Contract Appeals

Campus Housing’s terms and conditions states that a student with an active residence contract is financially responsible for residence fees unless they are academically withdrawn from the University, academic offer was revoked, or have graduated.

If a student is enrolled at the University and successfully cancels their residence contract*, they can submit a contract appeal. These appeals will fall into two categories: exceptional circumstances or medical grounds.

*A residence cancellation is considered successful when the cancelling student has moved out of their room, returned their keys and the cancellation has been processed by Campus Housing.

Please note:

  • All deposits are non-refundable and are therefore not subject to an appeal.
  • Students academically withdrawing (including transferring to another University) do not need to appeal. Financial relief from a residence contract will be processed once the student’s academic status changes on Quest.
  • The appeal process does not apply to student family housing contracts. The Residential Tenancies Act governs these contracts. Please see the family housing terms and conditions for more information.

The opportunity to submit an appeal expires at the end of every academic year (fall to spring), listed in the Terms and Conditions. The deadline to submit appeals for the 2022/2023 academic year has passed. The deadline to submit appeals for the 2023/2024 is July 30, 2024.

Types of Contract Appeals:


A student can submit an appeal for one of two reasons:

  • Exceptional Circumstances: Circumstances that are unforeseen or unavoidable and align with the academic term(s) in question and cannot be resolved with a change in residence contract terms. An example would be changes in an academic program or co-op would not fit either a Fall/Winter or Fall/Spring contract.
  • Medical Grounds
    Medical condition or disability that cannot be appropriately accommodated through Campus Housing. We do recommend students appealing on medical grounds to go through the Accessible Housing process before leaving residence. Our office and campus partners can work to meet the recommended housing needs of the student. We understand that medical needs change unexpectedly and some students may need to leave residence without going through the Accessible Housing process. It is also recognized that an accessible housing support may not be appropriate for every student, therefore this is recommended but not required.

All other non-academic reasons for a residence contract do not have reasons for an appeal, and students will be held financially responsible for their contract.

How to Submit an Appeal

Please select the option below that best fits your reasons for appealing to learn more about how to submit a successful contract appeal.

 

Exceptional Circumstances Appeals Process

Step 1: Collection of information 

Within ten business days of completing the Campus Housing Cancellation Form , students must also complete and submit:

  • A Notice of Appeal Form including a completed personal letter of explanation.

    • The intention of supporting documentation and the personal letter is to show a clear story and timeline as to why residence fees should be refunded. Students must ensure that all their documentation is complete, correct, and legible. Supporting documents in a foreign language must be translated. If the proper documentation is not provided, the appeal will not be considered. 

  • Supporting documentation which can include but not limited to:

    • ​​​​​​​proof of financial assistance applications (OSAP/bursaries)

    • completed registrar forms (program changes/sequence changes)

    • screenshots of Quest account records

    • relevant email communications with residence or academic staff

Step 2: Submission of information 

The completed scanned PDF appeals package should be submitted by email to housing@uwaterloo.ca. We are not able to accept emails with appeal documents attached as photographs or appeals sent as multiple attachments. The in-person drop-off is located in the Campus Housing Main Office, located in Ron Eydt Village, South Quad, Room 110. Our hours of operation are Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Step 3: Decision by Committee 

The Residence Fees & Contract Appeals Committee meets twice a term - every second and fourth month. Students will be contacted by email once a decision has been made. A contract appeal can only be submitted once, and all decisions are final. If you have been granted relief from your contract, you will receive a credit minus a $500 administration fee. ​​​​​​​

Medical Grounds Appeals Process

Step 1: Collection of information 

Within ten business days of completing the Campus Housing Cancellation Form , students must also complete and submit:

Students must ensure that all their documentation is complete, correct, and legible. Supporting documents in a foreign language must be translated. If the proper documentation is not provided, the appeal will not be considered.

Step 2: Submission of information 

The completed Notice of Appeal form must be submitted by email to housing@uwaterloo.ca. The completed Housing Disability Verification Form must be uploaded to AccessAbility Services.  We are unable to review the contract appeal if both forms are not filed by the appeal submission deadline.

We are not able to accept emails with appeal documents attached as photographs or appeals sent as multiple attachments. The in-person drop-off for Notice of Appeal forms only is located in the Campus Housing Main Office, located in Ron Eydt Village, South Quad, Room 110. Our hours of operation are Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Step 3: Decision by Committee 

The Residence Fees Contract Appeals Committee meets twice a term - every second and fourth month. Students will be contacted by email once a decision has been made. An appeal can only be submitted once, and all decisions are final. If you have been granted relief from your contract, you will receive a credit minus a $500 administration fee.

All decisions regarding reimbursement of residence fees will be made on behalf of the Residence Fees & Contract Appeals Committee.

If your appeal is approved and you decide to return to Campus Housing within one academic year, we want to support your transition. Please contact us once you have confirmed your contract and we will provide you with a $500 credit to offset your administration fee.

Important dates

Students academically withdrawing (including transferring to another University) do not need to appeal. Financial relief from a residence contract will be processed once the student’s academic status changes on Quest.

If you would like your appeal to be heard at a meeting, submit your appeal documents by 9 a.m. on the following dates:

Fall 2023, Winter 2024 & Spring 2024
Appeal Submission Deadline Appeals Committee Meeting
Monday, November 20, 2023  Week of November 27, 2023
Monday, February 19, 2024 Week of February 26, 2024
Monday, July 22, 2024 Week of July 29, 2024

 

If you are unsure if your reason for ending your contract requires an appeal, please contact us at housing@uwaterloo.ca with your full name and 8-digit Waterloo ID number.

Frequently asked questions

What is an appeal?

An appeal is an official pathway to requesting financial relief from residence fees, after successfully cancelling a residence contract.

The two accepted reasons a contract appeal can be submitted to the Residence Fees and Contract Appeals Committee are:

  • Medical Grounds (Housing Disability Verification Form – Contract Appeals is required to be completed)
  • Exceptional circumstance (Proof of an unpredicted circumstance that occurred after signing the residence contract is required)

All other reasons do not have grounds to submit an appeal.
 

When do I need to submit my appeal documentation by?

Please see the important dates calendar above to find out the submission date for supporting and relevant documentation. 

For contract appeals, all required documentation must be submitted by the deadline to allow for the Residence Fees and Contract Appeals Committee to review. For exceptional circumstance appeals, you can email your documentation to: housing@uwaterloo.ca or drop it off in person to the Campus Housing main office located in Ron Eydt Village South – S110.

If you are appealing on medical grounds, the “Housing Disability Verification Form – Contract Appeals ” can be uploaded at any time throughout the term to be considered, as medical documents reviewed by Accessability Services are  on a rolling basis.

Students will have one opportunity to submit an appeal. The decision of the committee will be final, and no further appeals will be granted.

What are the possible outcomes?

There are three outcomes:

  1. Approved: if your appeal is approved this means you will be provided financial relief for the term(s) you have requested (less a $500 administration fee).
  2. Declined: If your appeal is declined this means you are still financially responsible for your full fees as your appeal was not granted. You can consider finding a replacement for your contract, withdrawing your cancellation and returning to residence or providing new documentation to support your appeal.

  3. Requiring more Information: If your appeal is requiring more information then it means the committee has been unable to make a decision based upon the current documentation. Next steps will be included with the appeal outcome, as to what is missing.

Students have one opportunity to submit an appeal. The decision of the committee will be final, and no further appeals will be granted.

When will I be notified of the results of my appeal?

Students will be notified by email within 1 week after the committee meets.

Who is on the Residence Fees and Contract Appeals Committee?

The committee consists of Campus Housing staff and a student volunteer and meets two times per term to review the submitted documentation for each appeal. The committee will determine if a student will be relieved of their financial responsibility.

I found a replacement and submitted an appeal. What do I do now?

A successful replacement must be someone who matches your student type and is not on a current contract or part of the first-year guarantee. If your replacement meets the criteria and accepts the offer, you will be relieved of the residence fees less the $500 administrative fee. We are not able to guarantee that the replacement will receive your exact residence assignment.

You are still responsible for any fees incurred before your replacement moves into residence, but you will not need to continue through the appeals process.

I withdrew from residence and my cancellation was processed. However, now I want to live in residence.

If you decide you want to live in residence after your withdrawal form has been processed, you can replace yourself (i.e. re-apply for residence and submit a new $500 non-refundable deposit). This means that once you sign your new contract, you would be relieved of your financial responsibility from your previous contract (minus a $500 administration fee) and only held financially responsible for your new contract. If you wish to follow this route, email us via housing@uwaterloo.ca with your full name and 8-digit Waterloo ID number asking to re-apply, our staff will revive your application and provide next steps. Contact us once you have moved into residence and we will provide you with a $500 credit to make up for the administration fee you received.

I am appealing based on someone else’s medical grounds, how do I submit an appeal?

You should submit an appeal based on ‘exceptional circumstances’ and outline the reasoning in the personal letter portion of the appeal. Please do not submit someone else’s medical documentation as this will not be accepted. You also must not submit an appeal for Medical Grounds or register through the Accessible Housing process, as this route is intended for the student only.

I have questions about what to provide for medical grounds appeals.

To ensure privacy and confidentiality, Medical Grounds documentation is reviewed by Accessability Services and not Campus Housing. Should you have any questions surrounding what documentation or information is required after reviewing the Housing Disability Verification Form – Contract Appeals , please contact Accessability directly. If your documentation is not satisfactory after submitting a medical grounds appeal, you will be contacted to provide more information and your appeal will not be considered until considered complete.