Every Monday, firstpoint publishes five points about a topic related to life at university. This week, information about accommodation, whether in halls or private housing… …
POINT ONE: UNIVERSITY MANAGED ACCOMMODATION…
he Accommodation Team can give advice and information on all practical matters with regards to living on or off campus. This small and friendly team aims to help you enjoy your time at University by providing you with help on any queries you might have about your accommodation.
During term time, you can visit them at their “hub” on the St John’s Campus, located in the middle of the halls of residence. The Hub is open Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 8:00pm, with Accommodation staff available until 4:30pm and the Residential Life Team available until 8:00pm.
At the City Campus, you can meet the Residential Life Team between 4.30pm – 8pm Monday to Friday, and 12noon until 8pm at weekends.
You can also contact the Accommodation team by phoning 01905 855300 or emailing AccommodationTeam@worc.ac.uk during normal office hours.
POINT TWO: PRIVATE HOUSING…
The University works closely with private landlords and Worcester City Council to ensure all student shared private residences are accredited and meet with current legislation. Sometimes you may have issues with your landlord or might have concerns about your accommodation. Our Accommodation team and the Academic and Welfare Adviser at the Students’ Union can offer you help and advice.
Please see the details above to contact the Accommodation Team, or use the Students’ Union online enquiry form to arrange a meeting with their Academic and Welfare Adviser.
The Students’ Union also lots of advice on the SU webpage with useful information about private rented housing.
POINT THREE: POINT THREE: REPORT BREAKAGES AND FAULTS…
Go to your MyDay page, and click on the Maintenance Request tile – it’s got a picture of a spanner on it. The system should know where you live, all you need to do is tell us what type of problem you have. You can also use this system to report damage or breakages. Log a Maintenance Request on the portal and we will be able to organise a replacement for you.
We’ve all accidentally broken something in our time, so try not to worry, but please do make the report as soon as possible!
The same goes for privately rented accommodation. Make sure you report any damage to your landlord or agent as soon as it happens! It can also be very helpful to keep a photographic record of what has happened, especially if it may get worse over time, such as damp or water damage.
POINT FOUR: COMMUNAL LIVING…
For some of you, moving away to University may be the first time you have had to live with new people and share your space. Communal living requires a certain standard of reasonable and responsible behaviour. If you need help navigating any issues that might arise, from sharing out the cleaning duties fairly to dealing with late night noise complaints, have a look at the Student Support and Wellbeing’s communal living webpages.
Don’t forget that our Security team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They can help with any late night issues like noise or parties. You can contact them on 01905 855495, 07977 973956 or email security@worc.ac.uk and they will help resolve the situation.
POINT FIVE: DON’T RENT YET…
If you’re thinking about next year, don’t feel pressured to choose and commit to a house (or your housemates). There is plenty of time to look around, we have lots of housing stock in Worcester – and a lot may change in the next few months!
On the Students’ Union housing webpage, you can find a link and password for StudentPad, which will give you access to a whole range of accredited properties and landlords.
Keep an eye out for the Accommodation team and the Student’s Union ‘Don’t Rent Yet’ campaign, which is designed to give you support and guidance regarding your housing options for the next academic year. University and SU staff are available to discuss any concerns, give advice and can check through contracts before you sign!
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