned bicycles and U-LOCKS that are left in our Residence Halls and Apartment Communities during our annual Academic-to-Summer Operations transitional period.

All bicycles and U-LOCKS in 9- and 12-month buildings will be tagged by Memorial Day. To claim your bicycle or U-LOCK, please remove the tag by June 11 or it will be impounded/removed by UWPD.

If you have any questions regarding this process, please call UWPD at (206) 543-9369.

Parking permit return

If you have an unexpired parking permit, return it to Commuter Services or to the Nordheim Court Office for Nordheim Residents. Please note:

  • Parking permits may not be transferred to another individual or vehicle.
  • Your parking permit is no longer valid if you move out of the residence halls before it expires.
  • You will receive a credit for the unused portion of your parking permit after it is returned

Priority Retention

If you will be away from campus for an internship or study abroad program, or are withdrawing from the UW for hardship reasons, you may request Priority Retention status when you complete your Agreement Termination Notice. This will give you the highest priority to return to the residence halls if you would like. HFS staff will confirm your participation in a UW-affiliated program and, if approved, you will be guaranteed a space in the residence halls and apartments for the quarter that you are returning.

If you are approved for Priority Retention, you will be contacted at your UW email address prior to the start of the quarter you intend to return, and you will be asked to complete a housing application.

Questions

If you have questions, please contact one of the following offices.

Your Residential Life Office, for questions about:

  • Room inspection
  • Borrowing a vacuum
  • Cleaning

Student Services Office, for questions about:

  • Agreement Termination Notice (ATN)
  • Agreement termination charge
  • Late notice charge
  • Your agreement
  • Priority Retention

Your Regional Desk for questions about:

  • Key return process and key return locations
  • Building access card