Your Rights & Responsibilities

Know what to expect and what is expected of you

As you move off campus, it is important to be mindful of expectations for yourself as a tenant and the expectations of your landlord.

Rights & Responsibility Info
City of Williamsburg Student Resources The City of Williamsburg provides a list of helpful resources for students living off campus. Student Renters Guide: an overview of neighborhood expectations and services. Residential Parking Brochure: information on resident and guest parking for residential streets where parking is limited.
Virginia Statement of Tenant Rights and Responsibilities As a renter or tenant, it is important you have an understanding of what your rights and responsibilities are. The Virginia Statement of Tenant Rights and Responsibilities provides an overview of key terms and expectations.

Being a Good Neighbor

Congratulations on making the decision to live off campus! Living off campus and in our local neighborhoods is filled with opportunities for civic leadership and connection with long-term residents of the Greater Williamsburg area.

Not only does living off campus give you opportunities to soft-launch greater independence, like planning and cooking meals, maintaining property, and honing your parallel parking skills, but living off-campus also allows you to connect with neighbors of various backgrounds and interests.
Participating in local neighborhood traditions, such as Halloween trick-or-treating, decorating your house for the holidays or casual conversations, helps build trust between neighbors. Each neighborhood offers a unique residential experience. Some neighborhoods even have community parties and shared community facilities, such as parks and children’s recreational areas.

This guide is designed to support your transition, while offering practical advice as you navigate the additional responsibilities of living off campus. Below, we highlight some of these responsibilities and make suggestions for living in our local neighborhoods.

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Introduce yourself to your neighbors and maintain communication throughout your time living in the neighborhood. Most neighbors will enjoy getting to know you.
Small acts of kindness, like bringing in trash cans for a neighbor out of town, helping clear snow/ice for an elderly neighbor, or participating in neighborhood events, can go a long way in fostering good relationships and building trust.
Consider sharing your phone number so your neighbors can contact you directly in case there are any concerns or a need for more immediate communication.
Respect different lifestyles. Residential neighborhoods are home to people with a wide variety of routines and needs, including families with young children, early work schedules, and those managing health needs, just to name a few. Disruptions—such as excessive noise—can be very disturbing and may cause friction. Being mindful of how things like noise affect those around you helps create the kind of respectful, supportive community that benefits everyone.
If living in the City of Williamsburg, introduce yourself to your neighborhood’s community resource officer through the Williamsburg Police Department’s Community Engagement Unit (757-220-2331).

Inform your neighbors if you plan to host guests, including the approximate number of guests and the timing of the event.
Limit guests to a manageable number. Rental houses in residential neighborhoods are not appropriate venues for large parties. Large events should be held at locations or venues large enough to accommodate them, such as a community building or a local restaurant.
Hosts are responsible for the behavior of their guests. Communicate expectations clearly in advance, including noise levels, respectful behavior, and parking considerations.
Keep the gathering contained to your own property and do not allow guests to spill into streets, neighboring yards, or community spaces such as playgrounds or parks.
Encourage guests walking to and from your home to be mindful of traffic, particularly in neighborhoods without sidewalks.
Be aware of and comply with local noise ordinances. In the City of Williamsburg, the daytime noise limit (at the road outside your property) is 65 dB, which is equivalent to a normal conversation. After 11 p.m., this drops to 55 dB, which is similar to the quiet hum from a refrigerator or the gurgle from a coffee percolator. In practice, this means that larger gatherings may violate noise ordinances, no matter what time of day, as will outside activity after 11 p.m. We recommend being indoors after 11 p.m. and for any gatherings to end by 11 p.m.
End a gathering if it gets too noisy, crowded, or out of hand. Any resident of the property can place a discreet phone call to the City of Williamsburg, James City County, or York County Police to ask them to intervene if you need help.
Promptly clean up any trash left behind from your gathering, including on your property, your neighbors’ property, or in the streets.

Keep your exterior doors locked at all times.
Keep an emergency contact list for all roommates in a shared place, such as on the door of your refrigerator.
Consider sharing a spare front door key with a local neighbor you have developed a relationship with. This can help if you get locked out.
If your residence will be unoccupied for an extended period, use light timers and ask a trusted neighbor to check in periodically.
Depending on your location, ensure you have the City of Williamsburg, James City County or York County police saved in your phone contacts.

Park your vehicle in the appropriate location for your property. If you are unsure about parallel street parking, learning from your neighbors could be a great relationship building opportunity.
Keep lawns, yards, and visible areas free of trash and debris.
Make certain you know who your landlord or rental property manager is and how to contact them.
Contact your landlord or rental property manager immediately to notify them of any maintenance issues.

Even when you live off-campus, reported student violations of federal, state, or local laws will result in a referral to William & Mary’s Student Accountability & Restorative Practices for disciplinary action. Depending on the facts and circumstances—and the student’s prior student conduct history—sanctions can include a warning, probation, suspension, or expulsion from the university.

William & Mary Police Department – 757-221-4596
Williamsburg City Police – 757-220-2333
James City County Police – 757-566-0112
York County Police – 757-890-3630

City of Williamsburg Student Resources

Virginia Statement of Tenant Rights and Responsibilities

Being a Good Neighbor

Topics

Neighborhood Relations

Noise & Social Gatherings

Safety & Security

Property Maintenance & Cleanliness

Laws & Conduct

Contact Information