Leases & Leasing Policies

Eagle Heights & University Houses Lease

Leases can begin at any point during the year, but all leases end on June 30 of each year. Leases may be renewed for a 12 month period based on continued eligibility. Leases may be renewed annually for a total of eight years (96 months), subject to continued eligibility.

2012-2013 Eagle Heights and University Houses Lease (PDF)

Harvey Street Apartments Lease

Leases are from June 1 to May 31, and are renewable. If there is an available space, new applicants may move in at any time during the year. In apartments with a single resident, leases may be terminated with 90 days written notice to the University Apartments Office.

2012-2013 Harvey Street Lease (PDF)

Should I Sign the Lease?

Please read through this checklist to determine if you should accept this offer and sign a lease with University Apartments.

Are you able to commit to paying rent on the date your lease begins?
Are you able to send a deposit ($300) at this time?
Have you received your student visa (if applicable)?
Has your academic department admitted you?
Have you been accepted by the UW Graduate school, Admissions office, or other UW Madison school?

If you answer "NO" to any of these questions, you may wish to resolve that issue before signing a lease with University Apartments. Once you sign a lease, you are obligated to pay a minimum of 90 days rent, even if you are unable to attend the University.

Terminating Your Lease

Eagle Heights & University Houses

A lease may be terminated by giving 90 days written notice to the University Apartments Office. You are expected to submit a 90 day notice of lease termination to coincide with completion of your university work. Click here to use our 90 Day Notice Calculator.

Harvey Street Apartments

In apartments with roommates, leases may be terminated with 90 days written notice to the University Apartments Office if both roommates agree. Click here to use our 90 Day Notice Calculator.If both roommates wish to terminate their lease, both roommates must fill out the TERMINATION OF LEASE. If one roommate wishes to move out, the roommate who will remain in the apartment must sign a ROOMMATE RELEASE FORM. A roommate may remain in that same apartment under their current lease by making arrangements with the Manager of Apartment Leases at the University Apartments Office.

If the roommate who will remain does NOT sign a ROOMMATE RELEASE FORM, both roommates will continue to be liable for the monthly rent. If one roommate wishes to move out, it is highly recommended that they contact the Manager of Apartment Leasing to discuss the details of the process. In order for a new roommate to move in, that roommate must apply to live in the apartment by filling out a ROOMMATE APPLICATION FORM. The form can either be faxed or mailed to the University Apartments Office:

Fax: 608-265-5302

Mail: Assignment Coordinator
University Apartments Office
611 Eagle Heights
Madison, WI 53703

If a resident has a new roommate move in, both the current resident and the new roommate will sign a new lease. When you receive an apartment lease, you will need to sign and return it with a $300 deposit.

Appeal Process

All appeals must be submitted in writing. All appeals are reviewed by the Director of Administrative Services & Leasing and all appeals will be responded to in writing or via email. Requests to waive the 90 day notice requirement are rarely granted. We offer the 90 day notice instead of a more traditional one year lease which would hold residents responsible for the entire year. This policy has allowed flexibility for residents who are leaving, for whatever the reason, in addition to helping us keep rent rates as low as possible for all residents. University Apartments is entirely self-funded, our revenue is generated by the apartments. We receive no funding from the University or outside departments. The cost of vacancy loss that results from short termination notice is spread to the other residents of the community if the apartment resident is not held responsible.

Mitigating Damages

When terminating your lease you are actually dealing with 2 different dates. The first is the Lease Termination Date, the date you wish to terminate your lease and leave the apartment, and the second date is the Rent Obligation Date, the 90 day notice date. If you give "proper notice" or the required 90 days notice, the dates will be the same. If you give "short" notice, your Rent Obligation Date will be after the Lease Termination Date.

If a resident's lease termination date is before the rent obligation date, we review the turnover schedule to see if we can fit the apartment into the schedule and try to make it available for a new resident before the rent obligation date.

If we can accelerate the turnover and if we can set a new availability date and if we find a new resident for the apartment, rent obligation would end as of the day a new resident's lease begins.

Payment Arrangements

If you would like to discuss options for setting up a payment plan for the rent owed, please contact John Harvey, our Collections and Cash Manager at 262-3137.

Not Renewing Your Lease

If you plan to move out at the end of the lease year, it would be helpful to our Leasing & Facilities staff if you would submit a LEASE TERMINATION form indicating your plans to move out. This will allow us to schedule cleaning and maintenance work for your apartment and determine the new availability date for the apartment. We can then offer the apartment to the wait list sooner.

Student Eligibility

Credit Requirements

To be "eligible", a graduate student must carry a minimum of two credits per academic year semester unless the student is a dissertator, then three credits per academic year semester are required. An undergraduate student must carry a minimum of six credits per academic year semester

Spring Graduation

If you graduate at the end of the Spring 2012 semester, you should plan to move out of your apartment on or before the end of your current lease (May 31, 2012 for Harvey Street Apartments or June 30, 2012, for Eagle Heights and University Houses). If you wish to terminate your lease before the end of the lease year, you must submit a LEASE TERMINATION for providing 90 days notice.

If you plan to move out at the end of the lease year, it would be helpful to our Leasing and Facilities staff if you would submit a Lease Termination form indicating your plans to move out. This will allow us to schedule cleaning and maintenance work for your apartment and determine the new availability date for the apartment. We can then offer the apartment to the wait list sooner.

Summer Graduation

If you graduate at the end of summer, you can stay in University Apartments for the summer and move out on or before August 31, 2012. You must sign the lease renewal to be able to stay in your apartment past the end of the 2011-2012 lease year. To comply with the 90-day written notice requirement, submit your lease termination form to the University Apartments Office in the Community Center by no later than June 2, 2012.

Non-Student Eligibility - Eagle Heights & University Houses ONLY

UW Appointment Ending

If your appointment will be ending during the Spring 2012 semester, you should plan to move out of your apartment on or before June 30, 2012, the end of your current lease. If you wish to terminate your lease before the end of the lease year, you must submit a Lease Termination for providing 90 days notice.

Financial Questions

Online Payment

Residents are able to make online payments at My UW Housing. You will need to have a NetID and Password to access My UW Housing. If you do not have an active NetID, you will not be able to use the system at this time. Once you have logged in, you will be able to see your Account Information screen. This screen will show the Lease Account(s) and Personal Account for each Leaseholder. The amounts shown for each account will be total amounts. You will be able to see a more detailed breakdown by clicking on the totals. From the Account Information Screen you will be able to "View Bill", "Make a Payment" or "Set up an Authorized Payer".

The Division of University Housing accepts electronic checks (eChecks), debit and credit cards (Mastercard, Discover or American Express ONLY) for online payments of Housing bills. The following types of checks are not allowed for eCheck payments:

Credit card cash advance checks (convenience checks)
Home equity line of credit checks
Brokerage account checks

If you have questions about your Housing Account, on-line payments, or our collections policy, please contact the Cashier’s Office in Slichter Hall, 625 Babcock Drive (608) 262-3137. The Cashier’s Office hours are Monday – Friday 7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Rates

We are unable to accept payments from foreign bank accounts or credit card companies. There is a 2.75 percent convenience fee for online debit or credit card payments. There is no fee charged for payment by electronic check (EChecks). The University has contracted with CASHNet SmartPay to process online credit card transactions for the Division of University Housing. The 2.75 percent convenience fee covers the cost of CASHNet’s services as well as the fees charged by the credit card companies. The Division of University Housing has decided to require those who make payments using a credit card to cover the cost of this service rather than adding the cost to Housing’s rent rates.

Length of Stay Limits

Individual

Occupancy in University Apartments is limited to a maximum of 8 years (96 months) for an individual or a family. Occupancy is calculated based on the time an individual or family has lived in any area of University Apartments. Residents nearing the maximum length of stay will be notified that they are receiving their last lease renewal so that they will have a year’s notice to plan their transition out of University Apartments.

Continuous Occupancy

Continuous occupancy of an apartment is also limited to 8 years (96 months). This limit is designed to address concerns that as roommates are added to, and released from apartment leases, we have apartments that have not undergone turnover (cleaning and maintenance) for many years. Residents living in an apartment that has been continuously occupied will be notified that they will be receiving a last lease renewal for their apartment. Eligible residents will be allowed to transfer to a different apartment without paying a transfer fee.

Changes in Household Size or Type

Eagle Heights Occupancy Limitations

One bedroom apartments may be assigned to couples without children, families with up to three members and to single applicants. Roommates are not allowed in one bedroom apartments. Families with more than three persons are not eligible to remain in a one-bedroom apartment.
Two bedroom apartments may be assigned to families with one or more dependent children or other legal dependents, couples without children, families with up to five persons and to single applicants who may choose to reside alone or with one eligible roommate. Families with more than five persons are not eligible to remain in a two bedroom apartment.
Three bedroom and Small Three bedroom with laundry apartments may be assigned to families with two or more dependent children or other legal dependents, but no more than seven persons. Large three bedroom and 3 bedroom townhouses may be assigned to families with two or more dependent children or other legal dependents, but no more than eight persons.

University Houses Occupancy Limitations

One bedroom apartments may be assigned to couples without children, families with up to three members and to single applicants. Roommates are not allowed in one bedroom apartments. Families with more than three persons are not eligible to remain in a one-bedroom apartment.
Two bedroom apartments may be assigned to families with one or more dependent children or other legal dependents, couples without children, families with up to six persons and to single applicants who may choose to reside alone or with one eligible roommate. Families with more than six persons are not eligible to remain in a two bedroom apartment.
Three bedroom apartments may be assigned to families with two or more dependent children or other legal dependents, but no more than eight persons.

Harvey Street Apartments Occupancy Limitations

One bedroom apartments may be assigned to one single student. Roommates are not allowed in one bedroom apartments.
Two bedroom apartments may be assigned to single applicants who may choose to reside alone, or with one eligible roommate.