How to get started

Moving into an apartment complex feels like taking the first steps. To ensure a successful start, you should introduce yourself to your new neighbours or roomies right at the beginning. A friendly word right after moving in is a good base for living together in a respectful and perhaps friendly atmosphere in the future.

The Residence Hall Council
In every dormitory there are tenants who make up the Residence Hall Council. These students explain to new flatmates everything they need to know about the halls of residence and give helpful tips for everyday student life. Regular activities are also offered, e.g. games meetings, table football or film evenings. The hall of residence council also represents the interests of the tenant community vis-à-vis the Studierendenwerk.

The caretakers
Each residence hall is looked after by at least one permanently assigned caretaker. On the day you move in, you will receive your flat keys from the caretaker. The caretaker will explain everything you need to know for a pleasant stay in your new home. You will receive the times for moving in and out when you sign the tenancy agreement. If you discover any damage in the flat later, please use the online damage report.

When can I move in?

Move-ins are only possible from the start of the contract and only on working days during the caretaker's working hours. If your contract starts on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, you can only move in on the next working day. Details can be found in your offer letter.

Do I have to register my place of residence? Do I need insurance?

Register your place of residence!
After moving in, you must register your new address with the residents' registration office of your municipality (e.g. City of Dortmund) and - if applicable - also re-register your car.

Household contents insurance
Studierendenwerk is not liable for damage caused to residents' property, even if the damage to the building is caused by a burst water pipe, for example. We therefore advise you to take out household contents insurance.

Are cutlery, crockery and bed linen available?

The kitchen equipment is not part of the furnishings. The kitchens are equipped by the residents themselves. Bed linen, towels, carpets, etc. must also be brought by the residents themselves.

Do the rooms have a telephone, television, internet connection?

Internet access is already included in the rental price in the residential complexes and can be used around the clock. Telephone and TV connections are also available, but must be registered yourself.

Since 2019, we have been gradually connecting the Dortmund residential complexes to the high-speed fibre-optic network. This means that there are no time or volume requirements for tenants. In addition, the internet connection is already included in the rent and access to the network is via the network socket in the room. The fibre optic network is operated by Glasfaser Bochum GmbH & Co KG. All you need is a PC or laptop, a network card and a network cable; no further access authorisations are required. If there are any problems with the internet connection or with the TV and radio programmes, please contact Glasfaser Bochum GmbH & Co KG directly.

  • Business hours: Monday to Friday from 8 am to 6 pm
  • Internet hotline: 0234/45934583
  • TV/radio hotline: 0234/45934584

Outside business hours and on Sundays and public holidays, faults can be reported by e-mail to support-do(at)edu-lan.de, stating the address and residence number.

Are there enough parking spaces?

The car parking facilities in the residential complexes vary greatly. As a rule, you will find sufficient free parking space, if not in the car park of the residential complex, then in the surrounding streets. The car parks at the residential complexes are generally available to all tenants and visitors; there is no exclusive rental of individual parking spaces.

How can I receive mail in the residential complex?

Please always include your house and room number with your address, otherwise your mail cannot be delivered.

I don't like the room - what can I do?

Moving within our halls of residence is generally not possible (exceptions: a medical certificate, force majeure, e.g. water damage). If you have any problems with your accommodation, please contact the Service Centre for Student Housing.

Can I extend the tenancy agreement?
Tenancy agreements are concluded for a maximum of four years. A tenancy can be extended for a maximum of one year if the general requirements for entitlement to accommodation continue to be met. An application for an extension must be submitted to the Studierendenwerk Dortmund at least four months before the end of the rental period. There is no entitlement to an extension of the tenancy.

Living in the residential complex

We speak different languages - what helps with communication?

If language skills are not yet sufficient to communicate within a hall of residence or on campus, gestures and, above all, pictures can help. The Deutsches Studentenwerk has published an illustrated dictionary for this purpose in co-operation with the Studierendenwerk Bielefeld. Printed copies can be ordered directly from the Intercultural Competence Service Centre of the Deutsches Studentenwerk.

I would like to sublet. How do I proceed?

A subletting agreement can ONLY be approved if a semester abroad or a longer internship is imminent.

We charge the main tenant a one-off fee of 70 euros for the conclusion of the subletting agreement. We also require the following documents:

  • Certificate from the main tenant about the internship or stay abroad stating the period of time
  • Passport photo of the main tenant
  • The current study certificate of the subtenant (TU Dortmund, FH Dortmund, FH Südwestfalen, Fernuniversität Hagen, Folkwang Hochschule Dortmund or ISM)
  • Identity card or passport (including residence permit)

Please upload the documents via the rental portal or the corresponding app "WohnenStwdo".

Where can I wash and dry my laundry?

Washing machines and tumble dryers are available for use for a fee in most residential complexes and houses. Payment is usually cashless via the usual payment systems.

If possible, please do not dry the laundry in the flat, as the escaping moisture encourages mould growth. In any case, you should air the rooms well afterwards.

My key is missing! Who can I contact?

If you have forgotten or lost your key, please contact your caretaker directly or, outside service hours, the locksmith service, Pinger Sicherheitstechnik GmbH, telephone 0231-91456555. The costs of the call-out must be borne by the person responsible!

The emergency service (HWS Wachdienst Hobeling GmbH - telephone 02331-47300) is NOT responsible in this case.

Do I have to pay radio and television licence fees myself?

The licence fee, or more precisely the "ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio Beitragsservice" (ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio Contribution Service), is payable for every home occupied - regardless of whether or not radio equipment is actually used. Foreign students must also pay the fee. The following applies to Studierendenwerk halls of residence:

  • Single flats are considered individual flats if they can be entered from a generally accessible corridor.
  • Larger residential units or double flats are generally recognised as ONE flat, even if they are used by a shared flat on the basis of several tenancy agreements. The principle of "one flat - one contribution" also applies here. The residents are jointly and severally liable.

Anyone who receives social benefits - in particular BAföG benefits - can apply to be exempted from the obligation to pay.

The Internet is not working - what should I do?

The following applies to the Dortmund residential complexes: If there are problems with your Internet connection or with the TV and radio programmes, please contact Glasfaser Bochum GmbH & Co KG directly.

  • Business hours: Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Internet hotline: 0234/45934583
  • TV/radio hotline: 0234/45934584

Outside business hours and on Sundays and public holidays, faults can be reported by email to support-do(at)edu-lan.de, stating the address and residence number.

Residents of the houses in Soest, Iserlohn and Hagen must find their own internet provider and contact the hotline of the respective provider in the event of problems.

I would like to borrow a notebook at short notice - how does that work?

We provide the tenants of our residential complexes with laptops free of charge on a loan basis. These are 15.6-inch laptops with 16 GB RAM and an Intel® Core™ i7 processor. The volume on the hard drive is 1 terabyte - enough to store even the most extensive work. The notebooks are equipped with Windows 11 Home. A bag, power supply unit and a Lenovo digital pen are included as accessories.

The number of notebooks is limited, so the principle of "first come first served" applies in the event of an enquiry. Anyone requiring a notebook should send an e-mail in advance to wohnen(at)stwdo.de. The maximum loan period is two months.

The user agreement can be downloaded here as a sample.

Sample form German

Form sample english

I would like to report a claim. Who can I contact?

In the event of damage, simply inform us via the damage report or use the StwDo rental portal.

In really urgent cases, you can reach the caretaker during service hours via the mobile phone number displayed in the information box of your residential complex. If the situation is urgent and the damage occurs outside the caretaker's service hours, a security service can be contacted via an on-call service: HWS Wachdienst Hobeling GmbH - Telephone 02331-47300 Please note that the security service will only be called if you provide your first and last name, your telephone number and the address of the residential complex including room number.

Lost your keys? Locked out?
If you have forgotten or lost your key, the emergency service is NOT responsible. In this case, please contact your caretaker directly or, outside service hours, the locksmith service, Pinger Sicherheitstechnik GmbH, telephone 0231-91456555. The costs of the call-out must be borne by the person responsible.

I have silverfish in the bathroom. What can I do?

Firstly, silverfish are not a health hazard. Nevertheless, action should be taken if the population increases. And silverfish do this continuously if they find optimal conditions - in other words, if important hygiene rules are not observed. Tenants are responsible for complying with these rules. So what can you do?

  1. Ventilate, clean, pack food
    Silverfish prefer damp and warm rooms. Therefore, air your rooms sufficiently often and clean the floors regularly and thoroughly so that the animals cannot find food here (dust, hair, bread crumbs, etc.). It is best to use a mixture of water and lemon or water and vinegar for cleaning. Seal the food properly.
  2. Flush drains with hot water and seal them
    As silverfish often enter the home through drains and hide there, it is advisable to flush them regularly with hot water and seal them overnight if necessary.

If you want to actively combat silverfish, you can use household remedies such as home-made sticky traps or products from the trade.

I'm having trouble in my flat share. What can I do?

If there are any disagreements in the shared flat, please contact the Service Centre Housing. We will then work together to find a solution that suits everyone.

The move out: Quit. Clean up. Goodbye!

Your studies are coming to an end or you have decided to change your accommodation? In this case, please note the following points.

Organisational matters
Dates & deadlines: The statutory notice period of three months applies. This means that if you wish to terminate the tenancy on 30 June, for example, we must receive the (signed!) notice of termination by 31 March at the latest.

Obligation to deregister
If you move out of a student residence and do not move into a new flat in Germany, you are obliged to officially deregister with the registration office. Please enquire at the local authority responsible for your place of residence.

Deposit
You pay a deposit when you sign the tenancy agreement. This will be transferred back to your account without interest within six weeks of the end of the tenancy once the rented premises have been returned in proper condition, provided there are no outstanding debts. Otherwise, the period during which the deposit is refunded will be extended by the period during which invoices are issued by external and third-party companies, provided there is a residual amount after the debts or costs have been covered.

When and how can I cancel my tenancy agreement?

Cancellation must always be made in writing, i.e. with a legally valid signature. The date of receipt by the Studierendenwerk is decisive for compliance with the statutory cancellation period of three months. This means that if you wish to terminate the tenancy on 30 June, for example, we must receive the notice of termination by 31 March at the latest.

What to do after a cancellation?

Please make an appointment with the caretaker of your residential complex one week before you wish to move out. Renovate and clear your room by the agreed move-out date so that the rooms can be handed over smoothly and in a proper condition.

Proper condition - what does that mean?

A preliminary inspection will be carried out a few weeks before the end of the tenancy. As soon as your tenancy agreement has expired, you must hand over the flat/room to the caretaker in an orderly and contractual manner. At the final handover, the caretaker will check the condition of the room and the communal areas. As a general rule, the rooms must be handed over as they were when you moved in. If painting is required, the caretaker will provide paint.

If you live in a guest flat and have received an equipment package from the Studierendenwerk, the items such as crockery, cutlery and bed linen must be handed over complete and clean. If the items are not handed over properly, the deposit will be cancelled or not refunded in full.

A proper condition will be achieved if you observe the following to-do list:

  • Room: Clean the floor (damp mop)
  • Remove any furniture and floor coverings you have brought in yourself
  • Whitewash dirty walls (paint is available from the caretaker)
  • Remove pictures, nails and screws from the walls and close up any dowel holes
  • Remove all stickers
  • Clean windows, blinds, furniture and room door
  • Wipe out bed drawers with a damp cloth, vacuum mattresses
  • Bathroom: thoroughly clean toilet, sink and shower
  • Remove personal belongings (aerosol cans, tubes, etc.)
  • Kitchen: thoroughly clean hob, fridge and kitchen furniture
  • Remove personal items (crockery, spices, food, etc.)
Will my mail be forwarded?

The Studierendenwerk does not forward mail. Please submit a forwarding request to Deutsche Post in good time.