Cancellation / Broken Lease Fee Appeal

A Cancellation or Broken Lease Fee is applied when a student cancels their housing assignment more than 10 days after selecting a space or being assigned to a space. This fee covers the administrative costs and revenue loss associated with a canceled or terminated contract. 

Why You Might Be Charged 

This fee is typically assessed if you: 

  • Cancel your license agreement more than 10 days after selecting a space or being assigned to a space.
  • Move out mid-year while still being enrolled in classes.
  • Break your contract before the end of the agreement term. 

What Might Be Approved 

Appeals may be approved in cases when you can show that something unexpected and out of your control changed your situation after you submitted your housing assignment. Examples could include: 

  • A sudden significant change in your financial situation (for example, job loss of a parent/guardian)
  • A serious health issue or injury that prevents you from continuing to live on campus
  • A major family event (for example, needing to assist with care for a seriously ill immediate family member)
  • Learn more about appeals documentation.

What Might Not Be Approved 

Appeals are generally not approved in situations where the change was known or foreseeable when you applied, or where the issue is within your control or expectation. Examples include: 

  • Disliking your housing assignment or roommate situation (without showing you pursued the available support)
  • Misunderstanding or missing deadlines because you didn’t read the agreement or communications
  • No verifiable documentation of the claimed change 

How To Appeal

1

Access the Cancellation Fee Appeal Request on Cards Nest.

  1. Log onto the Cards Nest Portal
  2. Click the menu button and choose "Dispute Fees"
  3. Select "Broken Lease Fee" in the Drop Down menu.

*Note: Cancellation fees must be appealed within one calendar year of the fee being posted.

2

Select the application period for which you would like to appeal the fee.

Click the "View Your Appeal" button next to the term you want to appeal for.

3

Complete the Cancellation Fee Request and select "Finish."

As part of the request, you will be able to do the following:

  • Explain your reason for appealing. We understand that unforeseen and extenuating circumstances sometimes occur after a student has assigned/been assigned to a room on campus. These circumstances mean that it is no longer in the best health or financial interest of the student to live on campus.
  • Upload official documentation to support your case. All files should be uploaded in PNG, PDF, or JPEG formats so that they may be reviewed in our system. The files should also be legible and sized appropriately for reading (e.g. not as thumbnail-sized images). You may upload multiple files as part of your request. 

4

Monitor Your University Email for an Appeals Update

Once the appeals committee has reviewed your case, you will receive an email to your university email account with an appeals update. 

  • Update Type One: If your appeal request is approved, you will be notified that the cancellation fee for your approval term will be credited to your student financial account within 5-7 business days.
  • Update Type Two: If your appeal request is unable to be approved, then you will be notified that you are responsible for paying the cancellation fee for your denial term. Any changes to your student financial account will occur within 5-7 business days.
  • Update Type Three: If more documentation is requested for your case, then you will receive an email which asks you to upload additional documentation to support your case. You will be able to re-access your cancellation fee appeal request in order to upload any new documentation and re-submit. Then, your case will be reviewed again and you should monitor your UofL email account for an updated decision