Petition to break the lease/license agreement

This page will give you step-by-step instructions on how to break a lease or license agreement. Please review the attached Student Housing and Meal Plan License Agreement as you read through this information.

Residence Halls: When students apply to live on campus in the residence halls, they sign an academic year Student Housing and Meal Plan License Agreement that is in effect from August move-in until May move-out.

Ponderosa Village: University Students, Faculty and Staff living in Ponderosa Village sign a Lease Agreement, which is available when offered a unit/space, and is in effect from mid-July until the following June 30. For a copy of your lease agreement, please email Ponderosavillage@unr.edu. Students who apply to live in Ponderosa Village must be eligible for Graduate Housing.
The timeframe for occupancy is clearly outlined and stated in both applications, lease and license agreements, the website, and during recruitment and orientations.

Rationale

Both Ponderosa Village and our residence halls are on-campus living options. Just as individuals in apartments are responsible for rent or many homeowners pay a mortgage, residents who agree to live on campus for the academic year (or 11.5 months at Ponderosa Village), are responsible for the terms and conditions of the agreement.

While a resident's situation may change, Residential Life, Housing and Food Services remains committed to offering an excellent residential experience that supports student/tenant success for all residents.

Qualifying events for release consideration

If your situation has changed since applying for on-campus housing and agreeing to the Lease/License Agreement, please refer to the agreement for information related to petitioning to break it.

Residence Halls License Agreements: According to the agreement, only the following reasons, considered “qualifying events”, will be reviewed by a committee of students and staff when residents request to break this legally binding agreement:

Resident withdraws from University for medical reasons
Resident is drafted or commissioned by the U.S. Armed Forces for active duty
Resident participates in University Study Abroad Program or a Semester at Lake Tahoe Program
Resident graduates in December

Ponderosa Village lease agreements:

Similar to the License Agreement for our residence halls, the following "Qualifying Events" will be reviewed by a committee of students and staff when residents request to break this legally binding agreement.

Tenant withdraws and/or is separated from employment with the university for medical reasons.
Tenant withdrawals from the university due to a change in their visa status
Tenant is drafted or commissioned by the U.S. Armed Forces for active duty
Tenant will graduate in December.

Reasons not entertained for release consideration

As you think about your situation and are considering submitting a request to cancel your legally binding lease/license agreement, please reflect on the following reasons residents have provided in the past that DO NOT qualify as a reason to break the agreement:

"I signed a lease agreement to live off campus (in the middle of my current license agreement)"
"I need/want to live off campus for financial reasons"
"I was not able to get documentation on official letterhead from a medical provider"
"I don't want to request an accommodation through the Disability Resource Center"
"I want to take all online classes"
"I need to take care of a family member but don't have/can't get documentation from a medical provider stating that medically, it needs to be me who is providing care for that family member"
"I moved out of on-campus housing and no longer live there"
"I was not able to get documentation from the U.S. Armed Forces about me being called up for active duty"
"I was not able to get documentation from the University Study Abroad office (or applicable partner) stating I will be an active participant in a study abroad program"

Petition to break the agreement

If you wish to complete a Petition to Break the Lease/License Agreement based on the information and criteria above, please fill out either the forms below:

Petition to break the housing lease/license agreement

Petition to appeal a charge or cancel meal plan

Appealing a housing charge: When appealing a housing charge, please include supporting documentation to justify why the charge is not applicable/appropriate. Once we receive your request, a committee of students and staff will review your appeal and make a decision.

Meal plans: First-year students who live on campus are required to have a meal plan. Students can make changes to their meal plan in the Housing Portal during the first three weeks of the academic semester, After this period, only upgrades are allowed, not downgrades (meal plan change requests can be submitted to housing@unr.edu). Students who want to cancel their meal plan and qualify for an exemption while living on campus may submit a request to break their meal plan agreement.

Refunds
Students: If your petition is granted and you are eligible for a refund, the amount will be credited to your student account in MyNevada. Given the processing time for the petition process, please allow up to two (2) weeks to see a housing/meal plan credit on your MyNevada account.

If you owe the University money (such as tuition, fees, insurance, library, parking, housing, meal plan, etc.), any credit from refunded housing or meal plan charges will first be applied to your outstanding balance in MyNevada. If you do not have an outstanding balance, you will receive a refund via the method you used to pay housing/dining charges. For example:

- If you paid housing/meal plan charges by credit/debit card, the refund would be issued to this bank; and it may take up to three (3) weeks to see the refund on your account depending on your bank
- If you paid housing/meal plan charges by cash, check, or money order, it may take up to three (3) weeks for you to receive a paper check; and this will be sent to your Home/Permanent address on your MyNevada account.

For Faculty/Staff: If your petition is approved and you qualify for a refund, the amount will be issued via check. Please ensure that you have provided us with a valid U.S. address for delivery