What Is a Student Housing Contract?

Before moving into their on-campus housing accommodations, your students will need to sign a student housing contract. For many students leaving their parent's homes, this agreement might be the first residential lease they've ever received. So, it's vital that your students understand what this type of contract entails.

It's essential to familiarize yourself with the critical elements of housing agreements as well, including their core purpose, various components, and what different clauses will mean for both you and student renters.

Purpose And Scope of a Student Housing Contract

A student housing contract is a legally binding agreement that stipulates the rights and responsibilities of your institution and a student moving into your campus accommodation. It typically includes terms and conditions for a student occupying one of your properties and what happens if they break contract terms, including any legal implications. Communicating this information in a contract can help tenants know what you expect of them when they move into your property.

Your student housing agreement will likely be many pages long. It might include specific legal terms and refer to relevant housing legislation such as the Fair Housing Act. A student's parents might help them understand the requirements of your contract and their responsibilities when living in your accommodation. 

Sharing documents like contracts with a student is easy with the best student housing software. These digital tools let you upload paperwork to platforms like Google Forms, so potential renters don't have to print out forms to sign and send them to you in the mail. A student housing property management tool simplifies the housing application process so individuals can focus on preparing for student life at your college. 

Key Components of a Student Housing Contract

A student housing contract includes specific rules and regulations from the institution that issues the agreement. Agreements for a student housing facility typically include the following components:

Duration And Terms

A section outlining the type of lease your institution offers a student and its duration should be in your student housing contract. For example, a 12-month fixed-term lease or a periodic lease. It will also include terms of the lease, such as:

• The type of property the student will occupy, such as a dorm room of a particular size

• The start and end date of the contract period for homes for student renters

• How much it costs to rent your property on a monthly or per-semester basis

• Whether a student renter can keep pets on your property

• Whether a student can sublease campus housing

• Different rules the student might abide by, such as not making excessive noise after a particular time of the day

• What happens if the student breaks these rules 

• Other responsibilities of the student, such as keeping your accommodation clean and tidy and paying application fees

• The conditions of all students who might share a property in a joint lease agreement

Roommate Agreements

Roommate agreements specify the joint responsibilities of two or more students who might share a living space. These responsibilities could include paying an equal share of your rent. 

What you include in your roommate agreement will depend on whether you offer a student a joint or individual lease:

• A joint lease is the most popular type of lease in student accommodation. These agreements mean every tenant in your property is responsible for abiding by the rules of your lease and accountable for everyone else's actions.

• An individual lease, less common than joint leases, is an agreement whereby a student is only responsible for their room and shared areas in your campus student housing, not other tenants' actions.

Rights And Responsibilities

Your housing agreement should list the rights of a student occupying your residence, many of which will be required by federal or state law. Think of it like a housing guarantee. For example, in Texas, all tenants should have the right to "quiet enjoyment" of their property. 

Your agreement will also include the responsibilities of a student living in your accommodation. For example, a student might have to put out trash on a particular day, keep your housing community clean, and make housing payments on time. 

Student Rights

As mentioned in the previous section, students have many rights when living in a property — for instance, living in a safe space that doesn't jeopardize their health or welfare and residing in a home with security devices like window latches and sliding door pin locks. You should list these privileges in your student housing agreement and explain what tenants should do if they feel their rights have been infringed. 

Rent And Fees

Your housing agreement will include information about the financial responsibilities of a student, such as how much rent they need to pay. It will also detail any fees you might charge the student if they are late with their rent and whether you will waive these fees if someone is experiencing financial hardship. You can also list any legal implications for someone who doesn't pay rent within the allotted time frame, such as a court order for an eviction or another housing decision. 

Simplify Your Student Housing Operations

Property management software for student housing and other student housing technologies can help you manage your crucial college accommodation documents. For example, you can digitize paper-based application forms for housing services and upload them to Google Forms or AirTable — speeding up the campus student housing process by removing paper forms. 

Housing.Cloud is student housing management software built with today's technology. It has features like an intuitive UI for managing potential residents and integrates with your existing student information systems, helping you update your records and remove duplicated data. Plus, Housing.Cloud is an affordable housing portal, even for small schools. 

Are you looking for a student housing management system that connects you with student renters? Request a demo today and sample Housing.Cloud's features when completing housing assignments during the online contract process.