The Ultimate Guide to Travel Nurse Agency Housing

If you’re a travel nurse looking to take company provided housing as part of your compensation package, then you’ll need to cover a lot of variables in advance to make sure that you’re not caught off guard by some unforeseen issue after it’s too late to rectify. It’s definitely not as simple as companies make it sound. So, in this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about company provided travel nurse housing.

First, this article assumes you already know how to evaluate the choice between taking the company’s housing or taking the housing reimbursement. If you have not considered all the risks and rewards involved with this decision, then please review our article on that topic here.

Also, this article does not cover issues related to you finding your own travel nurse housing. Please review our Ultimate Guide to Finding Your Own Travel Nurse Housing to become an expert on that topic.

In this article, we’ll answer whether or not travel nurse company housing is taxable. Next, we’ll review some of the different approaches that travel nursing companies take with their housing. Then, we’ll discuss why it might be best for you to work with certain types of companies if you prefer a furnished apartment.

Next, we’ll discuss factors you should consider if you want the agency to provide housing that is less expensive than the lodging reimbursement the agency offers. Finally, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the most common housing options that companies offer.

Is Travel Nurse Company Housing Taxable?

If you have a legitimate tax-home, then travel nurse company housing is not taxable. Please review our article on travel nursing tax homes if you are unsure whether or not you have a legitimate tax home.

However, if you do not have a tax-home, then the IRS considers company housing to be a fringe benefit that counts as taxable income. Therefore, you would need to declare the value of the company housing on your taxes if you do not have a legitimate tax-home. You would also have to pay taxes on the company’s lodging reimbursement if you took it instead of their housing.

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To clarify, it does not matter if the company reports the fringe benefit to the IRS or not. If you receive a fringe benefit, then it is your responsibility to declare it on your taxes. For example, if the IRS audits the agency and finds that the agency issued unreported fringe benefits to a traveler, then the IRS may audit the traveler.

Will I Get to Choose My Travel Nurse Company Housing?

Many travel nurses wonder if they will get to choose the location of their travel nurse company housing. Of course, you may also wonder if you get to choose the type of housing.

Different companies have different approaches to travel nurse housing. Ultimately, you’ll want to work with companies that can best meet your housing needs.

Generally, you’ll find that travel nursing companies approach housing in one of 3 ways. Let’s take a look at each.

1. Travel nursing companies that do not offer housing

Some agencies don’t offer company housing at all. Instead, they only offer a housing reimbursement. Obviously, you simply will not work with these companies if you decide you want company provided housing.

That’s okay! Personally, I’m leery of any company that isn’t willing to take the same risks they expect their employees to take.

2. Travel nursing companies that offer limited travel nurse housing options

Some agencies offer lodging but they don’t offer much in the way of choices. You need to take what they give you. Or, you take the housing stipend.

Some agencies in this category will only offer furnished apartments. Other agencies in this category will only offer Extended Stay hotels or something similar. Agencies in this category typically work with particular property managers or property owners. Therefore, you will have little to no choice on the type of housing they provide.

Moreover, these agencies may not offer much of a choice for location either. For example, they may only guarantee that the housing they provide is within a 30-minute commute of the hospital. You’ll have to decide whether or not you are comfortable ceding this level of control regarding your housing.

It’s important to note that the largest companies in the industry often take this approach to housing. However, as we discuss below, these agencies often get really good deals on the housing they provide.

3. Companies that offer flexible travel nurse housing options

At the other end of the spectrum, some agencies are flexible and offer many lodging options. They might offer furnished apartments, Extended Stays, vacation rentals or even share rentals.

These companies may even involve you in the housing search and let you choose the option that best suits your needs. Or, you can take a housing stipend instead.

Some travel nurses find that this level of flexibility is a huge advantage. However, agencies with this level of flexibility are usually small to mid-sized companies. As a result, they may not be able to get the same discounts on furnished apartments that some of the largest companies sometimes receive.

That said, travel nurses tend to rate small and mid-sized agencies higher than their larger counterparts in terms of service quality. Additionally, these companies can save money on housing by offering unconventional options like studios or share rentals. They almost always add the money they save on housing to the travel nurse’s pay. We discuss this further below.

The Best Travel Nursing Companies for Furnished Apartments

Many travel nurses are only willing to accept furnished apartments. In this section, we discuss the reasons that it might be best for you to work with the largest travel nursing companies in the industry if you require a furnished apartment.

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However, before we begin, we want to stress how important it is to always compare travel nursing pay packages to make sure you’re getting a good deal. Comparing pay packages is complicated. Here are some links to resources that will help:

1. 1. How to Compare Travel Nursing Pay Packages
   2. Video on Comparing Pay Packages
   3. The Ultimate Travel Nursing Pay Calculator and Comparison Tool

Problems for Travel Nurses with Short Term Furnished Apartments

To understand why it might be better for you to work with the largest travel nursing companies if you want a fully furnished apartment, you have to know some of the unique challenges short-term leases present. First, apartment managers typically charge a premium for short term leases.

Second, there are fixed-costs associated with securing an apartment and getting it move-in ready. For example, the furniture company charges a delivery fee. Finally, companies spend time and money each time they secure a new apartment.

Economies of Scale for the Largest Travel Nursing Companies

The largest travel nursing companies can avoid these problems because they realize economies of scale. Some of these companies have hundreds, even thousands, of travelers in company housing.

As a result, they can get volume discounts where smaller companies pay premiums. Therefore, the largest companies sometimes pay hundreds of dollars less per month than their smaller counterparts for the same properties.

The same goes for almost every aspect of housing. Larger agencies can get volume discounts on furniture rentals, cable TV fees, and other items. Suppliers might even waive deposits for larger companies.

Larger companies can also sign long-term leases on apartments in areas that they routinely have travelers on contract. As a result, they spread their fixed costs over longer periods, thereby reducing those costs.

Travel Nurse Housing Costs and Pay Package Adjustments

Another factor that can make large companies more attractive if you need a furnished apartment is that they tend to be more accurate with their housing cost estimates. Let’s look at an example to understand why this is important.

Let’s say a company quotes you a pay package that includes a furnished apartment as the company housing. Remember, companies almost always provide pay quotes before you even interview for the position.

Later, they come to find that a furnished apartment will cost them more than they originally budgeted. Of course, the cost overrun will reduce the company’s gross profit and could even cause them to take a net loss on the contract.

Different Companies Adjust in Different Ways

The company could do several things at that point. However, most companies are not going to eat the cost. Instead, they will most likely offer you alternative housing or a lower pay package. Of course, this would catch you off guard and you would need to reconsider if you want to accept the contract.

This scenario is less likely to happen with the largest companies for a couple of reasons. First, the largest companies have housed thousands of people all across the country and sometimes have long term leases on apartments so they have robust data to run estimates. Alternatively, smaller companies often run estimates on the fly.

Second, larger companies are less likely to reduce pay quotes in this case because they are highly averse to “wage recharacterization”. They want to avoid it at all costs. We’ve covered wage recharacterization extensively in another article.

Such miscalculations tend to happen more frequently with furnished apartments for a couple of reasons. First, it’s really simple to call an Extended Stay Hotel or look on Airbnb to get a quote. By contrast, contacting apartment complexes to get accurate quotes is like pulling teeth.

Therefore, agencies often run their estimates for furnished apartments with imperfect information. Or, the specific property they budgeted for is suddenly unavailable which forces them to find another option.

So, please do not think that an agency who does reduce the pay in this scenario is scamming you. In fact, most agencies will reduce the pay in this case. Even the largest companies do it in some cases. Again, this is why it’s an advantage to work with agencies that can avoid these problems in most cases.

You Must Compare Travel Nursing Pay Packages to Know for Sure

The bottom line is that the largest agencies sometimes offer amazing value on furnished apartments. They sometimes provide fully furnished, 1-bedroom apartments with all utilities covered in nice locations for much less than you’d be able to secure on your own, and for much less than their smaller and mid-sized competitors.

Then, they pass the savings into the traveler’s pay. Again though, you should still compare pay packages between agencies to verify that you have a good offer.

In some cases, small to mid-sized companies can also get great deals on apartments. For example, if a smaller agency does a lot of business in a particular metropolitan area, then they may have built strong relationships with property managers over the years.

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Moreover, the largest agencies do not come through with great housing deals 100% of the time. In fact, some of the largest agencies outsource their housing requirements to third parties like Travelers Haven.

There is nothing wrong with these services. However, they do cost money. Those costs can negate the benefits we’ve described here.

Finally, many travel nurses contend that the largest companies pay the worst. Our own experience indicates otherwise. However, it’s further evidence that you must compare pay packages to know for sure.

Tips for Travel Nurse Housing that is Less Expensive than Furnished Apartments

Thus far, we’ve discussed issues pertinent to furnished apartments. It’s important to note that furnished apartments are usually the most expensive option for travel nurse housing. Meanwhile, there are many alternative options for travel nurse housing that are less expensive.

You may want to consider housing options that are less expensive if you want to save more money. However, there a several factors to consider.

First, you want to make sure the companies you work with will increase your pay if you accept lodging that is less expensive than the housing reimbursement they offer. Not all companies will do this. Let’s take a look at an example.

Let’s say a company offers you a choice between a furnished apartment or a housing reimbursement of $2,500 per month. Then, you ask them to provide a housing option that is less expensive. As a result, they find an Extended Stay Hotel for $1,800 per month.

Make Sure You Get the Savings

That’s a difference of $700 per month between the housing reimbursement and the Extended Stay. You want to make sure that the $700 per month is added to your pay.

Most commonly, agencies will transfer the equivalent value to your taxable hourly pay rate. However, the amount they actually transfer is slightly less because the agency must pay the employer’s portion of payroll taxes for taxable income. They do not have to pay those taxes for nontaxable reimbursements.

Again, not all companies will add this difference to your pay. Also, companies that don’t do it are not necessarily ripping you off. Instead, they may have legitimate concerns that they will be guilty of wage recharacterization if they adjust pay like this. Essentially, they are taking money that they were using to cover a business expense and adding that money to the employee’s pay.

Now that we’ve covered the company related issues you must consider, let’s take a look at the issues specifically related to the housing itself. In the next sections we’ll cover what you need to know for each of the common types of travel nurse housing.

Tips for Travel Nursing Company Provided Housing – Motels, Hotels, and Extended Stays

Many agencies offer to house travel nurses at Motels, Hotels, and Extended Stay type properties. While agencies may offer these options under any circumstance, they most often offer them if your contract is 10 weeks or less. These options have similarities and differences that you must consider.

Hotels and Motels as Company Provided Travel Nurse Housing

Motels are typically the lowest budget accommodation of the three options. Motels have room access directly from the parking lot. In other words, room doors are on the exterior of the building. Additionally, motels typically offer very few additional services or no additional services at all.

Hotels are typically the most expensive option of the three. Hotels have interior access to the room. Therefore, most people consider them more secure. They also tend to include additional amenities like gyms, pools, Jacuzzis, house-keeping, room service, breakfast service, and restaurants.

It’s important to remember that hotels and motels don’t have kitchens in their rooms. As a result, you could end up spending a lot of money in restaurants. You should definitely consider this cost before you agree to these housing options.

Extended Stays as Company Provided Travel Nurse Housing

It’s more common for travel nursing companies to offer Extended Stay properties than hotels or motels. Extended Stays typically have a price point between motels and hotels. That said, they can cost less than some motels if the agency negotiates a special rate for the long-term stay.

Extended Stay properties are designed for just that, extended stays. They typically come equipped with a kitchenette. The kitchenette typically includes a mid-sized refrigerator/freezer, a dishwasher, sink, and a 2-burner stove.

The rooms at Extended Stays can be studios, suites, or full on 1-bedroom apartments. They may also have additional amenities akin to hotels. While room access is usually interior, it can also be exterior.

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It’s important to note that amenities vary greatly between Extended Stay hotels. For example, you can’t count on them all having the same kitchen amenities. It’s important to ask ahead of time to ensure that you know what you’re in for.

Questions to ask your travel nurse agency about motels, hotels and Extended Stays

If the company offers one of these options, then you should determine the following:

1. Is it a Motel, Hotel, or Extended Stay?
2. Is room access interior or exterior?
3. What’s the parking situation?
4. Will you have to pay for parking?
5. What amenities are included (gym facilities, free breakfast, cafe or restaurant, daily housekeeping, room service, etc.)?
6. Do they provide free Wi-Fi?
7. What type of cable TV service does it have?
8. Is there a kitchenette, and what’s included? (Specifically inquire about things that are important to you, like a toaster or frying pan.)
9. Is there a microwave?
10. Is there an oven?
11. Is there a coffeepot?
12. Is there a dishwasher?
13. Is there a laundry room?
14. Is there an iron and ironing board?
15. Is it a studio, suite, or 1 bedroom?
16. Is there adequate storage for your belongings?
17. Is there a real bed in addition to a sofa pull out, or is there just a sofa pull out (you’d be surprised!)?
18. What size is the bed?
19. Will you be responsible for any hidden fees?
20. If you have pets, will the property accept pets and, if so, will the company pay the pet deposit or do you have to pay the pet deposit?
21. What floor is the room on?
22. Does the property allow smoking?
23. Do they allow children, spouses, or partners?
24. How far is it from the hospital or facility?

You might think that you don’t need to inquire about some of the variables on this list because they are obvious. However, I assure you that if it’s on this list and it’s important to you, then you should ask. The list above is basically a list of problems that I had to deal with as a travel nursing recruiter who worked with these lodging options over the years.

Tips for Travel Nursing Company Provided Apartments

Let’s shift gears and discuss company provided apartments. Many travel nurses believe that taking a company provided apartment is a matter of simply agreeing to take a 1-bedroom apartment, no questions asked. However, apartments are often more complicated than Motels, Hotels and Extended Stays.

Apartments come in all grades, shapes and sizes. Both agencies and apartment properties offer varying amenities. Moreover, your agency may be working with a property manager or furniture provider for the first time. As a result, they may assume the property or furniture provider includes various items when they do not.

List of questions to ask about travel nursing company apartments

Therefore, you should always ask the company to provide specifics. Below is a list of items for consideration:

Is the company providing an apartment in an apartment complex, or a condo, or a vacation home?

You’ll want to know the specific type of housing in order to set your expectations. Different types of housing have different variables for you to consider.

For example, if the property is a vacation home or condo, then you’ll want to know if it has a yard. If there is a yard, then you’ll want to know if yard maintenance is included in the cost. The same goes for related items like swimming pools and hot tubs.

What amenities does the property include?

Some properties have pools and even gyms. These amenities can save you money which is something you should consider when you evaluate competing pay packages.

Is the lodging furnished?

If the lodging is furnished, then you need to find out the specifics. For example, ask what size the bed is. Ask if the furnishings include a dining table, end tables, a coffee table, etc. Furniture rental companies often charge for Each additional item of furniture. Therefore, it’s best to make sure you know exactly what the furniture includes.

Does the housing include housewares?

Housewares packages from furniture rental services typically include pots, pans, linens, towels, silverware, a coffee maker, and a toaster. However, different furniture providers offer different packages. Many companies do not provide housewares by default. Instead, you need to ask for them. They typically cast $200 – $250 per month.

Is there a microwave?

You’d be surprised. Many apartment managers do not equip their properties with microwaves. I had many occasions as a recruiter where we had to add one after the fact.

Do they include a “cleaning package”?

Cleaning packages typically include a broom, dust pan, and mop. They may or may not include a vacuum cleaner. You should find out whether or not the company provides these cleaning items and others that you’d like to have.

Do they include a TV?

If you care about TV, then you should ask about the size of the TV. Most standard furniture packages include a 26-inch TV. That’s pretty small.

If you want to hook electronics to the TV such as a computer, Fire TV Stick, Chromecast or a game console, then you should make sure that the TV has the necessary ports.

How does the agency handle the utilities, cable, and other bills for their travel nurse housing?

Some agencies put all the utilities in their name and the traveler doesn’t have to do anything. Some agencies require travelers to put the utilities under the traveler’s name. Then, the agency adds a fixed-amount as a “utility reimbursement” to the travel nurse’s paycheck each month. They do this to protect against exorbitant usage based costs  such as the purchase of $500 worth of Pay Per View movies, or leaving the air-conditioner running on 65 degrees for 30 days straight in the middle of summer.

What’s the parking situation?

Parking costs extra in many urban areas. Some housing options have parking garages. Others have open parking lots. Some have assigned parking spaces. Others have covered parking. Some have no parking and you need to find street parking nearby. If this is important to you, then you’ll want to know.

Do they allow children, spouses or partners?

Most agencies accommodate family in their housing. You should expect to pay extra for additional bedrooms and other accommodations. Additionally, the agency may require that anyone over the age of 18 completes a criminal background check.

Do they accept pets?

If they do accept pets, then what’s the deposit and who’s responsible for it? Or, do they have any additional “pet rent” costs?

Does the property include a washer and dryer in unit? Or, is there a laundry facility on site?

Sometimes there are hookups for the washer and dryer in the unit, but the facility charges extra to supply the actual appliances. Or, they expect you to bring or rent your own.

When do they let you move in and when do they require you to move out?

Most travel nursing companies allow you to move into an apartment they provide 2 days before the contract’s start date. Similarly, most agencies require you to move out no later than 2 days after the contract’s end date.

That said, you can request an earlier move-in date or a later move-out date. However, the agency will likely ask you to pay for the additional costs.

What floor is the apartment on?

If the floor number you live on is important to you, then you should let your recruiter know or at least ask the recruiter to provide it in advance.

Is smoking allowed?

Many apartment complexes ban smoking anywhere on the premises. You’ll want to let your recruiter know if this is important to you either way.

Get the contact information for the landlord or property manager.

Do not overlook this step! Yes, the travel nursing company is responsible for the housing. However, there are many reasons that you may have cause to contact the property manager directly.

When Should You Cover the Details of Company Travel Nurse Housing?

As you can see, you must cover many housing related details with your travel nursing company. This is true no matter what type of housing is involved.

But, when should you cover all of these details with your recruiter? You need to cover as many housing details as you can well in advance of your recruiter submitting you for a job. However, certain circumstances make it tricky for your recruiter to adequately research the given housing market.

Why You Should Cover the Details Before Submission

The reason you need to cover housing details in advance is that your recruiter will typically provide you with the pay package for an assignment before they submit you. As we’ve mentioned before, pay packages are, in a sense, built around the cost of housing.

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All else being equal, the higher the cost of housing, the lower the pay and vice versa. Moreover, if the actual cost of housing ends up exceeding the budget the company set aside to cover the cost of housing, then many companies will reduce the travel nurse’s pay to cover the additional cost.

Essentially, you want to have a crystal-clear understanding with your recruiter as to what your housing expectations are so that your recruiter can provide their most accurate pay quotes. If you don’t cover the details, then they can become deal-breakers for you after the hospital makes an offer or after you have accepted the assignment.

Things can move very fast once your recruiter submits you for a travel nursing job. In fact, it’s possible that you have an interview and offer the same day your recruiter submits you. Moreover, housing issues can creep up on you late in the process if you don’t discuss them beforehand.

So, if you don’t discuss housing with your recruiter in advance, then you’re taking your chances. Depending on your financial situation, you may get forced into accepting an assignment with lodging that does not meet your standards. Otherwise, you could be stuck at that point without a travel nursing job.

What Happens When Something Gets Missed

That said, it’s always possible that the travel nursing company provides something at no charge even if you missed it during the initial process. However, they’re not obligated to do that.

For example, you may forget to inquire about a cleaning-package and arrive to find it’s not there. It’s definitely worth your while to request one from the company. They may or may not provide it.

Chances are good that they provide an item or two, but beyond that, you can expect them to deny further requests. At some point, the company won’t be able to afford additional costs. This means that you would have to purchase items out-of-pocket, or go without for the duration of the assignment.

Why It Might be Difficult to Cover the Housing Details Before Submission

As you can see, it’s important for you to cover all the housing details prior to the recruiter submitting you for an assignment. However, certain circumstances can make it difficult for your recruiter to evaluate the housing market prior to submission.

For example, jobs in highly desirable locations require that your recruiter gets you submitted for the job quickly. The same is often true for jobs that pay the highest rates. As a result, the recruiter may not have time to thoroughly scout the housing options in the area.

Therefore, they may not be able to provide all the details before they submit you. That is okay. Just be sure to get the details as soon as you can.

As we mentioned above, they may also attain an inaccurate estimate for the cost of housing in the area. As a result, the pay quote they provide could be off. Or, they may tell you that they can secure a particular type of housing that they ultimately cannot because it’s simply not available.

Again, the largest companies in the industry are better equipped to manage these scenarios. They simply have more experience in any given area because they’ve placed more travelers over the years.

In any case, it’s important for travel nurses to keep these scenarios in mind. Ultimately, the recruiter is not necessarily trying to scam you when there is an oversight related to housing. It’s more likely that they ran into one of these scenarios.

Moreover, these scenarios sometimes make housing a bit of a give-and-take between you and the agency. That’s to be expected, especially in areas with limited housing options.

Travel Nursing Hospital Provided Lodging

“Hospital provided housing” is another type of company provided housing that travel nurses should be aware of. I know this sounds funny, but it exists, albeit rarely.

In this scenario, the hospital secures lodging for their travel nurses. This situation is most common in very remote locations or other locations with housing shortages.

For example, you might see hospitals provide lodging in some of the more remote parts of Alaska. Similarly, you might see it in expensive resort areas like Aspen, Colorado.

In my experience, hospital provided lodging usually isn’t glamorous. It can often be more like a barracks than an apartment complex. These accommodations sometimes have communal bathrooms and kitchen areas. They rarely accommodate pets and lack the amenities that typically come with apartments or hotels.

Despite all these potential negatives, hospital provided housing has some advantages. First, it’s not always as described above. Instead, it can be quite nice and accommodating. Also, it can allow you to take jobs in some really great places.

Hospital provided housing can also result in some really good pay rates. Hospitals will typically adjust the bill rate down to factor in the cost of housing. However, the resulting bill rate is typically still enough for the agency to offer a very attractive pay package.

In any case, you’ll want to approach hospital provided housing the same way you would approach company provided housing. Ultimately, you’ll want find out everything you can before you proceed.

Should You Receive a Housing Stipend if the Hospital Provides Housing?

Every travel nurse who receives hospital provided housing is going to wonder whether or not they should receive a housing stipend as well. This is a loaded question with a few nuances.

First, travel nursing companies should only pay nontaxable reimbursements if they have reason to believe that the travel nurse is incurring an expense. Therefore, the travel nursing agency should not pay a lodging reimbursement to the travel nurse when the hospital provides housing because the agency is clearly aware that the nurse is not incurring the expense.

That said, different companies interpret IRS rules in different ways. Let’s run through an example that illustrates the 3 alternatives in this scenario.

3 agency approaches to lodging stipends when the hospital provides the lodging

First, let’s assume that all else is equal. All three companies account for their expenses in the same way. And all three companies pay the same pay package with the exception of two variables, the taxable hourly rate and the lodging stipend.

Next, let’s assume that the companies are left with $40 per hour after they account for every other cost and compensation variable related to the pay package. At this point, they have $40 per hour to split between the lodging stipend and the taxable hourly rate.

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The first company pays the entire $40 per hour as the taxable hourly wage. This is probably the right way to do it for tax purposes. You will pay the payroll taxes that you should pay.

The second company pays $25 per hour as the taxable wage and $15 per hour as a nontaxable lodging reimbursement. They are clearly doing it wrong. You are taking a risk if you proceed with them. If you do proceed, then the right thing for you to do would be to declare the reimbursements as income on your taxes.

The third company pays $25 per hour as the taxable wage and pockets the remaining $15 per hour. They tell you they can’t pay a lodging reimbursement per IRS rules. This certainly sounds shady but they might genuinely believe that they are following the rules. Either way, it’s best to avoid them for this particular contract because you’ll be making significantly less money with them than you should.

How to Find Out

The problem is that it will be very difficult for you to know which approach the agency is using before you actually start the contract. You would need to get pay quotes from multiple companies before anyone submits your profile for the assignment.

Once you start the assignment, you can communicate with fellow travel nurses at the facility to find out how their agencies are paying them. Just be sure that you compare pay packages accurately when you discuss them with fellow travelers.

Travel Nursing Couple and the Stipend

If you are travel nursing as a couple, then you have a unique housing related issue to consider regarding company housing. Specifically, some companies or recruiters will offer to provide housing for one member of the couple and provide the tax-free lodging reimbursement to the other member of the couple.

Unfortunately, this violates IRS regulations. First, the agency would be in violation because they must have a reasonable expectation that an employee will incur an expense in order to reimburse the expense. Clearly, the company knows the employee won’t incur an expense in this case.

Additionally, IRS regulations require that you incur an expense in order to accept a tax-free lodging reimbursement. You won’t incur an expense unless you pay your traveling partner rent. If you do that, then it jeopardizes the tax-free status of the housing itself.

Alternatively, the agency may split the cost of the housing between the two travelers.

For more information on this topic and others pertinent to travel nursing couples, please review our tips for travel nursing couples.

What to do if the Travel Nurse Company Housing is a Dump

In rare cases, you might arrive to find that your travel nurse company housing is a disaster. Perhaps the floors are disgustingly dirty or the refrigerator is trashed. This scenario, while rare, most often occurs with apartments and rentals as opposed to hotels and motels.

In this case, you should take photos and contact your agency immediately. You can request that they put you up in a hotel until they rectify the problem.

If you come upon the issue outside of normal business hours, then you may have to put yourself up in a hotel until you can speak with your company. If that happens, then you can request a reimbursement. However, there are no guarantees.

Of course, you can try to contact the property manager directly. However, these things often take time to rectify and you will need to inform the agency either way.

If your agency fails to rectify the issue, then you can turn to social media and call them out with the images you took. While this can be very effective in bringing about a resolution, you should only do this as a last resort. Please give the agency a chance to rectify the situation first. Remember, the agency is most likely located somewhere else and therefore is not able to inspect the housing in advance.

What to do if Something Breaks or Requires Maintenance in Your Travel Nurse Housing

Similarly, you may experience any number of maintenance related issues during the course of your stay. An appliance might require repair or a window may break.

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Of course, the resolution will vary based on the circumstances. If you’re staying at an Extended Stay or some other hotel, then it’s easy enough to contact the front desk.

If you’re staying at an apartment or vacation rental, then you can contact the property manager for certain issues. Again, this is another reason it’s important to make sure you get the manager’s contact information.

In other cases, you may need to contact the agency in order to resolve certain issues. For example, if there is a problem with something from the furniture rental company, then the agency will most likely need to get involved.

That said, you should notify your agency of any and all problems you have with housing even if they aren’t involved in resolving the issue.

Conclusion

As you can see, different travel nursing companies have different approaches to housing. They offer different types of housing. They treat lodging reimbursements differently. They might even get different prices on the same properties.

Moreover, travel nurses need to make sure they cover every last housing detail with their recruiters. From furniture to parking, if it’s important to you, then you need to discuss it with your recruiter!

If you don’t discover how the agencies you work with handle their housing, or if you don’t cover all the details that are important, then housing issues will inevitably catch you off guard at some point. We hope this guide helps you avoid such pitfalls!