Damage Billing

​​​Last updated: April 21, 2026

Damage Billing Timeline

• Residential building inspections: June 13-19, 2026
  
• Notifications sent to students who incurred damage charges: no later than June 30, 2026
• Student appeals: June 30 - July 30, 2026
• Appeals approved or denied: no later than August 10, 2026. There will be no additional appeals available after this final decision is made. 

If you would like to make an appeal, please fill out the Housing Operations Damage Billing Appeal Form by July 30, 2026 at 9 a.m.

Make an appeal

Billing Process

• Prior to move-in, Housing & Residence Life professional staff inspect all residential units to ensure university standards for condition and cleanliness are met. Any existing damages are documented at that time.
• ​After moving in, residents are responsible for reviewing the condition of their assigned space and submitting a Room Condition Report (RCR) to confirm the condition of the room and report any additional concerns not previously documented. Residents may be held financially responsible for damages, missing items, or changes in room condition that occur during the agreement period that were not documented by staff or reported by the resident at the start of occupancy. 
• Residents who have questions or concerns about any damages at any time during the year should email housing@depaul.edu for information and instructions. Residents may incur individual damage billing fees during the school year for issues such as lock-outs, lock changes, room repairs (where the resident is at fault) or health and safety inspection failures.  ​
  
• If you incur a fee, you will be notified via email at the preferred email address you provided to the university, and the amount will appear on your student account under “housing damage fee.”​ 
  
• When damages occur in common areas, Housing & Residence Life will make a reasonable effort to identify responsible parties prior to assigning community damage billing. If the investigation is inconclusive and staff are unable to determine which residents and/or visitors are responsible, all damages will be split equally between residents of the given floor or hall (community damage billing). Documentation of the investigation process may be reviewed as part of the appeal process. 
  
• If damage occurs within a residential unit, all damages will be split equally between roommates (and suitemates for bathroom charges) unless written notification by the responsible party is provided to housing@depaul.edu from the email address on file with the university. If a resident, multiple residents or visitors of residents are found to be responsible for damage or vandalism, they may be subject to additional repair fees and the student conduct process. Residents who host visitors associated with a vandalism incident are responsible for the damage billing charge assessed. ​
  
• More information about damage billing can be found in your Guide to Student Housing​ and in Section 10 of the Housing Agreement Terms & Conditions​. ​
  
• The “Housing Damage Fee” that appears on a student’s account may reflect charges for damages to the room or unit, excessive cleaning required after move-out, or lock changes due to missing or unreturned keys. If damage occurs in a space that does not match the damage listed below, an incidental charge will be assessed.  
• Mail keys must be returned directly to the Mail Room. Keys that are not returned will result in a damage charge for replacement. Housing and Residence Life is not responsible for returning mail keys on behalf of students. For questions, please contact studentmailcenter@depaul.edu​. 

Appeal Considerations

• Appeals must include supporting, verifiable documentation (e.g., photos, videos).
• Appeals related to community damage billing will not be approved based solely on a student’s claim that they were not present at the time the damage occurred. ​
• Appeals may not be approved without written confirmation from the responsible party via their university email. 
  

Listed below are examples of the most common charges residents receive. Please note that this list is not exhaustive and prices may change year to year.

Damage Fees

Most Common Charges

Carpentry

Painting