Humid rooms, cold showers and frequently out-of-service elevators are among the issues students living in UH residential halls face.
Students who live in dorms and on-campus apartments have expressed concern and discomfort with recurring maintenance problems and what they describe as inconsistent building functionality.
One of the prominent complaints stems from elevator breakdowns. Residents say “out of order” signs are often plastered on elevator doors, forcing students to take the stairs or risk elevators stalling between floors.
Air conditioning has also been an ongoing issue, with students in multiple halls saying temperature controls barely adjust, leaving rooms warm and humid.
Low water pressure and a lack of hot water have added to frustrations, at times leaving residents unable to shower or use sinks and toilets.
“Sometimes there’s no hot water and I prefer to shower with hot water, I don’t like cold water,” said electrical engineering sophomore Eghe Omorogbe, who lives in The Quad.
Some students expressed both compassion and frustration toward the University’s response timeline and efforts to fix the issues.
“Honestly, it’s been a bit scary because every time you go down to the first floor, the elevator will get stuck and not open,” said business junior Lydia Wells, who also lives in The Quad. “I have seen workers come to work on it, though. But I feel like every time I come back into our dorm room, it’s warm and I just came outside from the heat.”
UH attributed the issues to increased usage across residential facilities, saying high demand can strain building systems. The University said its facilities team is closely monitoring conditions and responding to service requests to keep systems operational and safe.
“We understand how frustrating any disruption can be and appreciate our residents’ patience as we continue to make necessary repairs and upgrades to support a reliable and comfortable residential living experience,” a UH spokesperson said.
Student Housing & Residential Life is reviewing maintenance data to identify recurring issues and prioritize preventive work, according to UH.
“Our shared goal is to reduce downtime, address problems before they disrupt residents and ensure a consistently reliable and comfortable residential experience for all students,” the spokesperson said.
UH encourages students to submit maintenance requests through the UH FixIt service on AccessUH or by email and phone.
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