<p>Long story short, I forgot to cancel my housing contract when I withdrew from the university. They now want to charge me a good deal of money for housing for a period during which I was on the other end of the country. Is there anything I can do to dispute this or am I pretty much stuck?</p>
<p>If there is a room in your name sitting vacant in your apartment/dorm, then they have every right to charge you for it. That said, your best bet is to get in contact with housing. You and I both know that housing is notorious for making even the smallest requests difficult. Just tell them that you were under the impression that when you withdrew from the University, they would be smart enough to cancel your contract. Be firm, and tell them that you are unwilling to pay the cost. I’m not sure how far you can fight this, because I am pretty sure you signed a contract for the entire year, and it is clearly your fault that you did not cancel it. However, when $5k+ is the cost of ignoring the issue, it is best to put your best foot forward and see what happens.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>My friend had the same issue when he withdrew from UCM to go to UCSC last-minute instead. He was firm, and despite months of pestering, did not pay the bill. They eventually let it go. Hope it works out for you!</p>