Renewal Intention Forms are available ONLINE via the StarRez portal beginning in January.  You will need to provide your Guarantor’s contact information so they may be provided the online Guarantor Form when you complete your lease.

The deadline to submit your Intention Form is on February 8, 2024 at 11:59pm EST.

1. To complete your Intention Form, go to your StarRez portal.
2. Select Commons / Courtyards Leasing Application and then Commons / Courtyards Leasing 2024-2025
3. Complete your Intention Form by selecting the best option for you.
   1. Returning to Same Bed
   2. Do Not Wish to Renew (Select this if you are graduating or not returning for 2024-2025)
   3. Transfer
4. Submit your completed Intention Form.

You must complete your Renewal Intention Form even if you do not plan to return to The Courtyards for the 2024-2025 lease year. Any current Courtyards resident that does not submit an intention form online by February 8 will NOT be permitted to sign a lease at The Courtyards for 2024-2025.

After submitting your intention form, you will have access to your lease via StarRez. 

Students who will be entering their 2nd, 3rd, or 4th year of undergraduate study in Fall 2024 who are in good standing with the university are eligible to renew their lease. Students who will be entering their 5th year of undergraduate study in Fall 2024 are also eligible to renew this year.

RETURNING SAME BED

What does returning same bed mean?  If you select this it means that you are selecting your same exact space for 2024-25. 

You will not have to move-out and move back in and will stay during the lease transition period of Sunday, July 28 through Monday, August 19.  You will also have to follow certain guidelines for the turn transition from July 28 through August 19 (this is to prepare for new roommates). 

What if I want to pull in new roommates to fill vacancies in my apartment?  There will be a content box in the intention form that will allow you to add students you want to pull-in.  You can only pull in rising juniors or rising seniors.

What if I want to pull in someone that is not a rising junior or rising senior?  That is not possible.  The only way for them to live with you would be for the spaces to hopefully still be available when they go through the Virtual Apartment Selection process at the end of February.  There is no guarantee and unlikely to happen. 

When will my pull-in(s) get their lease?  They will get their lease during the same time period you will get it and have the same deadlines. Your pull-in also needs to fill out a Commons/Courtyards 2024-25 Leasing Application by Thursday, February 8 at 11:59pm EST which they can find at www.starrez.umd.edu. If they do not fill out the application by that deadline they will be unable to get a lease.

What if I don’t fill out the Intention Form by Thursday, February 8 at 11:59pm EST?  You will not be able to stay in your same space for 2024-25 and will have to move out on Saturday, July 27. 

If I filled out the Intention Form stating that I’m returning same bed, am I done with everything?  No, this is an intention form only stating your purpose for 2024-25. You will later have to sign a new lease via DocuSign. 

DO NOT WISH TO RENEW

Who should select “do not wish to renew?”  If you select this it means that you are not returning for 2024-25 and plan to move-out by Saturday, July 27 at 12pm.  Residents will select this is they are graduating or no longer wish to live at CTY or SCC. 

TRANSFER

Who should select “transfer?”  You will select this if you wish to transfer to another apartment at the Courtyards or transfer to an apartment at South Campus Commons. 

What happens after I submit the Intention Form as a Transfer?  Beginning Tuesday, February 20 at 10am EST, you will select your new space virtually in the StarRez portal (more info to come about this).  After you select your space you will sign your lease virtually via DocuSign.  

What if I want to pull in new roommates in the apartment I’m transferring to?  There will be a content box in the intention form that will allow you to add students you want to pull-in.  You can only pull in rising juniors or rising seniors. 

What if I want to pull in someone that is not a rising junior or rising senior?  This is not possible. 

When will my pull-in(s) get their lease?  They will get their lease during the same time period you will get it and have the same deadlines. Your pull-in also needs to fill out a Commons/Courtyards 2024-25 Leasing Application by Thursday, February 8 at 11:59pm EST which they can find at www.starrez.umd.edu. If they do not fill out the application by that deadline they will be unable to get a lease.

If I select transfer, will I be moving out on Saturday, July 27? Yes, anyone who selects transfer will move-out by Saturday, July 27 at noon and move back in on Sunday, August 18 for South Campus Commons or on Tuesday, August 20 for The Courtyards.

(Please note that the following groups will need to attend a special leasing meeting for their program and will not be able to renew online: Mixed Gender Living and RAs.)

Great news! You will be able to renew your lease online! Simply select “I would like to stay in my same room” (Intent A) on your Intention Form and the system will guide you through your lease signing. No in-person appointment will be required.

(Please note that the following groups will need to attend a special leasing meeting for their program and will not be able to renew online: Mixed Gender Living and RAs.)

Please keep in mind that when transferring to a different apartment, you must choose a unit that fills the number of vacancies in that apartment. This means you would be limited to selecting from units that have the same number of vacancies for the number of spaces available.

Students transferring to a different bedroom in the same apartment or transferring to a different apartment altogether should plan to vacate their current unit at the conclusion of the current lease year, in July, and move-in to their new apartment on August 20, 2024 (2024-2025 lease start date). Students who need to remain on-campus between lease years are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to renew the lease on their 2023-2024 space.

The only students eligible to be pulled in are current residence hall students in the 1st and 2nd priority groups who are in good standing with the University. Current South Campus Commons residents who are in good standing with the University are also eligible to be pulled in/transferred to your apartment.

If you want to pull in a friend, you must select an apartment that will accommodate the number of spaces for you and your friend(s) that you are trying to pull in. For example, if there are two of you, you may not select a completely empty four or three bedroom apartment. You would be limited to choosing units with only two open spaces.

What is the 2024-25 lease term?  It begins on Tuesday, August 20 and concludes on Monday, July 28, 2025.  Residents that select same bed will get to stay during the transition period. 

What if I’m graduating in the Fall of 2024?  Is there any leases that will go through December 2024?  All 2024-25 leases end on Monday, July 28, 2025.  If you are graduating in December 2024 it will be your responsibility to find a releasor to take over your space to no longer be financially responsible.  *All residents are financially responsible until a releasor is found. 

What if I sign a lease for 2024-25 and decide later on that I no longer wish to live at The Courtyards?  The only way to cancel your lease is through the lease transfer process.  Residents will be responsible for finding a releasor and will be financially responsible until a releasor is found. 

What if I don’t fill out the Intention Form at all or only complete half of it, what does that mean?  Any resident that doesn’t complete the Intention Form, we will assume you are not returning for 2024-25 and your move out date will be July 27, 2024.

Will I get a confirmation email once I submit the Intention Form? Yes

The following information is designed to help you navigate the lease transfer process, through which you can end your lease early by transferring it to another eligible student. Please review this information carefully, as you retain financial responsibility for your apartment until the lease transfer process has been completed in its entirety. We recommend submitting the Lease Transfer Request 2 – 3 weeks before your desired lease transfer date. However, finding a re-lessor can be sometimes be difficult, so we recommend that you start looking for a re-lessor as early as possible.

• Step 1: Find a re-lessor (a student who is interested in taking over your lease). It is your exclusive responsibility to find re-lessor.
• Step 2: Your re-lessor must complete a Courtyards Leasing Application.
• Step 3: Submit a Lease Transfer Request.
• • After the re-lessor is approved, the Lease Holder will be prompted to complete their leasing paperwork online.
  • Once the Lease Holder has completed their portion of the lease transfer agreement, the re-lessor will be contacted by the leasing office to complete their Lease, Guarantor Form, and Lease Transfer Agreement.  This must be submitted within 48 hours.
• The Lease Holder retains financial responsibility and rights to the space until the re-lessor has completed the process.  If the re-lessor does not complete their paperwork by the deadline, rights and responsibilities for the space remain with the original lease holder and the process will need to be restarted.

Throughout the year, Courtyards leaseholders may be in search of someone to transfer their space to.  Prospective residents may view databases to find a potential space to release. Current residents may also post advertisements on social media and in designated areas on campus.

• The OCH Database at https://ochdatabase.umd.edu/  
• Ask your roommates if they know anyone with whom they might like to live.
• Ask friends if they know of anyone looking to live in The Courtyards.
• Request a copy of The Courtyards wait list by sending us an email. Please include your name and UID in your email request.

Currently, any full-time undergraduate student at Maryland who is in good financial, judicial, and academic standing with the University is eligible. Your re-lessor’s eligibility will be determined once you submit your Re-Leasing Request and you will be notified via email. For more specific questions about renewal eligibility, please email the Manager for Public Housing Partnerships with the Department of Resident Life, at pppleasing@umd.edu.

You can submit your Lease Transfer Request anytime, but lease transfer appointments are only available between the 4th and the 20th of each month (except August, February, and March). Failure to complete your appointment by the 20th of the month will result in you retaining financial responsibility for the following month.

Current Resident:

• Your $100 lease transfer fee. This must be paid in certified funds*. Personal checks and cash are NOT accepted.
• The remaining portion of your financial responsibility through your new lease end date. This must be paid in certified funds*. Personal checks and cash are NOT accepted.
• Monthly rent installments are due on the first of each month. The person in possession of the lease on the 1st of the month is responsible for the rental installment. Installments are not prorated and The Courtyards will not issue refunds for installments owed prior to the lease transfer. Any exchange of money relating to partial rent payments or personal refunds is solely between the leaseholder and the re-lessor.*Certified checks are available from a teller at your financial institution in the form of a cashier’s check. Money orders are available at several local convenience stores, The United States Post Office, and other retail locations.

New Resident:

• $300 lease reservation fee. Check or money order made payable to The Courtyards.
• Social Security Number. While your card is not required, you must be able to provide your Social Security Number.

On your Lease Transfer Request you will need to select your re-lessor’s desired move-in date. Your move-out date will be at least three business days before their move-in date.  All of your belongings must be removed from the apartment, even if you are studying abroad and plan to return to the apartment or to The Courtyards community in the future.

Failure to check in through the Landlord is subject to a $200 administrative charge.  Failure to check in or out at a designated location is also subject to a $100 improper check in/out fee.  Furthermore, current residents who do not properly check their keys into a Courtyards staff member at the After Hours Desk or Management Office are subject to $150 core replacement fees for the front and bedroom door. Only legal leaseholders will be permitted to sign out the replacement keys in such circumstances.

To avoid incurring these charges and judicial sanctions, and to preserve the security of our community, it is imperative that all residents use the re-leasing process outlined here.

Pull-In

Courtyards residents are able to pull-in eligible students into vacant bedrooms in their apartment. In order to be eligible for pull-in, you must be in good standing with the University and have lived in The Courtyards the semester immediately preceding your study abroad/co-op experience. Additionally, you must be returning to The Courtyards the semester immediately following your study abroad/co-op experience.

Residents can only pull-in eligible students into vacant spaces in their apartment; residents cannot pull-in eligible students into vacancies in other apartments. Being listed as an eligible pull-in does not guarantee you a space, as residents may list multiple pull-ins for a single vacancy in their apartment. The current resident has sole discretion over which of their eligible pull-ins they would like to pull-in to their apartment. If a current resident chooses you as their pull-in, you will need to have a proxy represent you at the pull-in appointment. The person pulling you in can be your proxy.

While returning to your old apartment may be the goal, please remember that there is no guarantee that this will happen. Part of re-leasing means that you have relinquished all rights to that space. If your re-lessor decides to transfer to another apartment within The Courtyards or chooses to leave The Courtyards all together, you may be able to return to your old apartment provided that a current resident of that apartment lists you as a pull-in on their intent form, or if your apartment is open at the time of transfer appointments.

Transfer

If you are not pulled-in to an apartment, you will have the ability to select from any of our available spaces during transfer appointments. Transfer appointments are when Courtyards residents move/switch apartments within The Courtyards community, which occurs before we conduct Open Leasing with residence hall students.

On your Intention Form, you will be prompted to schedule a transfer appointment. These appointments are booked on a first-come first-serve basis, so be sure to complete your Intention Form early. Because you will be abroad at the time of transfer appointments, you will need to designate a proxy to represent you at your transfer appointment. Your proxy will be able to select from any of the available spaces at the time of your appointment. The earlier your appointment, the more options your proxy will have.

A proxy is someone who acts on your behalf during the leasing process. While you will be completing the Renewal Intention Form, they will be attending the appointment, signing the lease, and paying any applicable fees. You will be signing the lease upon your return and before you move into the apartment. You can designate your proxy online at mydrl.umd.edu. After logging-in, complete the “Courtyards Proxy Form.” Your proxy will be emailed the proxy form.

Your proxy will need to bring the proxy form, along with your $300 lease reservation fee (check made payable to The Courtyards).  We recommend that you make contact with your proxy after the leasing appointment as they will have a copy of your lease confirmation, which contains important information about your lease. Most importantly, you must sign your actual lease before moving in.

If studying abroad for the summer, there are some things to consider. Secure a space for the fall semester during the spring renewal process. There is no guarantee that there will be spaces available for fall at The Courtyards when you return. We would hate to see you miss the opportunity to return. During the renewal process, the housing options will be to remain in the same bedroom for another lease year (same bed), or to transfer to another space either in your apartment or in another apartment.

If you choose this option, you may or may not want to release your space for the summer. One of the benefits of coming back to your same bedroom, is not having to move out on July 29 and not move in again until August 23. Not releasing means coming back from study abroad to your apartment, but it also means paying for months when you are not there.