- Pay your accommodation deposit
- How to pay
- What your deposit can be used for
- Can your deposit be used to pay other debt?
- Appealing charges or fines
- When you will get your deposit back
- How your deposit is returned
- Book a room tour
- Need help?
Pay your accommodation deposit
To accept your accommodation offer, you must pay a £100 deposit.
- Pay your deposit within 7 days of receiving your offer
- The deposit is held for the full length of your accommodation contract
How to pay
Once you receive your room offer, you can pay your deposit and accept your offer through the accommodation portal.
Important:
If you accept an offer and later decide not to take the room, your deposit will not be refunded.
What your deposit can be used for
Your deposit may be used to cover costs during or at the end of your stay.
We may deduct money for:
- Administration charges for booking changes
- Fines under the Code of Conduct
- Damage to your room or shared areas
- Missing or broken items that need repairing or replacing
- Additional purchases (for example, a bedding pack)
- Unpaid accommodation fees
Can your deposit be used to pay other university debts?
Your deposit will automatically be used to pay any outstanding accommodation fees.
If you want your deposit to be used for other university debts, such as tuition fees, contact:
finance-accomm@herts.ac.uk
Tip: Paying any outstanding balances early can help avoid delays in receiving your deposit.
Appealing charges or fines
If you are charged for damage or fines, you can appeal.
- You must submit your appeal within 10 working days of being notified
- Send your appeal with supporting evidence to: accomdamage@herts.ac.uk
- If no appeal is received within 14 days, the charge will be treated as accepted.
- If your appeal is successful, the charge will be removed from your account.
When you will get your deposit back
Your deposit will be returned after your contract ends, once your account is settled.
You will receive your deposit (minus any deductions) within 28 days if:
- Your contract has ended
- You have no outstanding accommodation fees
- There are no charges or fines
- We have valid payment details for you
If charges are applied, allow up to 8 weeks from the end of your contract to receive the remaining deposit to be refunded.
- If you stay in University accommodation next year, your deposit will be transferred to your new booking automatically. Any remaining balance (minus deductions) will be refunded.
How your deposit is returned
Your refund method depends on how you paid your deposit.
Credit or debit card
- Your deposit will be refunded to the original card, if it is still valid
- If your card has expired, been lost, or stolen, contact finance-accomm@herts.ac.uk before your contract ends
Important:
If you do not update your details in time, the refund will be sent to the original card and cannot be reissued.
Bank transfer
- Deposits paid via bank transfer will be returned to the same account.
- We will contact you before your contract ends if you need to update your bank details.
Cash/Cheque
- Deposits paid by cash or cheque will be returned to your bank account.
- We will contact you with instructions on how to provide your bank details.
- Credit/Debit card: If your payment was made by credit or debit card and this card is still valid your deposit will be returned back to that card.
Book a room tour
Want to see your accommodation before you move in?
You can book a room tour or request a call back to explore your options. This is available for new and returning students.
Book a University accommodation room tour
Need help?
For all deposit-related queries, contact Student Account Management:
finance-accomm@herts.ac.uk