Off-Campus Student Rental Policy

RENTAL POLICIES - STUDENT HOUSES AND APARTMENTS

Eligibility Requirements

You must be a currently enrolled Whitman student with an academic level of Junior or Senior.

**If you are graduating in December, you MUST have another student listed on the lease who will take over from January to May. We cannot rent student properties to graduates.

Selection Process

The selection process will be done on a first come first serve basis.

1. Applications for the rental property must be filled out via our online application process. Applications for leases running June 2024 - May 2025 will become available on our Student Rental webpage in January 2024
2. Only one application per interested group
3. Application must be completed in full (with all bedrooms being filled both semesters)
4. Applicants can list up to 3 properties that you/your group are interested in
5. Applicant(s) and all roommates will have two weeks from that notice to sign the lease and each pay the necessary deposits for the house or apartment (described below)
6. Check payments should be made payable to Whitman College. Deposits can also be paid online
7. If the necessary signatures and deposits are not made within two weeks the property will be made available to other applicants

Terms of Lease

Leases run from June 1 to May 31, unless otherwise specified. You are required to pay rent for the summer months - no subletting will be allowed. May rent will also not be prorated. The lease is a one year commitment and you are responsible for paying rent the entire 12 months. Rent is due on the 1st of every month!

If you are not in town during the summer you can mail your monthly rent payment to: Whitman College, c/o Trust Office, 345 Boyer Ave, Walla Walla, WA 99362. You can also deliver rental check payments to the Business Office (Memorial Hall Room 233) between the hours of 9 am - noon and 1 - 4 pm.  Please put your Whitman student ID number on all checks.

You can also pay your rent through our online payment website, which accepts all major credit cards and eCheck payments from banks in the United States. Please enter the payment amount in the "Student Rental" box. Note: payment by e-check includes a flat $3.00 fee and payment by credit/debit cards include a fee of 2.67%.

We do not accept cash payments.

Deposits and Moving In Expenses

Deposits include:

• Security/Damage/Cleaning Deposit will be equal to one month's rent. Paid at time of move-in. (See Moving-in Expenses below.) This is held until you have checked out from the property and have left everything in a good and clean condition.
• Last month's rent (or pre-paid rent) is equal to one month's rent per person. This is applied to your May rent or the last month's rent of your lease.
• Key deposit is $50, per person and key. This is held until you turn in your key at the end of your lease.

Moving-in expense: Depending on the start date of your lease, your first month's rent is due the first of the month that your lease begins (ex: June 1, etc). The Security Deposit (equal to one month's rent) is paid on the day that the Move-In Checklist or statement is signed and dated by the Landlord, or their agent, and a minimum of one Resident per household and the Resident must receive a copy of the checklist or statement.

Utilities

The monthly lease amount includes W/S/G, electrical and heat. Please note telephone, cable, and internet(WiFi) are not provided. The rentals are NOT furnished. Whitman also does NOT supply washers/dryers nor do all properties have laundry hook-ups.

Check-In Appointment

Tenants must schedule a check-in appointment with the Trust Office prior to moving into the unit. Renters will fill out a move-in report for the current condition of the property and receive their key. Tenant may only move belongings into a residence after the check-in meeting and Security Deposit is paid in full. Check in appointments are scheduled Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am until 4:30 pm. 

We restrict moving one's belongings into a house which will be renovated and/or have other interior maintenance done during the first part of the summer. Your rent will be prorated to the date of completion of said work.

Do not move belongings into a house before June 1st or the beginning of your lease!

Insurance

Whitman does not carry insurance on your belongings. If you are not covered by your parent's homeowner's insurance we strongly suggest you obtain renters insurance. Please read item number 11 in your lease. Whitman's insurance carrier offers renters insurance you can purchase independently. Get a Quote.

Extra Tenants

Whitman will allow one more tenant than the number of bedrooms in a house or apartment. There will be a monthly charge of $150.00 added to the total rent of the property. They will also have to sign the lease, schedule a check-in and pay the applicable deposits. Remember, we do not allow subleasing.

Living Situation

No one is permitted to live in areas which have insufficient egress. This includes any basement room which hasn't been renovated to allow easy exit for any person in that area. If we find that a person is living in an area without egress, they will be asked to leave or move upstairs immediately. We will be checking the situation randomly.

Leaves of Absence and Withdrawals

As stated above, the college can only lease student rental properties to currently enrolled Whitman College students. If tenants go on a leave of absence or withdraw from the college mid-year, we cannot continue to rent to them. They either need to find an eligible student to take over the rest of the lease or they will not receive their deposit payments back.

Additional Policies

Effective 8/1/24, Whitman College has implemented a smoke- and tobacco-free policy that applies across campus. Smoking in any form is prohibited in all rental properties. No smoking or tobacco use of any kind will be permitted inside college buildings, in parking lots, on college grounds. Smoking and tobacco use will be permitted in designated areas. To learn more, refer to Smoke- and Tobacco-Free Campus Policy on the Whitman College website.

Tenants are expected to keep the premises in a clean and sanitary condition, and comply with all laws, health and policy requirements with respect to said premises and appurtenances. No indoor house furniture (couches, chairs, tables, etc.) can be left in the yard or on the porch for longer than a 24-hour period. You will be warned to move it inside once, and then it will be disposed of by maintenance. No hot tubs or similar apparatus can be placed on a porch or in a yard.

Refrain from loud or boisterous noise or any other objectionable behavior that may interfere with any of the neighbors surrounding the premises. Tenants will respect Walla Walla's city noise ordinances between the hours of 10 pm and 7 am on weekdays and 10 pm and 9 am on weekends. Tenants will also be held responsible for their guests. 

Tenants must comply with all other Whitman College policies, as outlined in the Student Handbook.

Pets

We prefer that you do not have pets. Pets are not permitted in any of our apartments, however, house tenants of a single family dwelling may have up to two (2) pets. You have to pay a $500.00 nonrefundable fee and inform us prior to moving in a pet. If it has been established that you acquire a pet and a deposit has not been made, we will charge it to the individual that owns the pet or in the case where it cannot be determined, the deposit will be divided amongst the tenants of the house and charged to each. Please note that if your pet does any damage to the house or yard, you (they) will be charged for any repairs over the amount of your pet fee and damage deposit. If the cost exceeds your deposits, it will be added to your student account.

Late Charges

A $50.00 late charge will be assessed if you do not pay your rent by the 5th of the month. If the 5th falls on a weekend you need to pay the Friday before. Remember, you are responsible for payment of your rent.

Moving Out

At the end of your lease when you are ready to move out, you will need to make an appointment with our office to conduct the check-out of the residence. Remember that there are a large number of people checking out so if you don't set up a time well in advance, it may delay your leaving on the day you planned. If you are not checked out by a staff member from our office, you will forfeit your security/damage and key deposits. 

All belongings must be removed before the time of the inspection and no later than May 31.

Keys must be returned during the check out. No inspections will be scheduled after 4 o'clock in the afternoon. If the residence doesn't pass inspection, you will be charged for any work done on the facility including cleaning, repairs, etc.

Refunds will be issued within 30 days after inspection.

If you have questions or need further information, please contact Tami Higginbotham at 509-527-5745 or email offcampusrentals@whitman.edu. Thank you!