House Rules
Medellin Coliving aims to provide the highest quality shared spaces in Medellin. The following guidelines have been written based on 10 years of experience to ensure everyone’s comfort and safety.
General Rules:
- This is a coliving long-stay apartment designed for digital nomads, not short term tourists. The minimum rental period is one month (30 or more days).
- Please respect your fellow housemates who due to the international nature of the digital nomads lifestyle may have a work or sleep schedule different to yourself.
- Please respect the neighbours. They are extra concerned about the safety of the family-oriented building which could be easily be compromised by foreign guests who may not be aware of the day to day dangers of living in Colombia.
- Don’t lend your keys to anyone or leave them unattended in common space. Don't duplicate the keys. Don't leave your keys hidden in the garden when you can’t be bothered carrying them to the gym (true story). If you’re drunk and can’t find your key, don’t break a window to get out (true story). Don’t throw the key over the balcony to let your rappi driver or friends in (true story). If you misplace your key please report it immediately to me (there is a replacement fee). If there are any issues with the front door please report it immediately to the Portero, who lives onsite, or myself.
- To avoid disturbing the neighbours please open / close the front door as quietly as possible, walk up the stairs “gently” and don’t talk loudly in the hallway. Remove high heels in the apartment. Some of the neighbours have maids who live on site, their bedroom is alongside the stairs, so they hear every footstep as you come and go at night.
- Always maintain a respectful level of volume in the apartment (ie. NO PARTIES). Please don’t bring stereo or musical equipment into the apartment. Please keep the volume down on the balcony especially after 9pm.
- No smoking zone in the apartment, a cleaning charge will be deducted from your deposit.
- Windows should be closed when you leave the apartment to avoid rain coming in and the entry of insects, bats and birds. All lights should be turned off when leaving the apartment. Please use the blinds in the living room at night time to maintain privacy / security.
- A parking space is available if needed. No bikes in the apartment, they can be chained to the column in the garage.
- No classes (Spanish, salsa, yoga, sports etc) in the apartment
- Do not walk around the apartment in your underpants
- No weapons, drugs, prostitutes or special massages in the apartment.
- Be respectful at all times. Don’t give foreigners a bad name, the rest of us have to live with the consequences of your behaviour after you’re long gone.
Cleaning:
- The cleaner comes twice a week or as otherwise advised; guests are responsible for cleaning up after themselves at all times.
- There is no cleaning service on public holidays.
- Cleaning products and toilet paper are provided. Bring your own personal products such as shampoo, bodywash etc.
- Dishes and cooking utensils should be washed immediately - this is the no.1 source of complaints. Don't leave unwashed glasses around the house. The cleaner is responsible to keep the apartment clean, not to wash your dishes or clothes.
- Wipe the kitchen surfaces after cooking to avoid stains, wipe the floor if you spill anything, and remove all food crumbs to avoid ant infestations.
- Bath towels should not be used to clean the floor or used as a floor matt. Don't use the apartment towels when dying your hair. Don't remove towels from the apartment. Bring your own gym towel. Tea towels are for drying dishes, not for wiping the floor.
- Recycling is a legal requirement. All paper, plastic, tins, cartons and other recyclable materials should be put in the recycling bin provided and will be taken downstairs by the cleaner. Do not throw items down the rubbish chute.
- Your bedroom door should be left unlocked and open on cleaning days and may be opened in your absence in order to clean your room.
- The cleaner will wash bedding and towels once a week and make your bed on that day. Please assist by leaving bedding and towels on the floor, or in the laundry room.
- All beds and pillows have protectors which have a protective waterproof coating and require special attention. Do not wash or dry them yourself. If you stain the sheet please soak them in a bucket of cold water.
- A washer & dryer is provided for you to wash your clothing. Detergent is provided. Help save the environment by not washing small loads.
Damages & Breakages:
- Please report any damages, breakages and stains left of any bedding, towels or furniture. Do not replace broken items with inferior quality items.
- All breakages and damages will be taken from your deposit.
- Do not move any furniture, equipment or rearrange rooms without asking first.
- In Colombia toilet paper should be put in the bin provided. The plumber call-out fee is about 100,000 peso.
Apartment Safety & Visitors:
- For security do not let anyone into the building or apartment that you do not know, whether a workman, delivery person, rappi driver or anyone else claiming to be on official business or a visitor of a fellow housemate.
- Do not accept deliveries for anyone or sign anything unless you know what it is.
- Please keep all personal belongings in your room and valuables locked in your closet. Guests assume all responsibility for their own valuables and should invest in their travel insurance to cover expensive items.
- You may invite a maximum of two friends to visit the apartment, but with special consideration for others. Avoid visitors after 9pm when other tenants may be in bed.
- Definitely NO parties or 'after' parties in the apartment. There are plenty of bars and clubs in Lleras.
- The rooms are intended for single occupation and the maximum capacity of the apartment is 5 persons (Coliving 1) and 4 persons (Coliving 2). Rental of the room does not give you the right to invite visiting friends or family to stay, there's plenty of cheap hotels, hostels nearby.
- A partner is welcome to stay with consideration for others, but more than twice a week could be considering living there and an additional 100% rental surcharge will be applied.
- The apartment is not a destination for serial daters. Please note that bringing home strangers from nightclubs or from online apps such as Tinder, Grindr etc is an easy way to get drugged, robbed and killed. Be sensible, go on a date or two first before bringing anyone home. For more information about dating safety check the Facebook Group “Colombia Scopolamine Victims & Alerts”
- You assume full responsibility for anyone you allow into the building and the safety & valuables of other guests and neighbours.
- Rooms cannot be subleased or sublet.
- Visitors must be notified of the house rules and all guests are responsible for their visitors at all times
- Open the door for your visitors and when they leave accompany them to the door as the Portero might not let them enter or leave if unaccompanied by a tenant.
- Any form of exploitation of minors will be immediately reported to the police.
Payment of Rent:
- The minimum rental period is 30 nights.
- Prices are quoted based on a "rental month" which consists of 30 nights.
- After the initial 30 days rooms can be extended on a monthly or pro-rata basis.
- Rent is due upon arrival to the apartment and the first day of the following rental month, for extensions.
- Payment currency is Colombian Peso unless paying via Airbnb or another agreed payment method which may be subject to an additional charge.
- Check in time is usually after 1pm and departure time by 10am.
- Late payment is subject to a 10,000COP for each day late.
- Rooms are rented for the specific period paid in advance.
- If you have requested a room long-term please give 14 days notification of departure. Last minute notification of departure (less than 7 days) this may result in 50% deduction of your deposit.
- If you wish to ensure the room is not rented to another person you may pay for your entire stay in advance.
- Refunds are not given if you change your mind and leave early, especially during the first 30 days.
- The deposit is not a prepayment of the final months rent and is not to be used to offset the rent in any way.
The comfort and safety of everyone in the apartment and the building requires cooperation from everyone. If you notice any of the above guidelines not being met, please speak to the person involved, you have to live together after all. If you continue to notice a fellow guest is breaking the guidelines, please report it to myself.
Serious failure to observe the above rules, compromising the comfort and safety of your fellow housemates and/or our neighbours will result in immediate termination of your lease without refund of the rent or deposit. Likewise if you observe the guidelines being broken and don’t report your concerns, the same applies.
Be good.
Rob