CNG Housing Handbook 2025-2026

A. Household

CNG supplies basic furniture for households, including curtains, basic kitchen utensils and dinnerware, basic bedding and bath, and appliances (refrigerator, microwave, etc.). Washer and dryer are to be bought by the staff member according to their needs.

Curtains are provided by CNG Housing upon arrival the first year. These curtains must remain in the apartment and may not be transferred to other apartments. Upon moving to a different apartment, costs for new curtains must be incurred by the staff/faculty member. In certain cases, the new apartment may have curtains installed by the owner. In such cases, the staff member will not have to cover the costs of providing new curtains.

Although a basic set of sheets, a comforter, and towels will be provided by CNG upon arrival, if you have particular preferences about bedding items or a 100% cotton preference, you might want to bring a set or two along with your own duvet and duvet cover. The same goes for 100% cotton towels.

It can be complicated to find pots and pans NOT coated in Teflon or some equivalent. Once again, if you are particular about the type of pots and pans you want or if you have a special preference for kitchen utensils, it might be easier to bring your own along. CNG provides a set of dishes, pots and pans, cutlery, and some other basic kitchen items.

You may bring extra items to make your house feel like a home right off the bat! Pictures can be framed for a reasonable price at places nearby the School (for further instructions you can ask when you get here and we will lead you).

B. Appliances / Accesories

Apartments always include a cooktop, a water heater or boiler and sometimes an oven.

As part of our housing safety measures, the School provides the apartments with a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector.

If the faculty/staff plans on hanging things on the walls, the faculty/staff needs to know that they are made of concrete and it can be difficult to drill into without the proper equipment. CNG has assigned a handyman to assist with minor tasks such as hanging items on the wall and changing bulbs. These services may have a cost that needs to be covered by the faculty/staff member who requests it. To be able to secure a timely and organized schedule based on the emergency of the situation, we ask you to refer to 9. HOUSE REPAIRS AND DAMAGES.

Important note:

• Certain surfaces, including brick, tiles, and Venetian plaster, are strictly prohibited from being drilled or hammered into to prevent damage.
   
• Most of the floors are laminated, so they should be cleaned with minimal water. The mop should be thoroughly wrung out, and any excess water must be dried immediately.
   
• Appliances provided in the apartment and/or by CNG (such as oven, cooktop, refrigerator, etc.) can only be repaired through the Housing Department. Please do not attempt to repair these items yourself or through external services, as this could void warranties or result in further damage.

C. Painting
All apartments are painted before assignment to a first-time incoming international-status staff/faculty member. In case the staff member decides to repaint the apartment in a different color, the staff member will assume the cost of having it repainted in white or off-white colors by personnel hired by CNG. Any apartment that is being turned in by a faculty member is painted regardless of the time lived in the apartment. CNG will assume the painting cost for staff members who have lived more than four years in the same apartment. Faculty MAY NOT paint their own apartment before returning it. The HR Department has a specialized team to develop this work according to the required standards.

For these purposes, an inspection is carried out to review and measure the walls (and ceilings, if applicable) that need to be painted. Based on this inspection, a quote will be provided, which serves as the basis for the amount the staff member is required to pay. If the final painting cost is lower than the amount initially charged, the difference will be reimbursed.

• $14,500 COP per m² for white/off-white
• $29,000 COP per m² for colored walls, wallpaper removal, or stickers