West Chester Off Campus Housing

FAQ

I am interested in renting a property from WCOCH, what is the process?

  • It is recommended that you stop by our office in early Fall.
  • The first step is to find a specific number of people to be your group.
  • Mid October, talk to one of our administrators to find out what locations are available for rent. Check our website for specifics about properties that meet your groups needs. Your next step is finding a common time in which EVERYONE in your group is available to view the property.
  • If the group is interested, read the lease online, then apply. The application is available on our website, or is also in our office. All potential residents must APPLY to lease from WCOCH. An application is not a security deposit, and it will not gurantee placement in a WCOCH residence. An application will not "hold" a residence, unless ALL applications for all potential tenants are turned in, with fees and copies of ID's.
  • The main contact for the group  must hand in ALL applications to includew copies of government issuesd IDs (school ID is not acceptable), and individual application fees. Once all applications is recieved, we will put together your lease packet for the group to sign.
  • Once you have your lease, ALL potential residents have a maximum of 7 days to have the lease completely signed by all tenants and cosigners, AS WELL AS to pay your security deposit.  Failure to return the lease within 7 days may result in losing the property. Please contact our property manager for more information. 

Do I have to be a WCU student to rent from WCOCH?

No. You may be a student to any university. Also, there are a select number of housing options available for recent graduates. Please contact our office for details.

I would like to pay my rent, what are my options?

You may pay your rent by: Check, Cash, Money Order or Certified Bankers Check. Keep in mind; each unit (apartment or house) is only permitted to submit 1 personal check PER UNIT. Tenants are expected to pay the total rent as a group (collectively). Rent may be mailed to our secure P.O Box Address (DO NOT SEND CASH THROUGH THE MAIL). IF you are paying cash in our office, ALWAYS ask for a recipt for your payments. Please contact our office for the mailing address. You may also drop the payment off in hand at our office.  Unfortunately, at this time we are unable to accept payment through Credit Card, or over the phone. 

I am a resident of WCOCH and would like a street parking pass.  How Can I get a permit?

The Borough of West Chester distributes parking permits for ON-street parking. You must have at least 2 proofs of residency (a copy of your lease, a utility bill, or a letter from WCOCH). You must also have a valid driver’s license, registration of the vehicle, and proof of insurance with your name on the card. The address for the Borough building is 401 E. Gay St, West Chester, PA, 19382.

 For more information, please visit their website http://www.west-chester.com/parking_rppp.php

I am NOT a PA resident, what are my options for getting an on-street parking permit?.

If you are not a PA resident, the borough of West Chester will only issue you a parking permit for the parking "Area C". This area surrounds the streets of the university. Please ask the Borough Parking Authority for more information. The Borough offices are located at 401 East Gay St.

Also, WCOCH has several off-street parking spaces for lease. Please contact our office for additional details. Please note, you must be a CURRENT resident of WCOCH to be eligible to rent the additional parking spaces.

I have signed into a lease, but I neet to be removed.  What is the process?

For more information, please consult your lease and contact our office for more details.

I can't log into the internet, which is provided by WCOCH.  What can I do?

Some of our properties come with courtesy WIFI. This service is provided by us, and monitored by the West Chester Computer Doctors. Please note if you live in an apartment complex with us, you are allowed to access any network provided by WCOCH depending on where you live. Should you have trouble connecting, please make sure you are entering the correct passcode. The passcode is provided in your Rental HELP Booklet. If you are sure you are entering the code correctly, please contact West Chester Computer Doctors for technical assistance.  BEFORE CALLING, please power-cycle your computer (turn off/on to see if that helps). Please call 610-431-0400 and mention you are a West Chester Off-Campus Housing resident.

I currently rent from WCOCH and would like to renew.  What is the process?

In September/October each year, we will be sending out a letter asking for your group’s intention to renew. Please contact our office for more information.

I noticed WCOCH offers scholarships.  How do I apply?

There are certain requirements you must meet to be eligible to apply for our scholarships. For more information, please consult the WCU website. http://www.wcupa.edu/_SERVICES/stu.occ/Forms/Scholarship/default.asp

I see that your lease requires tenants to purchase a renters insurance. Can you explain what needs to be covered, and how to obtain this insurance?

It is normal business practice for a property owner to require you to purchase renters insurance. A renters insurance policy is very simple to obtain, and relatively inexpensive.

 

As a tenant of WCOCH, you are required to purchase and maintain renters and personal liability insurance coverage. You may purchase insurance from any reputable fire and liability insurance company. Examples of such companies include: State Farm Insurance, Geico Insurance, Assurant Special Property Insurance, Nationwide Insurance.

 

Policies differ from company to company, however you may be able to list all of the tenants of the residence under one policy. This will keep costs down dramatically. The policy must have a minimum personal liability coverage of $50,000. It is recommended that you take specific inventory of your property to generate an accurate approximation of the value of your personal belongings which will be covered under the insurance policy.

 

Upon move in, you will be required to provide proof of renters insurance.

 

Most frequently, it is easiest and cheapest to purchase the insurance policy online. You can do this with most insurance companies! For example: State Farm, Nationwide, Progressive, Assurant. It is required that you to list West Chester Off-Campus Housing, LLC. as a certificate holder. It is recommended that ALL of the prospective tenants get together, and purchase a policy online at the same time, to cover everyone under one insurance policy. This will provide you with a document in hand within 5-10 mins, and it will also keep the cost and hassle down significantly.

 

If you have any questions or concerns please contact our office for further information.