UNH Damage Billing
Part of the on-campus experience at the University of New Hampshire is living in a community. Although challenging at times, learning to live with others is also extremely beneficial. One aspect of community living involves dealing with damage that occurs within a residence hall or university apartment unit. Unfortunately, damages do occur in buildin
gs that require maintenance attention for no other reason than “someone broke it and we don’t know who did it.”
The Department of Housing does not collect nor require a “damage deposit” when a resident accepts on-campus housing. Instead, the Department of Housing bills for each incident that occurs. It is our belief this encourages a sense of ownership in the building by the residents and improves everyone's ability to control costs.
How this works is that each month a listing of damages that occurred in an on-campus residence building is posted. Residents are encouraged to look over these listings and share any information with the staff about who might be responsible for the damage charges. When individual responsibility is not associated for a particular damage that charge is then allocated to the community and divided-up evenly either by building or by zone. At the end of each semester invoices are created and the charge(s) is placed on your UNH account. Your Room and Board Agreement also addresses damage billing concepts.
Frequently Asked Questions About Damage Billing
Q. Where can I find my semester housing damage statement?
A. On your UNH Webcat account.
Log into Blackboard >> select the "Webcat/Services" tab
Enter Webcat>> click on "Bill/Account Summary/...."
From there>>"View your student account"
Click the actual damage charge to view a detailed breakdown*.
Twice a year the Department of Housing bills for damages that have occurred in the residence halls and apartments. The bill for Fall semester damages will be posted in early February and the bill for Spring semester damages will be posted in mid-June.
*only students viewing their own account have access to the detail breakdown
Q. What are Hall, Zone and Individual Damages?
A. Hall Damage: These are damages that occurred in common area, such as hallways, main lounges, stairwells, kitchens etc. These charges are divided up among all the residents of that particular hall.
Zone Damages: These would be damages that occur in a particular area of the resident’s hall. Zone damages are generally assigned by floor, wing, bathroom, etc. The zones are decided and voted upon by the hall council. Charges are split among those living in the damaged zone.
Individual Damages: These charges would be for any room damage or personal damage that a resident was responsible for. We determine this by the Student Damage Billing Agreement the resident signs claiming responsibility and the UNH Room Inventory Records at the end of each semester.
Q. What is considered building damage?
A. Destruction, theft, and vandalism to University property is building damage. University property includes furniture, walls, floors, and windows in student rooms and in common areas (stairwells, lounges, bathrooms, hallways). Extra cleaning above and beyond normal housekeeping services is also considered billable damage.
Q. Who is accountable for residence hall or apartment damages?
A. The individual(s) who is/are responsible for the damage is/are accountable for the damage. Every effort is made to discern who the responsible party is. However, when individuals cannot be identified all members living in a building are accountable and the cost is shared among the residents.
Q. Who helps determine responsibility for hall damages?
A. Students, Hall Councils, Resident Assistants, Hall Directors, Property Managers, UNH Facilities and the Department of Housing are all involved in this process.
Q. Can’t damages be paid from the housing damage deposit?
A. The University of New Hampshire does not require or collect a “damage deposit” for on-campus housing. Since there is no deposit money, residents are billed when damage occurs in the residence halls.
Q. How are residents educated/informed about hall damages and community responsibility?
A. Through floor meetings and monthly postings of damages that have occurred in the building. Residents can also read a copy of the Room and Board Agreement. Reminders are also given in periodic residence hall newsletters.
Q. Who can answer more in-depth questions?
A. If you are a parent, please ask your son or daughter. If you have any further questions or concerns after speaking with your student, please give the Department of Housing a call.
If you lived in the on-campus residence halls, please e-mail carol.knox@unh.edu. Be sure to include your name, where you lived and any specific questions. We will respond as soon as possible.
If you lived in the on-campus apartments and have questions about damages,
please e-mail mary.smith@unh.edu. Be sure to include your name, the apartment and which bedroom you lived in with any specific questions.
We will respond as soon as possible.
You can also
mail your inquiry to Department of Housing, 10 Academic Way, Durham NH 03824 or you can e-mail our offices at housing.office@unh.edu.
Common Damage Billing Fees
Extra Cleaning
The following are chargeable:
- Removing food from carpets, walls, ceilings, stair, etc.
- Removing sputum from walls, bathroom stalls, etc.
- Cleaning food, tobacco chew, excessive tooth paste, etc. out of sinks/water fountains.
- Cleaning excessive graffiti off walls.
- Cleaning excessive shaving cream off sinks, stalls, floors, etc.
- Cleaning hair that was left behind from a haircut done in the bathroom.
- Any other similar cleaning.
Charge: $20 minimum -or- billed by the hour if Housekeeping includes this information.
Trash
The following are chargeable:
- Emptying room trash into a bathroom trashcan.
- Leaving room trash in the hallways or stairwells.
- Leaving room trash in the lounges.
- Emptying room trash into a lounge trashcan.
- Pizza boxes not properly disposed.
Charge: minimum charge $20.
Rationale: Trash can leak on the carpets and create unsanitary conditions, and it has the potential to be a fire hazard. Students are responsible for disposing their own trash.
Biohazardous Matter
The following are chargeable:
- Urine, feces, condoms or vomit
- Any matter found in the UNH housing facilities.
- Charge: minimum of $100 per instance (depending on the situation, may become a criminal investigation with the UNH Police Department)
- Blood
- Any blood clean up in bathrooms, hallways, walls, carpet, lounges, etc…
- If the incident was accidental and an attempt was made to clean up, no charge will occur.
- Charge: minimum of $100 per instance. Situations that are accidental will be looked upon differently than ones that are purposeful. For example, a person who had a nose bleed and bled in the bathroom will be treated differently than an injury, resulting in blood loss, due to drunkenness or violence.
Lock & Combinations Changes
- Lock Change & Cut Keys (Residence Halls) $65
- Lock Change & Cut Keys (On-Campus Apartments) $75
- Combination Change $15
- Damaged Swipe Card Reader $400-$800
Missing Lounge Furniture
Furniture in public areas must not be removed. Several times a year, an inventory is taken of the community furniture. Items found missing will be billed to all residents living in that hall. The following are approximate replacement costs for community furniture:
- Couch: $300-$700
- Love Seat: $200-$500
- Lounge Chair: $60-$400
- Coffee Table: $140-$200
- End Table: $75-$200
- Study Table: $200-$600
Room Cleaning
The following is chargeable:
- Students leaving for the year and did not clean their rooms
Charge: $50 minimum.
Other Charges
- *Spring-loaded door hinge tampering - $40
- *Screen Removal OR Screen Damage - $50 - $175 (depending on location)
- *Life Safety Equipment (fire extinguisher, smoke detectors, etc) tampering - $100