What happens when there is a vacancy in my room/apartment?

When RLHS finds out there is, or soon will be, a vacancy in a room/apartment, we send out a notification email to the remaining residents of the room/apartment.  In most situations, the remaining residents will be given the opportunity to name a new roommate.  If a new roommate is not named by the deadline provided in the email, the vacancy may be used by RLHS for a student requesting assignment or reassignment.

If you have a preferred roommate:

1. You must email us your request to have them fill the vacancy in your room/apartment by the deadline provided in your vacancy notification email.
2. Your preferred roommate must complete an assignment or reassignment application by the deadline.
3. Please note that your preferred roommate must be an active Duke student eligible for housing for the current semester. 
   

If you do not have a preferred roommate:

1. You may utilize the roommate finder.  If you find a roommate, the above instructions for preferred roommates will apply.
   
2. Submit your current responses to the lifestyle questions to us via email and we may utilize them to match a student who is requesting assignment or reassignment with you.
   • Do you smoke? (yes, no, social smoker)
   • Do you mind if your roommate smokes?
   • Do you prefer noise while studying?
   • Do you go to bed late (after midnight)?
   • Do you wake up early (before 8am)?

If you live in a Selective Living Group section:

• RLHS will be in contact with your group's housing liaison.  Information about how SLG's should handle mid-semester vacancies is similar to the instructions for Spring Housing vacancies. Over the summer, groups are given until Early July to figure out how they will fill vacancies for Fall.
  

Be prepared for a new roommate! 

You should always keep the vacancy more or less ready for a new roommate.  When a new student is assigned, you will receive a notification email from RLHS.  We will try to give 24-48 hours notice when a student is assigned to the space, but there are occasional emergency moves that don't allow for this. 

If you are contacted over the summer about a vacancy for Fall, you will be given a window of time to name a new roommate.  After that time, it is likely a random student will be placed in the vacancy in your room/apartment.  Their assignment will be for the entire academic year, unless they choose to move or cancel it.

We cannot guarantee that fall vacancies will remain open for a student who plans to return in the Spring.  If you are in this situation, you should plan to have a different roommate assigned for the year.  If you do end up having a vacancy during the Fall, you can submit a request for a specific student to be your roommate as part of the Spring Housing process (information will be available at the end of September).

Please note that, per the information in the terms of your housing license, RLHS retains the right to assign new residents to vacant spaces at any time. Requests received after the provided deadline will be considered, but we cannot guarantee that they will be honored.  We will do everything we can to honor requests received within the prescribed time frame.