UPDATE 2:
I had thought this whole saga was over, but it's just kept getting weirder. I contacted one of the assistant directors at Housing and Residential Life back in mid-August. She replied the next day saying she would review the case and get back to me next week. Three weeks passed and I sent an email threatening to escalate this if I didn't hear back from her. Still no response. Finally I receive an email from her after she was contacted by the Student Confilct Resolution Center saying she would review it. Then, another week and a half later, this shows up in my inbox:
(my name) -
I have reviewed your appeal regarding damage charges for the 2005-2006 academic year.
It looks like you were first charged $500.00 split between you and your roommate. It was then reduced to $125.00. This reduction was made by (misspelled name). The $125.00 remains on your account.
Since it has taken me longer than usual to get back with you we will make a $25.00 adjustment to your account. You will be responsible for the remaining $100.00 charge.
Should you have any questions please contact me via this email or by phone at (phone number with wrong area code) .
(name)
Assistant Director
Housing Programs & Administrative Services
So I respond to that:
Quite frankly, this is ridiculous. I originally contacted you in
mid-August. It's now October. You say that you're reducing the amount by
$25 due to you taking "longer than usual". Two weeks would have been
"longer than usual". It's been seven.
You also offer no explanation how you arrived at $100, beyond the fact that
you reduced what (name) estimated by $25. I'd like to see photographs
exhibiting the damage. I would also like to see written maintenance
records, documenting both the value and amount (or hours) of materials and
labor involved in supposedly "fixing" my room.
This is not about the $125 anymore. Had you responded promptly with an
explanation of the charges, I would have let this go back in August and
paid whatever you said I owed. Instead, you have ignored me, brushed me
off, and jerked me around for months. This is now a matter of principle,
and I fully plan to fight this until I receive a full refund of the money I
was charged.
Please let me know when you can provide me with the documentation I have
requested.
Regards,
(my name)
UPDATE:
I got a letter saying that they "reviewed" the circumstances and only want $125 now. I am tempted to drag this out and try to get this down to like $50- as a college student, I have more time than money. But I would like to know what you all think, so I added a poll. Feel free to add your questions/comments/insults to the thread.
ORIGINAL POST:
I have lived in University-owned housing for the past year and I moved out at the end of May. Around the time I left, I patched and painted some of the walls where there was damage- dents, nail holes, etc. When the RA came to check me out, she filled out a sheet listing any damage to the room, and I was happy to see that what she wrote down was very minor. However, a few weeks ago I got a letter saying that there was $500 worth of damage that had to be repaired, and it would be split between me and my roomate, so I would pay $250. Their rationale for this ridiculous amount was that unionized labor costs them $70 an hour. So this would imply that it took them SEVEN HOURS (7 times 70 is 490, plus a little extra for materials) to repaint/patch my room. This, quite frankly, is insane.
The letter also mentioned that I can appeal this, so I am going to try. My question is, how should I go about this? Should I tell them I tried to fix the room (since it's possible I could get in trouble for that)? Should I be an ass about it? Let me know what you guys think.
Cliffs:
1. University wants me to pay $250 for damage to my dorm room
2. There was not this much damage, and I don't wanna pay it
3. How do I fight this?
I had thought this whole saga was over, but it's just kept getting weirder. I contacted one of the assistant directors at Housing and Residential Life back in mid-August. She replied the next day saying she would review the case and get back to me next week. Three weeks passed and I sent an email threatening to escalate this if I didn't hear back from her. Still no response. Finally I receive an email from her after she was contacted by the Student Confilct Resolution Center saying she would review it. Then, another week and a half later, this shows up in my inbox:
(my name) -
I have reviewed your appeal regarding damage charges for the 2005-2006 academic year.
It looks like you were first charged $500.00 split between you and your roommate. It was then reduced to $125.00. This reduction was made by (misspelled name). The $125.00 remains on your account.
Since it has taken me longer than usual to get back with you we will make a $25.00 adjustment to your account. You will be responsible for the remaining $100.00 charge.
Should you have any questions please contact me via this email or by phone at (phone number with wrong area code) .
(name)
Assistant Director
Housing Programs & Administrative Services
So I respond to that:
Quite frankly, this is ridiculous. I originally contacted you in
mid-August. It's now October. You say that you're reducing the amount by
$25 due to you taking "longer than usual". Two weeks would have been
"longer than usual". It's been seven.
You also offer no explanation how you arrived at $100, beyond the fact that
you reduced what (name) estimated by $25. I'd like to see photographs
exhibiting the damage. I would also like to see written maintenance
records, documenting both the value and amount (or hours) of materials and
labor involved in supposedly "fixing" my room.
This is not about the $125 anymore. Had you responded promptly with an
explanation of the charges, I would have let this go back in August and
paid whatever you said I owed. Instead, you have ignored me, brushed me
off, and jerked me around for months. This is now a matter of principle,
and I fully plan to fight this until I receive a full refund of the money I
was charged.
Please let me know when you can provide me with the documentation I have
requested.
Regards,
(my name)
UPDATE:
I got a letter saying that they "reviewed" the circumstances and only want $125 now. I am tempted to drag this out and try to get this down to like $50- as a college student, I have more time than money. But I would like to know what you all think, so I added a poll. Feel free to add your questions/comments/insults to the thread.
ORIGINAL POST:
I have lived in University-owned housing for the past year and I moved out at the end of May. Around the time I left, I patched and painted some of the walls where there was damage- dents, nail holes, etc. When the RA came to check me out, she filled out a sheet listing any damage to the room, and I was happy to see that what she wrote down was very minor. However, a few weeks ago I got a letter saying that there was $500 worth of damage that had to be repaired, and it would be split between me and my roomate, so I would pay $250. Their rationale for this ridiculous amount was that unionized labor costs them $70 an hour. So this would imply that it took them SEVEN HOURS (7 times 70 is 490, plus a little extra for materials) to repaint/patch my room. This, quite frankly, is insane.
The letter also mentioned that I can appeal this, so I am going to try. My question is, how should I go about this? Should I tell them I tried to fix the room (since it's possible I could get in trouble for that)? Should I be an ass about it? Let me know what you guys think.
Cliffs:
1. University wants me to pay $250 for damage to my dorm room
2. There was not this much damage, and I don't wanna pay it
3. How do I fight this?
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