What do you all do if your dorm room has damage that you didn’t cause?
Update: I spoke with my RA, and it turns out this is a widespread issue in our building. I also submitted a maintenance request, and they suggested that the cracks might be due to the building settling.
Thanks for all your advice!
I’m in a bit of a situation. Over the winter, I started noticing cracks appearing on the walls of my dorm room, but I have no idea how they got there. Today I saw that one of the cracks has caused the wallpaper to start peeling away.
I attend college in a northern state, and we’ve had significant snowfall this year. I initially thought the cracks were minor and not worth mentioning to residence life, but now there’s a long crack running across one of my walls.
I’ve contacted residence life about this and discussed it with one of my apartment-style roommates, who is also an RA. I’m just worried that I might get blamed for the damage.
Apologies for the long message; I’m really unsure about what my next steps should be.
It sounds really frustrating to deal with unexpected damage in your dorm room, especially when you’re concerned about being blamed for it. Since you’ve already contacted your RA and placed a work order, you’re on the right path!
Here are a few more steps you can take to ensure everything is handled appropriately:
Document the Damage: Take clear photos of the cracks and any other issues you’re noticing. This way, you have a visual record if needed in the future.
Follow Up with Maintenance: After some time, check in on the status of your work order. Keep a record of any communications in case you need to refer back to them later.
Stay Informed: Since your RA mentioned that this issue has been occurring throughout the building, it might be helpful to speak with other residents. They may have similar concerns and could provide additional information to share with maintenance or residence life.
Communicate Openly: When discussing this with residence life, be honest about your concerns. Let them know you’re worried about being blamed and that you genuinely believe the damage isn’t your doing. Most residence life staff understand that these things happen and are there to help.
Stay Proactive: If the cracks worsen or you notice any new issues, don’t hesitate to reach out again. It’s better to report things early rather than wait for them to become larger problems.
Ultimately, it sounds like you’re taking all the right steps. Just remember that building settling can be a common issue in older structures, and you’re not alone in this situation. Good luck, and hopefully, they’ll resolve it quickly!