Residence Agreement

Your Residence Agreement is a contract with the University of Alberta (your landlord) outlining the terms of your time in residence.

In signing your agreement, you agree to be responsible for being aware of and understanding all of its terms and conditions, including following the Residence Agreement, Residence Community Standards Policy, House Rules and to complete an extended absence from residence form when required.

The Residence Agreement provides protections to the resident and the landlord and outlines what you can expect as a resident, so read it closely. It includes information on:

  • The dates of your agreement (when you can live in residence)
  • Terminating your agreement
  • Goods you leave behind when you move out
  • Insurance information
  • Residence deposits and rates
  • Room transfers
  • Guests and pets in residence

Breach of Agreement

A breach of the Residence Agreement may include failure to pay rent, damage to the unit or disruption to the community among others.

Some breaches can be resolved through a restorative practice process under the Residence Community Standards Policy. However, matters that do not meet the criteria will be addressed by the Director, Residence Occupancy, Life, Education and Services or a designate acting as landlord.

Residents that were part of a restorative practice as a responsible party and who fail to meet the agreed repairs, who are not able to come to an agreement or who continue to commit infractions following a restorative practice are considered in breach of their Residence Agreement.

Breach of agreement guidelines

Where a resident has breached their Residence Agreement and the Residence Community Standards Policy is not applicable, the university (the landlord) will internally investigate the type and scope of the breach. The landlord will advise the resident that they may access services including the Office of the Student Ombuds.

The landlord may take one or more of the following steps, depending on the circumstances:

  • Require payment from the resident for damage caused to university property, cleaning resulting from the behaviour or outstanding charges on the resident’s account
  • Remind the resident of expectations outlined in the Residence Agreement, Residence Community Standards Policy or House Rules in a letter of residence expectations
  • Set additional behaviour requirements for the resident for a set period of time in a letter of residence behaviour conditions
  • Notify the resident that they are on probation status and that any further breach of the Residence Agreement may result in eviction in a letter of residence probation status
  • Evict the resident from the premises pursuant to the terms of the Residence Agreement and the Residential Tenancies Act, where applicable, which may include revoking housing and visiting privileges
  • The landlord may also recommend to Student Conduct and Accountability or University of Alberta Protective Services that the student be excluded from residence property

Housing and visiting privileges

Once an individual is no longer a resident, the landlord may revoke housing and visiting privileges on a case by case basis. Administratively, this places the individual on the Residence Exclusion List (REL).

  1. An individual whose housing and visiting privileges have been revoked is not eligible to live in or apply to live in or enter any University of Alberta residence for any reason or participate in activities organized exclusively for residents and guests.
    • Commercial areas intended for the use of the wider university community, such as the businesses and services in HUB Mall, are exempt
    • Lister Centre public areas (the Marina, dining hall, conference rooms, offices, David Tuckey Gym and lobby areas) are not exempt
  2. A former resident who has had visiting privileges revoked may write or email Residence Services at least one week in advance to request to attend a non-residence function in a residence building
  3. Any individual who has had their housing and visiting privileges revoked and enters a University of Alberta residence or participates in a residence-sponsored activity (for residents and eligible guests) will be in violation of the Student Conduct Policy and addressed under the associated procedures
  4. An individual’s housing and visiting privileges are revoked indefinitely. However the individual may petition the landlord to reinstate their visiting privileges one calendar year after their privileges were revoked

Unit transfers

Residence Services reserves the right to move residents when necessary.

In situations involving the health, safety and security of residents and the university community, Residence Services may also issue a letter of residence behaviour conditions outlining visiting and/or behavioural restrictions following a transfer.

If you applied to Augustana residences, your residence application can be transferred to another University of Alberta residence.

Request for reconsideration

After a decision has been made under this process a resident may request a review of the decision within 5 business days of the written notice from the landlord. The resident may make a written request for reconsideration of the Director, Residence Occupancy, Life, Education and Services or designate as identified in the decision letter.

A request for reconsideration may be allowed in the following circumstances:

  • The resident demonstrates that the appropriate process was not followed or was unfair
  • Information that is relevant to the issue is now available and was not available at the time the decision was made
  • The decision was patently unfair

Once the reconsideration process is complete, the decision of the Director, Residence Occupancy, Life, Education and Services is final.