Thank you for making HFS your Husky Home! We hope you enjoyed living on campus as much as we enjoyed having you here. We wish you safe travels and the best of everything wherever you go next. Please review the following information carefully as you make your plans for moving out of your residence hall. The basic steps are the same regardless of when you plan to move out of the residence halls.
Move-out and key return steps
- 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 an inspection appointment at least 24 hours in advance of checking out, you may incur improper checkout charges.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Willow Regional Desk is located in the Willow Package Room directly across from the entrance.
Tips
Loading/Parking
During Move-out, HFS staff and signage will direct the flow of vehicle traffic to specific loading zones. Due to Move-out and commencement activities, campus will be busier than normal. Be sure to follow directions, drive carefully and be mindful of pedestrians to ensure a safe and efficient process.
Please note that:
- Students should be packed up and ready to go before driving a vehicle to the building to load. Family members are welcome to help students pack and clean but should park elsewhere until they are ready to load their vehicle.
- Space to load vehicles at the residence halls is limited. Please be mindful of other students moving out and load your vehicle as quickly as possible.
- Longer-term parking options are available around campus—check the transportation services website for availability.
If you move out before the end of your agreement
Students who terminate their housing agreement before the end of the agreement period are responsible for housing charges for the entire agreement duration and dining charges until the end of the quarter they are vacating. Termination deadlines and charges are described in the 9-Month Housing Agreement.
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 applicants on the housing waiting list. The FOFI list is ordered by student’s move-out date. If a new student is assigned from the waiting list, the student at the top of the FOFI list is prorated from their housing as of the date the new applicant moved in.
Leftover funds on your Dining Account
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 have a higher Dining Account balance than you can spend in the final weeks of the school year, you can purchase food from District Market to donate to the UW Food Pantry.
Housing 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.
Any balance of funds on your Husky Card Account will remain accessible for your use and will carry over to next year.
Charges for abandoning your room
If a resident’s room/space is empty of possessions but keys have not been returned, the resident’s room/space may be presumed abandoned. 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.
If you need storage space
There is no storage space in the residence halls or apartments. If you are vacating and need to store your items, consider a private storage company. HFS works with Dorm Room Movers. Contact them directly to learn more.
Rental references
You are welcome to list the Student Services Office 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-month residences will be tagged by Memorial Day. To claim your bicycle or U-LOCK, please remove the tag by the Sunday of Move-out or it will be impounded/removed by UWPD.
Summer School residents, simply remove the tag and your bicycle or U-LOCK can remain.
If you have any questions regarding this process, please call UWPD at (206) 543-9369.
Return your parking permit
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
Leaving campus housing temporarily
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.
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
Regional Desk for questions about:
- Key return process and key return locations
- Building access card or parking permit (Nordheim Court only) returns
- Mail and packages