Damage Billing and Appeals

Respect for the residential environment is crucial to creating a hall or apartment community which residents can enjoy. 

You are responsible for any damage, misuse, or theft of College property that occurs within your room or apartment. You will be charged for the cost to replace, reassemble, or repair any missing or damaged property that was furnished to you.

Billing for damages is done through the Office of Residential Life and applied to your student account statement. Your Resident Assistant (RA) does not, under any circumstances, determine what is or is not billed.

Common area damage affects everyone in the community resulting in increased housing costs. When damage occurs in a public or common area, the Residence Director (RD) will work with students and staff to determine, if possible, who is responsible for the damage and its associated cost to repair.

You can avoid assessment of damage charges by these simple steps:

  • Complete and submit the Apartment/Room Condition Report (ACR/RCR) provided to you at check-in so it reflects the "move-in" condition of your room or apartment.
  • Decorate in ways and with materials consistent with Room Personalization policy.
  • Use furnishings in ways for which these are intended.
  • Clean and vacuum regularly.
  • Promptly report maintenance issues.
  • Do not remove college furniture from your room or apartment.

Pets and Smoking

Ithaca College does not permit smoking (Residence Hall Addendum, Residential Life Rules and Regulations 7.5.2.10m) or pets (Residential Life Rules and Regulations 7.5.2.10a) of any kind, except for fish, in any residence halls, rooms, or apartments. Service animals, approved support animals, and approved Guiding Eye for the Blind puppies are allowed. In the event a resident violates either of these policies they will receive a student conduct referral and held accountable for any costs incurred by the college to restore the student’s residence to a pet- and smoke- free condition.

In order to ensure future sanitary conditions and to remove evidence of a pet(s) or smoker(s), the apartment or bedroom will be professionally cleaned. This includes, but is not limited to, extraction of all carpet and furniture, cleaning of all hard surfaces (e.g. walls, ceilings, windows, fixtures) and the possible drying cleaning of window treatments.

If cleaning the space cannot eliminate evidence of a pet(s) or smoking, residents of the room or apartment will be responsible for any additional repairs or replacements that must occur. This cost will be charged to the student's account through the damage billing process. Please understand that the range of cost for this work begins at $350 for student rooms and $500 for student apartments. This cost may increase depending on size and extent of work needed.

Students who wish to contest damage charges must appeal in writing to the following email account: reshallops@ithaca.edu. Be sure to include your campus address and ID number in the appeal email.  Any appeal that you submit must be supported by the ACR/RCR you completed and submitted upon check-in.  Students who did not complete an ACR/RCR are not able to appeal room damage charges.