As outlined in the Campus Housing terms and conditions, a residence contract holds a student financially responsible for their residence fees unless a student has graduated, or is academically withdrawn or revoked.
In certain occasions, there may be grounds to submit an appeal to release a student from being financially responsible for their contract.
Grounds for appeals
The following are grounds on which a student may submit an appeal to the Residence Fees & Contract Appeals Committee:
- Exceptional circumstance
- Medical condition/disability that cannot be appropriately accommodated through Campus Housing
All other reasons for a residence withdrawal do not have grounds for an appeal, and students will be held financially responsible. Students academically withdrawing do not need to appeal. Financial relief will be processed once the student’s status changes on Quest.
Additionally, all deposits are non-refundable and not subject to an appeal.
All decisions regarding reimbursement of residence fees will be made on behalf of the Residence Fees & Contract Appeals Committee.
*Please note that the appeal process does not apply to student family contracts. The Residential Tenancies Act governs these contracts. Please see your terms and conditions for more information.
Exceptional Circumstances
Students appealing based on exceptional circumstances are required to provide a personal letter explaining the reason why residence fees should be refunded. Supporting documentation is optional but recommended. Exceptional circumstances are defined as circumstances that are unforeseen or unavoidable and align with the term(s) in question.
Medical Grounds
Students appealing on medical grounds should go through the Accessible Housing process before leaving residence so our office and campus partners can work to meet the needs shared in their recommendation. We understand that medical needs may change swiftly, and some students may need to leave residence without going through the Accessible Housing process.
If you are appealing for medical reasons, you must download and have your health care provider complete the “Housing Disability Verification Form – Contract Appeals ". Please upload the completed form by the appeal deadline listed below. The recommendation will be added to the appeal submission and fulfills the required supporting documentation component.
The appeal process
Step 1:
Within ten business days of completing the Campus Housing Withdrawal and Cancelation Form, students must complete:
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.
If you are appealing based on medical grounds, you must:
Step 2:
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.
Step 3:
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.
Note: If your appeal is approved and you decide to return to Campus Housing in the future, 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 off-set your administration fee.
Appeals were paused for the 2021-2022 academic year. If you wish to submit an appeal for Spring 2022, please submit a cancellation request outlining your reason for cancellation.
No appeal is required if you are transferring or withdrawing from the University.
Beginning Fall 2022, if you are breaking your residence contract for reasons other than transferring/withdrawing from the University, you must submit an appeal. If you are unsure if your reason for breaking your contract requires an appeal, please contact us at housing@uwaterloo.ca with your full name and 8-digit Waterloo ID number.
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 2022, Winter 2023 & Spring 2023 |
|---|
| Appeal Submission Deadline |
Appeals Committee Meeting |
|---|
| Monday, July 25, 2022 |
Week of August 1, 2022 |
| Monday, November 21, 2022 |
Week of November 28, 2022 |
| Monday, February 13, 2023 |
Week of February 20, 2023 |
| Monday, July 24, 2023 |
Week of July 31, 2023 |
The opportunity to submit an appeal expires at the end of every academic year. The deadline to submit appeals for the 2020/2021 academic year has passed. The Committee will not consider any additional appeals for the 2020/2021 academic year.
Frequently asked questions
What is an appeal?
If you are looking for relief for your residence fees after withdrawing from residence, you can submit an appeal.
The following are grounds in which a student may submit an appeal to the Residence Fees and Contract Appeals Committee:
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. 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 ” must also be uploaded by the appeal deadline to be considered. If it is submitted after 9 a.m. (EST/EDT) on the deadline day, the appeal will be considered incomplete and will be reviewed at the next committee meeting.
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 some examples of supporting documentation?
Examples of supporting documentation:
- Exceptional Circumstance: many reasons fall under this category so make sure your documentation and letter support your reasoning. Please note that your documentation must prove that an unforeseen circumstance occurred after you signed your residence contract.
If your circumstances are medically related, a letter from a medical professional which outlines your condition and why you must withdraw from residence must be submitted through the Housing Disability Verification Form.
Please note: Campus Housing will verify your academic standing through the Registrar’s Office. Supporting documentation will not be required if cancelling a residence contract due to an academic withdrawal.
Decisions are based on the documentation submitted that creates a compelling argument for an appeal. Ensure that all your documentation is correct, legible, and clearly outlines your reason(s) for appealing.
What are the possible outcomes?
There are two outcomes:
- 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).
- 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 or replacing yourself to be relieved of your financial responsibility.
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 - 2 weeks after the committee meets.
Who is on the Residence Fees and Contract Appeals Committee?
The committee consists of Campus Housing staff 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 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 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. We want to support your transition back into residence – 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.
