Advice for Off-Campus Moving Day
Every year on August 14 and 15—when rental leases expire—thousands of students move in and out of their campus-area apartments and houses. Here are some ideas for supporting your student during this transition.
- Finding a place to park and unload can be difficult. Consider putting your cell phone number on your windshield so others can call if you have blocked access. If long-term parking is needed, check posted signs.
- Allow enough time for loading and unloading. Ongoing road and building construction projects in the downtown area may affect your timing. For the latest information, visit the Parent Program website.
- Students appreciate the help of friends and family. Offer to provide a vehicle or storage, or lend a helping hand in another way.
- Encourage your student to complete a check-in form upon move-in and keep a copy for his or her records. Renters should take photos of areas of concern, such as carpet stains or holes in walls. If the property owner or management company does not provide a form, download one at the Tenant Resource Center website at www.tenantresourcecenter.org.
- Encourage your student to work cooperatively with his or her property owner or management-company staff, notifying them promptly of any issues. It is most helpful to have your student make this contact, allowing him or her to begin building that relationship.
- Be patient and work cooperatively with the property owner, management-company staff, and future neighbors to help the process go as smoothly as possible. Anticipate that some unexpected circumstances may arise.
- Stay positive about your student’s housing decision. Expect that your student’s new home may not be perfect; downtown Madison properties range from one to 150 years old. In addition, it’s likely that someone has just moved out of the residence that your student is moving into and may not have left the place in the condition you were expecting.
- Keep property safe and secure by not propping open doors or leaving valuables unattended.
- Donate: the city of Madison, the UW, and WeConserve are pairing up with Goodwill and St. Vincent de Paul to collect donations of unwanted items during move-out/move-in dates. Drop-off sites, hours, and accepted items can be found at cityofmadison.com/movingdays.
For more information about the overall move-in process and the resources listed above, contact the Parent Program.