Thank you for using uhomes!

Congratulations on selecting your perfect accommodation at uhomes and getting ready to make a reservation! To ensure a seamless booking experience and prevent any potential complications, we have summarized a list of frequently asked questions for your convenience. We kindly request that you read them carefully.

1、Room type, tenancy, floor, orientation, roommates, utilities and number of rooms

(1) The Orientation

The apartment enjoys sunshine either in the morning or in the afternoon, and we will try to ensure that every room can enjoy the sunshine, so you don't need to pay too much attention to the orientation.

(2) Roommates

Please understand that the apartment/homestay will not disclose the nationality of the roommate in advance due to racial discrimination possibility. Before booking, the consultant may provide you with some roommates’ information, such as gender. However, please note that there may be changes in roommates after move-in. For instance, the gender of the roommate confirmed during the booking process may differ from the information provided during the initial enquiry. This can occur if a roommate cancels their reservation along the way. In the event of available rooms due to a roommate's cancellation, the apartment will randomly assign a new roommate, resulting in roommate changes. We kindly ask for your awareness of this situation.

If you and your friends are planning to rent a suite, please note that if one of the roommates cancels the reservation half way, the apartment will assign a new roommate randomly.

The photos, videos, and VR tours of the apartments provided on our website are sourced from the apartments’ official websites or taken during on-site visits. Some live videos are recorded by the apartments and hostels themselves. Most of the pictures feature model rooms, so there may be some differences in the actual rooms. To create a cozy atmosphere, the apartments and hostels may decorate with artwork and flowers, although these items are not provided during your stay. However, you are welcome to personalize your own space according to your preferences. The apartments provide fixed furniture such as beds, cabinets (some with storage space under the bed), desks, chairs, and more. Please note that bedding (only mattresses available) is usually not provided, so it's important to prepare them in advance.

(3) Number of rooms

Before you book an apartment or homestay, please make sure to verify the accuracy of the apartment or homestay information with your consultant. This includes the apartment/homestay name, room type, tenancy, price, and number of rooms. If you have specific preferences for roommates or floors, please inform your consultant before booking, and they will make a note on your behalf during the application process. We will do our best to communicate with the apartment/homestay and arrange rooms that meet your requirements, but we cannot guarantee it 100% as the apartment or homestay landlord reserves the right to change rooms. For instance, they might initially assign a four-person room, but when you move-in, you could be assigned to a six-person room due to unforeseen circumstances. If you encounter such an issue, please contact your consultant to see if they can assist in coordinating a solution.

 

2、Contract and Confirmation

Contract: At present, almost all student apartments provide electronic contracts (a few apartments retain paper contracts, which need to be signed and sent back to the them). That is to say, a series of procedures from booking rooms, signing contracts, paying deposits and paying rent can be completed online. Before signing the contract, you must read the contract carefully and check whether the housing information is correct. Understand the cooling-off period before cancellation, etc. Once the contract is signed, you need to comply with the relevant terms of the contract.

 

Some apartments require a deposit before signing a contract. That is to say, although no formal contract has been signed, the deposit has already been paid, the apartment will also assume that you have no objection to the terms. If you are worried about the terms, please be sure to consult and confirm before booking. If there is no question and consultation, we will assume that you have no objection.

 

The consultant is not responsible for interpreting and translating the terms of the contract. If you have any objection to the terms of the contract, the consultant can offer friendly help and provide suggestions according to her/his life experience and personal understanding. However, the statement provided by the consultant is for reference only and will not be used as the official explanation of the apartment. Students must keep the contract themselves, this is the most important voucher for booking rooms.

 

Confirmation: After paying the deposit and signing the contract, most of the apartments will require students to carry out follow-up operations, such as filling in the information of the guarantor (most of them are parents, acting as an emergency contacts), uploading some auxiliary materials (such as ID, passport, visa, address proof, etc.), which are a part of your application for the apartment. If it is not completed, the reservation will fail. Students need to complete this part by themselves. The consultant will provide assistance, so please cooperate with us actively.

3、Early Move-in and renewal

Generally, early move-in is not allowed by the apartment, because each year the apartment will undergo deep cleaning and redecoration after the end of the contract period. If you need to move-in early, you can send an email to the apartment or ask the consultant to help you contact the apartment. If you need to renew the lease, we suggest you directly inform the apartment that you want to extend the contract when you move-in, so that you can be arranged first once there is a vacant room, or be added on the waiting list. Please note that the students must comply with the apartment/homestay regulations and pay the applicable rent for both early move-ins and extensions of stay.

4、Rent Payment

Please be sure to read the contract carefully and know the remittance time. Please pay before the payment date in the contract to avoid cancellation of the apartment due to unpaid rent.

 

Both online and offline payment are available.

5、Bills

Bill generally refers to water, electricity, gas, Internet, council tax (full-time students can be exempt from taxes during the offer period, for example, your offer is completed in July, but you live until September, then you need to pay council tax from July to September) and etc... Most apartment rent includes these fees. Some apartments may have a certain electricity limit to promote energy conservation and discourage wastefulness among students. As long as everyone uses electricity responsibly and avoids unnecessary consumption, the allocated amount of electricity should be adequate among the majority of apartments.

Please note that the majority of homestay do not cover utility bills and require spilt the bill with other roommates to prevent any potential conflicts. It is essential to establish clear guidelines regarding bill spilt before moving in.

6、Room change and room lock

Once the apartment contract is issued, the room number is considered confirmed and cannot be changed. However, if you have a valid reason to switch rooms (such as upgrading to a different room type with an additional cost), most apartments only allow room changes and upgrades within the same apartment. If you wish to change rooms after the lease start date mentioned in the contract, you will be required to pay the price difference before the room change can be processed. At the same time, students should contact the apartment in person for replacement or consult the front desk of the apartment after moving in.

As for homestays, room changes are relatively flexible but still require the consent of your roommates and the host. Any price difference should be paid accordingly.

7、Cancellation and sublease

As for this part, it is mentioned in the “Cancellation Policy”. Once the cooling-off period before cancellation is passed (apartments’ cooling-off period differs from 0 to 14 days, but there is no cooling-off period for most homestays), the deposit will be lost if you continue to cancel. What’s more, if students insist on canceling reservations after cooling-off period, they will be required to pay the rent for the whole year or find a subtenant to succeed your contract. If rent is not paid or a subtenant is not found to replace you, the apartment will retain its right of accountability, and it will affect the student’s credit.

 

After you find the subtenant, you must sublet the apartment according to the real-time price on the official website of the apartment (or homestays’ real-time price), rather than the price of your original contract. Moreover, some apartments also require sublease fees. Please pay attention to it. If you need to sublease, please contact the front desk of the apartment or contact your consultant in advance to help you handle the sublease procedure. Please note that the consultant does not bear any responsibility of looking for the subtenant, but we can help you advertise.

 

It is recommended that you complete the above procedures before the move-in date. If you do not complete the cancellation or find the tenant at the deadline, the apartment will generally require you to pay the rent for the period from the move-in date until you complete the cancellation/sublease.

8、Move-in

The date and address of moving in have been indicated in the contract, please pay attention. It’s better for you to choose the working hours of th e apartment/homestay (generally 9 a.m. -5 p.m. from Monday to Friday). If you cannot move-in in the working hours, you need to solve your own accommodation for the night or contact the apartment/homestay in advance whether the move in is available for non-working hours. Some also charge a certain fee for moving in during non-working hours, please be noticed.

 

Prior to your move-in date, some apartments will send you emails requesting your arrival date and time for pre-arrangements. If you receive such emails, please respond promptly to ensure a smooth move-in process.

 

Please remember to bring your passport, and it is advisable to have a printed copy of the contract with you during move-in, as the apartment may need it for verification purposes.

9、Room Check

Getting the room keys is not the final step. After checking in, the apartment will give you an inventory checking list (homestays may not always provide this, so it’s crucial to confirm beforehand) It is mandatory to carefully examine the furniture, floors, and other items for any stains or damages and then sign the checklist. It is crucial not to sign the list blindly. Instead, thoroughly inspect the room and make sure to document any damages on the checklist.  Additionally, inform the apartment management and, if possible, take photos as evidence. This will help prevent disputes when you move out, such as the apartment charging you for repairs and deducting the cost from your deposit.

10、Routine Maintenance

To ensure a smooth accommodation, it is crucial to conserve water, electricity, and gas. Failure to do so may result in penalties imposed by the apartment/homestay management. Additionally, it is important to abide by all rules and regulations set forth by the apartment/homestay, as they hold the authority to issue warnings and even eviction notices. Please be mindful of the room and refrain from causing any damage to the furniture, as you will be held accountable for any repair expenses incurred.

11、Move-out

Please ensure that you clean both the room and kitchen before moving out, and return the keys to the apartment or homestay at the designated time. Afterwards, kindly notify the apartment or homestay to inform the third-party organization to release your deposit promptly. Starting from the move-out date, please regularly check your email for deposit release notifications to avoid any potential loss. If any damages or failure to clean the room have occurred, the apartment may deduct the deposit as a cleaning or repair fee. If you disagree with the deduction of the apartment deposit, please make sure to communicate your objections within the specified timeframe.

12、Emergencies

After successfully moving in, there will also be some emergencies due to irresistible reasons, such as apartment/homestay water pipe burst. If something like this happens, please do not worry too much. The apartment/homestay will take measures to make considerate arrangements in the first time. For example, they will arrange for you the room without water leakage, and then move back to the original room after repair.

 

Note: Apartments/homestay usually keep in touch with students by email, so be sure to get into the habit of checking emails frequently. At the same time, keep all emails sent by the apartment/homestay, so you won’t miss anything important.