Apartment Cleanliness

Authorized personnel of the Office of Housing Services/Columbia University have the right to enter and inspect the resident's room for safety, health, and other administrative reasons related to the University's educational mission. University staff have the right to enter the resident's room without the resident present.  

It is expected that residents maintain their bedrooms; in addition to all common areas in apartments (bathrooms, kitchens, common-area corridors, etc.) in order to maintain a general level of cleanliness living on campus. Regular cleaning maintenance will insure a comfortable, sanitary living environment for all, and minimizes the control of pests as well as enhances safety precautions. In addition, trash and recycling must be appropriately discarded on a regular basis. 

If apartments are found to be in violation of cleaning standards (while OHS/Columbia University personnel are in your apartments for repairs, inspections, etc.) residents will be receive notice from OHS.  The Office of Housing Services will re-inspect apartments within five days to ensure that residents have rectified the situation and cleaned the apartment common areas. Cleaning violations not rectified by the tenants will be subject to billing for cleaning services, as we would assign a cleaning services to your apartment to clean the common areas, at minimum of $200, or loss of eligibility for housing.