We want you and your fellow housemates to feel comfortable in our houses. To achieve this please check the following hints, rules and tips on living in our dormitories.
From the first application up to your departure you will find answers to the most important topics for you as our tenants.

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Changed accessibility
Due to the current development of the Corona pandemic, the Department of Law, Housing, Social Affairs will no longer offer visiting hours until further notice. Nevertheless, we are available to you by mail and telephone.

In the area of housing, you can reach us by mail at wohnen@nullstudierendenwerk-ulm.de. E-mails to this address will be read, processed and answered as soon as possible every working day.
You can reach us by phone at 0731 / 790 31 8000 Monday to Friday from 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. and on Wednesdays until 3.00 p.m..

If you have any questions, please contact wohnen@nullstudierendenwerk-ulm.de

Extension of residence time due to CORONA

Contactless pull-ins and pull-outs

For pandemic reasons, the handover will be contactless.
Please note that parking facilities are not available at all or are very limited, depending on the apartment building - if necessary, please inform yourself in advance about public parking spaces in the vicinity.

Move-in
Due to the Corona pandemic, we hand over the room keys without direct contact during the caretaker's attendance hours. The procedure for handing over the keys will be communicated to you at the appointment and you can also ask questions, which we will then clarify as best we can.

Please make an appointment within your caretaker's attendance hours. Appointments that have already been made remain valid.
For the handover of the key, please wear a mouth-nose protection and bring your tenancy agreement as well as an identification document. On site, please keep your distance from other people moving in and from staff members of the Studierendenwerk.

Move out
Due to the current situation regarding the Corona pandemic, your room will be checked out the day after you move out and therefore without contact. It is therefore essential that you keep to the move-out date and please note the following:
Your room and the kitchen, bathroom and WC must be cleaned. Do not forget any personal belongings and dispose of the rubbish (furniture and food must not be left behind "to give away" either).
You should leave these rooms in such a way that they can be handed over to a new tenant without further ado. The rooms will be inspected afterwards. You will be charged for anything that does not correspond to the target condition, which includes in particular:

Cleaning costs, if not properly cleaned
disposal costs for items left behind (food, furniture, rubbish etc.)
missing or damaged inventory
missing keys (desk key left in the room)

In your interest, you should take photos of the cleaned room on the day you move out. Send these photos with details of your residence and the room number to wohnen@nullstudierendenwerk-ulm.de. This way you can prove that any soiling did not come from you.
Please put all keys (except the desk key) in the envelope with your room number and put it in the caretaker's letterbox on the day you move out.

Caretaker / Emergency

Ecology and energy

Subletting a room is illegal!

Saving energy

Due to the constantly increasing energy prices we urgently ask you to use the following sparingly:

Electricity
Electrical devices (PC, TV, stereo): Switch off the device completely rather than using standby-mode. Turn off lights when not in use. Put the lid on the pot when cooking. Decalcify the water boiler regularly.

Heating system
Turn back the heating regulators before leaving the room. Constant ventilation of the room will show up on your bill. Rather turn back the heating regulator and open the windows completely for about 5 minutes.
Rooms in the buildings Heidenheimer Straße and Gutenbergstraße have an automatic heating regulation device to turn back heating for an optimum use of heating power when windows are opened. This works as follows: heating will automatically be reduced when opening or tilting the windows. Closing the window will result in the heater turning to normal temperature again.
However you shouldn’t keep the windows open or tilted at low outside temperatures. Rather open the windows for about five minutes twice or three times (two to three times) a day.

Water
Water shouldn’t kept running all time while taking a shower. Use the toilet flush-stop (if available).
Please help saving energy! Do not cause rising costs unnecessarily!

Defrosting the refrigerator
Once or twice a year you should defrost and thoroughly clean the refrigerator as well as the freezer (if available). To do so switch off the device and have some towels and buckets ready for the melting ice. Under no circumstances use any pointed or sharp-edged objects such as knives or screw drivers to break off the ice. This would damage the interior of the refrigerator. Defrosting can be sped up by using a hairdryer. Attention: Never let any water get into the hairdryer!

Airing during heating seasons
Airing means replacing stale air by fresh air, rich in oxygen. Moisture can escape and mould formation will be prevented. Airing the right way / Correct airing means: Open the window several times a day completely for up to 5 minutes max. Turn off the heater during this time. Don’t just tilt the window. Keeping the window tilted constantly / all day long can cost up to 200 euros during just one single heating season. Each degree centigrade less of room temperature can bring up to 6% energy savings. You have to dig deep in your pocket if you want to sit around in your room wearing a t-shirt during winter. (Sitting around in a t-shirt indoors feeling cosy and warm during winter can cost a lot of money.)

Don’t let your room cool down completely during the day just to heat it up in the evening hours. Radiation warmth of the room walls can also contribute to temperature perception. You should turn off the heater during longer periods of absence or over the weekend.

Night's rest

Smoke detectors and emergency escape routes

Attention: This note applies to rooms 1001 to 1320 in the dormitory Neißestraße in Schwäbisch Gmünd. The smoke detectors (there) in the rooms (there) are connected to the fire station!!!

A smoke detector is attached to the ceiling of your room. Smoke detectors are life-saving devices and have to be tested on a regular basis.

Therefore you should check the smoke detector once a month: Press and hold the test button until the alarm sounds and the red LED light flashes. The alarm will fall silent shortly after releasing the button. As a result you as a tenant will be familiarized with the sound of the alarm.

Please report defective smoke detectors to the caretaker immediately in writing.

A different model of smoke detector was used in the apartment building in Kelternweg. The functional test is the same: press the device’s underside until the alarm sounds. For your own safety and the safety of other residents of our dormitory we advise you to strictly refrain from any manipulations and changes of the smoke detector which may result in malfunction.

If you restrict the smoke detectors proper function by dismantling it, taping it with foil or by any other manipulation you are in breach of the Building Code of Baden-Württemberg and may be liable to prosecution under §145, Criminal Code.

Keep clear emergency exits. No charcoal grills on the balconies

Corridors, staircases, balconies and all other emergency routes and exits must not be blocked by bicycles, drying racks or any other items.

All corridors are emergency routes. No furniture, shoes etc. must be placed there. The caretaker has to keep clear all emergency routes and exits. All self-closing doors are fire doors and have to be closed at any time. Fire doors must not be blocked by door stoppers or any other items. This is all for your own safety, which means a lot to us. Therefore compliance with the regulations is so important to us. Due to smoke development and fire hazard operating charcoal grills on balconies is prohibited.

License fee

Tutors

Cleanliness in kitchens and bathrooms

Kitchen

After using the kitchen, pay attention to the following:

• Clean the cooker hotplates immediately after use.
• Oven: Use baking paper and wipe clean the oven with a moist/damp towel after use.
• Remove all grease splats
• Clear and wipe the table as well as the kitchen work top
• Kitchen sink: remove all leftovers and food remains. Clean the sink.

Take good care of the cleanliness and operational safety of your own electrical devices: toaster, water boiler (electric kettle), rice cooker, coffee machine, microwave etc.
Keep in mind that all electrical devices have to be labeled with the owner’s name and room number.

No leftovers, food remains or grease in the kitchen sink or the toilet!

Unnecessary costs arise constantly due to the fact that pipe cleaning companies have to clear clogged pipes.
We therefore urge you not to dispose any food remains, grease or any other solid substances and materials in the kitchen sink or even the toilet.

Larger amounts of used grease can be packed in tetra packing (e.g. milk cartons) and brought to the recycling centre later on. Smaller quantities can be disposed in the residual waste bin.
Those responsible for pipe obstructions can be made liable for the costs incurred.

Care for clean drinking water!
Flush all water pipes for about 5 min after the room has been vacated for several days.

Establishing a suitable cleaning plan!

As a residential community you are all together responsible for cleaning up. This can be organized as follows:

1. Establish a cleaning plan together (e.g. create a time table for the kitchen, shower, toilet and the corridor). Determine who is responsible for the cleaning at what time and keep the time table at a well visible place / and display it at a clearly visible place.

2. Determine the “cleaning service’s” duties, for example:
• When and how often have the corridor and the shower/toilet to be cleaned (on a daily, weekly basis?)
• Make clear what has to be cleaned by the cleaning service (e.g. in the kitchen) and what should be cleaned by the residents themselves.
• Don’t forget the waste disposal.

3. Clarify and write down the responsibilities during holidays, vacation and weekends.

Please note in principle:
• Defrost fridge and freezer twice a year and wipe it clean with a moist towel.
• Wipe clean cooker hoods regularly (grease deposits) and clean the filters!
• Never dispose any food remains, leftovers or grease in the kitchen sink. This will inevitably lead to pipe clogging.

The caretaker will always check the kitchen, corridor and bathroom when you move out. It’s in your responsibility to have everything cleaned and in order when moving out.

Shower and bathroom

Please take care of the following:

1. Avoid mildew / mold infestation!
Always open the window completely for a short while and air out the bathroom after you have had a shower. Tilting the window or opening the door is just not enough. Make sure to dry the silicone joints thus avoiding mold infestation.

2. Attention: Electrical Shock Hazard
For your own safety: never use electrical devices in the bathroom without wearing shoes. Always unplug any electrical device from the wall outlet if not in use!

3. Change filter mats six-monthly!
Change filter mats on a semi-annual basis if a ventilator is installed in your bathroom. The caretaker will supply you with new filter mats. To open the ventilator carefully pull the panel to the front. Thoroughly clean the ventilation slits on all four sides before closing the ventilator again. Properly functioning ventilators are an indispensable necessity to avoid mold formation.

Cleaning of the sanitation facilities

According to the rental contract you are obliged to clean the rented rooms regularly. This does include the cleaning of all sanitation facilities (shower, toilet etc.). We ask you in your own interest to do the cleaning regularly and thoroughly

Laundry drying

Handing over the rooms before moving

It is not possible to move (out) on weekends or public holidays. The tenant is not allowed access to the room after final room inspection. The tenant (or a representative holding a written authorization) has to be present at the final room inspection.

Condition of the room
The rented rooms complete with all inventory and keys are to be handed over to the caretaker in a clean condition (as described below) and have to be ready for immediate occupancy. If the tenant does not comply with his/her obligations we reserve the right to open the rented rooms and have them cleared up and cleaned at the tenant’s expense.
Cleaning of the rented rooms prior to handover
You are obliged to keep your room clean up to the date of handover. Moreover, doublets (?) / flat-sharing communities are obliged to clean the kitchen, bathroom and toilet prior to handover. This includes:
- Cleaning the windows and window frames
- Wiping clean drawers, wardrobes etc.
- Washing the mattress cover (not over 30°C). Put it on the mattress, don’t cover the mattress.
- Removing nails, hooks etc. from the walls. Close all dowel holes!
- Painting the walls if necessary (see below)
- Removing any mold deposits and calcifications in the shower, sink, washbowl, mirror and toilet.
- Cleaning the fridge/freezer, stove and oven
- Removing any black stains on the flooring
- Wiping the floor
Painting the rented rooms
In case of dirty walls or changes in original color you are obliged to repaint the rented rooms. To do so the caretaker will supply you with the necessary color. Only this color may be used! If the caretaker notes insufficient cleaning or dirty walls we will charge you for the work of the cleaning company / painter. The amount due can also be withheld from the rent deposit.
Please note:
Handing over the room or returning the keys does not terminate the rental contract. The rental contract terminates at the written date, or, in case of early cancellation, at the date shown on the cancellation confirmation.

Labelling electrical devices

Side-jobs with The Studierendenwerk

Separating recyclable waste

organic waste

Compostable and biodegradable waste belongs in the compostable waste bins. Please don’t put it in plastic bags but wrap it in newsprint paper if necessary.

The following has to be disposed in the biodegradable waste bin:

• Fruit and vegetable peels
• Eggshells
• Coffee and tea filters
• Absorbent paper such as kitchen towels and napkins
• Egg cartons made of papier-mâché
• Balcony plants, plant disposals
• Cut grass, hedge trimming waste, dead leaves / windfall
• Degenerated or mouldy remains of bread, meat, sausages or cheese
• Hair and feathers
• Excelsior etc.

Accommodation

Important information for tenants