Family Student Housing Move-Out

Welcome to the UC Berkeley family student housing move-out guide. We are here to support you through your transition out of campus housing. Please review these steps and resources for essential information, responsibilities, and deadlines.

Click the links to jump directly to the section below.

Submit your intent to vacate form
Checkout procedures
Move-out responsibilities
Move-out logistics

Submit your intent to vacate form

If you’re planning to move out of family student housing, start by submitting a Family Student Housing Intent to Vacate (ITV) PDF form at least 30 days before your move-out date. For questions about the Intent to Vacate or cancelling your rental agreement, visit Cancellation and Appeals.

You must submit an Intent to Vacate at least 30 days notice before you move out. Rent is prorated based on your move-out date, so you will not be charged the full month’s rent if you submit your Intent to Vacate form on time and your vacate date is before the end of the month.

According to the rental agreement, "[Residents] agree to file the Intent to Vacate form at least thirty (30) days prior to vacating, and that, if for any reason the apartment is vacated before the end of the thirty (30) day period, they will continue to be responsible for the payment of the rent for thirty (30) days following the date of the notice."

Therefore, if you do not submit the Intent to Vacate form at least 30 days before you move out, you will be billed 30 days of rent from the day the form is received, even if you move out earlier.

If you do not move out on time, you will be charged a $125 daily fine in addition to your rental rate for each additional day.
- Spring graduates – Submit Intent to Vacate by May 30
- Summer graduates – Submit Intent to Vacate by June 30
- Fall graduates – Submit Intent to Vacate by December 1
If there is a possibility you will need to move out later, you can submit an extension request by completing the Family Student Housing - Extension Request Form. It is recommended that you submit the form at least 45 days before your current move-out date. Please note, extension requests are not guaranteed to be approved, so we recommend preparing to vacate on time in case your extension is not granted.

Checkout procedures

After you’ve submitted the Intent to Vacate form, there are a few important tasks to complete to help ensure everything goes smoothly.

Schedule a pre-move-out inspection. Within two weeks of your move-out date, you may request an optional pre-move-out inspection from the University Village office. This inspection can provide helpful guidance on what to address before you leave and may help you avoid unexpected charges.
Forward your mail. Request forwarding mail service with the U.S. Postal Service online or by visiting the U.S. Post Office at least two weeks in advance of your move-out. Students will also need to update their address in CalCentral.
1. Check your mailbox before turning in keys. You will not have access to your mailbox after moving out.
2. The closest post office is located at 1191 Solano Ave in Albany.
Update delivery subscriptions. Change your address for all regular deliveries to your apartment, such as newspapers, magazines, or Amazon shipments.
Discontinue or transfer utilities. Before moving out, be sure to discontinue or transfer any telephone or cell phone ancillary equipment services. You should also cancel any digital subscription services tied to your address that are not provided by the university, including cable or satellite services. If you use a satellite dish, you must remove the dish along with any coaxial cables and staples; otherwise, removal charges will apply.
Return keys to the office. On the day you vacate, return your apartment keys to the University Village office during business hours. Do not leave keys in your apartment or with friends. If keys are not returned on your vacate date, additional rent will be charged for each day they are late, as we cannot consider the apartment vacant until the keys are received.
1. If it appears you have moved out but have not returned your keys, the apartment will be considered abandoned; the locks will be changed at your expense, and you may incur prorated rent.
2. If you are moving out outside of business hours, place your keys in an envelope labeled with your name and your building and apartment numbers. Slide the envelope through the mail slot to the left of the Village office entrance. The same late-return charges apply if keys are not submitted properly.
Complete final payments. Rent will be prorated based on your move-out date. Students should review their CalCentral account to ensure all balances are paid to avoid late fees, financial holds, or involvement of collection agents. Non-students can check their account through the Housing Portal or contact Student Affairs Cashiers to confirm that all final payments have been made and the account is cleared.

Move-out responsibilities

Although we expect a certain amount of normal wear and tear on your apartment, it must be left in a clean and satisfactory condition. By the time of your vacate date, your apartment most likely will have been assigned, and the prospective tenants must be able to move in without delay. The following is provided to assist you in meeting the university’s necessary standards of cleanliness.

Important reminders:

When leaving, turn off the heater thermostat.
Leave all university-provided recycling and compost containers in the apartment. Failure to leave them will result in charges.
Remove any items in storage and thoroughly sweep or vacuum the storage area.
Remove any hardware attached to the walls.
Remove any items on the patio or balcony and thoroughly sweep or vacuum.
Wash down any chalk or marks on the walls.
Remove the name from the mailbox.
Turn off the lights. Lock doors and windows.

Clean your apartment

Do not wait to begin cleaning on the last day before you move out. Appliances in the kitchen typically require the most attention upon move-out. Regular cleaning on a day-to-day basis is the best practice. Otherwise, allow sufficient time for deep, detailed cleaning to meet expectations.

Do not pull the stove out from the wall, as it may disturb the gas line.
1. Remove all the oven’s removable parts and place them in the sink for cleaning. Clean the oven with a heavy-duty degreasing cleaner and a new scrub pad and sponge, following the recommendations listed below.
2. Run the oven self-clean feature if it has moderate to heavy build-up from frequent use. Refer to your stove manual for cleaning procedures. Do not use any cleaning products inside the oven.
3. Wash the stove top, edges, and front of the control panel, drip pans, racks, and oven drawer with a cleaning solution, such as Spic and Span, to remove grease and marks. Use care not to scratch or saturate any electronic parts, such as the LED control screen for the oven.
4. Remove any residue on the burner pans, under and on top of the rings, around the coils on top, and on both sides of the broiler/grill. Clean with S.O.S or a similar type of steel wool soap pads. Soaking the pans in an ammonia solution will help loosen any residue.
5. Remove stove knobs and clean in a soapy water solution. We recommend that you soak them for a few hours in the solution to gently clean them. Do not use heavy-duty oven cleanser on the knobs since it may remove the writing from the knob. Do not scrub the knobs with steel wool pads since they will scratch the finish and may also remove the writing.
6. Reassemble the stove with the cleaned removable parts, and wipe down all surfaces, including the bottom drawer. Leave the broiler pan inside the oven. Vacuum any debris under the stove by removing the drawer in front of the stove.
7. Make sure to turn off stove burners and oven controls.
Clean the top, sides, and front of the fan over the stove with a heavy-duty grease cleaner. Do not remove filter screens for cleaning, as the concentrated grease may clog the drain in your sink.
Turn off or unplug the refrigerator while cleaning. Remove all food from inside the refrigerator and freezer. Remove any items from the top of the refrigerator compartments.
- Clean the outside of the refrigerator with a mild liquid detergent or baking soda; be sure to wipe the doors, sides, and top of the refrigerator. We suggest that you use a new sponge designed for scrubbing hard surfaces. Do not use steel wool pads that may scratch the surface. Roll the refrigerator out from the wall and remove all personal property around it. Vacuum and clean the floors and walls, under, behind, and beside the refrigerator.
- Clean the inside of the refrigerator thoroughly. Wash the walls, door shelves, racks, vegetable drawers, crisper top, door, and door gasket/rubber strip around the door, especially gasket folds. Leave the ice trays inside the refrigerator.
- Occasionally, refrigerators will accumulate frost. Do not use ice picks, hair dryers, or other heating mechanisms to help defrost the freezer. Excessive heat may puncture the evaporator lines, and you will be charged for replacing the refrigerator.
- Wash the kitchen sink and faucets with a soft scrub liquid cleanser.
- Clean the metal drainpipe in the cabinet under the sink. Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
- Remove any garbage spills or stains using care not to scratch the cabinet bottom.
Clean wood cabinets and drawers carefully to avoid damage from scrubbing too hard or using abrasive cleaners.
- Wash the outside “faces” and insides of all cabinets and drawers, especially around the handles, with mild liquid detergent.
- Empty the drawers and wipe them out. Vacuum any dry goods spilled in drawers: seeds, spices, rice, salt, etc.
- Wipe down all sticky spots with a sponge and mild soap solution.
Wash the tub, tub wall, vanity top, sink, faucets, soap dish, medicine chest, floors, baseboards, walls, doors, and toilet, including all around outside of the bowl, seat, and lid.
- Use a soft cleanser on all shower, tub, sink, and tile areas; then rinse well and wipe dry to avoid spotting or residue.
- Some mildew deposits can be cleaned from fixtures and walls with a general cleaner; for stubborn mildew and mold stains, you may need a product such as X-14 or Tilex. Use a scrubbing sponge or stiff brush/toothbrush to remove mildew.
- Wash the medicine cabinet inside and out, including the top and sides.
- Wipe the mirror with non-abrasive glass cleaner. Remove any decals/stickers that you have applied. Use rubbing alcohol or a glass cleaning solution for difficult removal.
- Remove all nails, picture hooks, and anchors from the walls. Do not fill holes; painters will repair them.
  - Charges may be assessed for any drilled holes, ceiling hooks, and large nail holes, except holes specifically used to “earthquake-proof” your property.
  - Charges may also apply if: hardware is not removed, if there are an excessive number of holes, or if holes have been badly patched or filled.
- Remove all marks on walls and doors. This includes tape marks, handprints, writing in chalk, crayon, marker, or pencil, furniture scuffs, and any other marks or scuffs that can be removed with detergent and water, a scrub pad, and a sponge.
- Clean light switches, electric outlet covers, door handles, and baseboards. Unplug items and turn off the circuit breaker before cleaning around electrical outlets.
- Clean off all mildew.
- Remove all stickers, stars, tape, and tape marks from the windows, walls, and ceilings.
- Clean all the window frames.
- Vacuum or brush off all screens and leave the screens in place in the window.
- Vacuum or dust off all window blinds and sills.
- Clean all window tracks and any dirt or mold growth on vinyl edges; you do not have to wash the window glass. Leave all security locks at the windows.
- Untangle any knots on blind cords.

Move-out logistics

Moving containers and trucks

If you plan to use a moving container or moving truck, please know that the Village has limited parking and narrow streets that must remain clear for AC Transit buses and other through traffic. During loading and unloading, please ensure you do not block traffic. You can use your reserved space, which is approximately 7.5 feet x 16 feet; check with neighbors about temporarily using their spaces, or park in guest spaces. Do not drive cars, trucks, or trailers on lawns or sidewalks, as this can damage underground water lines and result in repair charges billed to you.

Moving handcarts

Handcarts for moving heavy items, moving “dollies,” may be checked out from the University Village office. If you borrow a moving dolly, you are responsible for its proper usage and liable for it while it is in your possession. There will be a charge for any dolly not returned within a 24-hour period. Dollies checked out on weekends may be kept until Monday at no additional charge. The charge for a lost dolly is $265.

Rental verification

If you need assistance with rental verification, the UC Berkeley Business Operations team can work with you on this request. Please complete a Request Rental Verification form.

Damages

Any damage or cleaning costs incurred will be assessed at the current UC Berkeley labor recharge and material rates and are subject to change without prior notification. Tenants are liable for the cost to return the apartment to the original move-in condition, minus normal wear and tear.

When a resident elects not to clean up their apartment before vacating, it means that university staff must. This is not a regular service, and we will charge your CalCentral account for damage and cleaning costs. Failure to pay damage and cleaning costs charged will result in collection efforts and affect your overall credit.

Security deposit

Security deposits are refunded after final inspection of your apartment, and after deducting any damage or cleaning charges.

Deposits may be applied toward any outstanding rent or miscellaneous charges.
It will take Student Affairs Business Operations approximately three weeks to process your refund.
Students can ensure that refunds due are received upon vacating family housing by updating account information or Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) information at CalCentral.
Residents with questions about their deposit can call Student Affairs Business Operations at 510-642-1524 or email busops@berkeley.edu.