to think these are shite facilities?

[ChaosTrulyReigns]

Before you all start I know it's not my battle to fight and DD is accepting of the facilities but, hey, I've just been deserted by a child and I'm allowed some leeway to be disgruntled.

Moved DD2 to university recently to her dream course, that's all wonderful.

She didn't get any of her 3 accommodation choices and has ended up in a very old (30+ years?) block which is actually materially better than we expected.

BUT there's 15 girls (university doesn't mix sexes ffs) across 2 floors sharing 2 showers 2 loos. Meh that's sort of bearable. 15 boys in same set up on the bottom two floors.

The kitchen is obviously a converted bedroom. So you can imagine the size of it .

There's 6 cupboards (2 of them wall so very shallow). And 3 drawers. So there's not even a cupboard shelf each.

There's one fridfe freezer.

One undercounter fridge and three undercounter freezers.

Not even half a fridge shelf each.

Plenty of freezer space though.

2 free-standing cookers which probably manageable.

No table. Obviously. As the room is a student bedroom.

There's a breakfast bar tucked in between
Bedrooms in the corridor with room for two people to sit at. But there's only one stool. Boys have two stools.

No common room or any communal space in the building. Nowhere to bond with flatmates really.

If she'd just have been allocated the same block but two flats across there would have been 8 to a large kitchen with a fecken table . This was the block open in applicants day and I counted 5 cupboards in that so still under resourced but definitely doable in comparison.

She's happy and doesn't want to swap as people are all lovely which is the Main Thing and I'm so relieved she's content - i don't want to interfere or achieve anything. And she's 18 she'll adapt as hundreds of students have in this Halls before her.

Just want my AIBU to be:

AIBU to think these facilities are fecken pants?

In 1999 when university education was essentially free (or even supported by a grant), you would be unreasonable.

These days, with the amount of cost involved, a high level of accommodation should be standard, as should better job prospects at the end of it. One of the dangers of charging for things is that people have a right to expect an acceptable standard.

Apologies to the two threads! The Internet say thus one wouldn't post!

To answer a few questions - I'm dropping off a worktop fridge on weds.

My accommodation 30 years ago was slightly better ratio for sharing and mixed sex and lovely big kitchen with table.

She pays £102 per week.

And @QualCheckBot wtaf does it say I'm interfering??

I've just been deserted by a child

@TheCatsACunt

Tongue in cheek

I don't think a 30-year old building is that old!

Sounds like my accommodation in my first year at uni. We did have a communal space (bar) downstairs in the block though. And weirdly a huge snooker room. But the bathroom and kitchen facilities were awful. It's rubbish but she will cope fine - you find a way!

Why are you bothered. It’s her choice to go there! Let her make her choices and live with them.

Yanbu. My dc is at a University and living in student accommodation built in the 1960s.

There are 12 students per floor (mixed sex) with 3 loos and 3 showers. The kitchen has a dining table and chairs. They have the equivalent of a kitchen cupboard each to store food. There are 2 large fridge freezers between the 12 of them. They don't have another communal room they go to the Student Union bar for that but their accommodation is more like halls, rather than flats.

Is she in southampton. Vvvvv nomal. My friend in oxford uni had to go up twice stairs for one shower toilet. Do not miss uni days!

Meh my halls were like this, no biggie, we socialised in each other's rooms or at the union.

We had a flat of 6 of us with one shower and one toilet. We also had the tiny kitchen (about the size of a bedroom). Does she have proper cookers? Ours were mini cookers which were rubbish! One worked better than the other. We stored non-perishables in our rooms but we also shopped just before cooking.

We used to "host" in our rooms (and joined with the flat next door). Can't imagine how we squeezed everyone into a bedroom but we did for film nights. We hosted parties (with the boys downstairs) where we used the tiny kitchen and opened bedrooms and hung out in the corridor.

It was a bit rubbish but it was my first time living away from parents (couldn't imagine not eating at a dining room table!!) so was exciting.

I have not read all posts but this must be catered halls. DD had this sort of set up. She also had to share a room in year one. The stairwell stank of wee........She loved it!

Its not great but she'll manage. Sounds a bit like my halls. 8 girls, 1 loo, 1 bath. 2 ring baby belling and 1 kettle. No fridge. We used to hang our stuff out the windows in carrier bags to try and keep it cool. We thought nothing of it in 1992 but there are different expectations these days!

My brother had the room next to the communal area last year in lets call it block A, block B next door had no communal area.

most of Block B befriended Block A and hung out in their communal area all year, so it worked out fine for block B, just extended their friendship circle a bit, brother said it was awesome to begin with but he wishes he had been in block B so he could choose when to join them.

Ooh is it keele
!!

Sounds like my old halls

I'm dropping off a worktop fridge on weds If you haven't already, check that's allowed first, I have 3 siblings at 3 different unis and none of them are allowed to bring their own appliances

My halls in the 90's were very similar. There were new fancy halls but I didn't stay in them. Honestly she will be fine. Looking back I have nothing but fun memories.

yanbu. Not in the slightest.

I'd agree with others that lack of communal space is probably the bigger concern. There was an interesting long read article in the Graun at the end of last week www.theguardian.com/society/2019/sep/27/anxiety-mental-breakdowns-depression-uk-students

DS2 has just started Uni and is fortunate to have a really good communal and kitchen space. Whilst I'd agree accommodation is ultimately about the people, having a space where they can easily interact, that is designed for that express purpose, should not be an unrealistic expectation.

It'll be character building. Our halls were awful at uni but we had the most fun ever.

Sounds just like the one my daughter shared a very long time ago. She had a great year, they all adapted, (even the ones who never did their own dishes - putting it all in a bin bag in their own cupboard helped with this). It will be fine

£102 a week is pretty cheap though

Lack of communal space is my biggest issue at DS’s place. He’s on the 4th floor (no lift) and has a tiny kitchen with more space taken up by recycling bins than the tiny table.

Communal space is one fancy shed in the middle of the courtyard so not ideal if raining to get to, and it’s shared by 150 students!

These days, with the amount of cost involved, a high level of accommodation should be standard

Actually, you should expect a range to suit all budgets. At DS's Uni the accommodation ranges from similar to what the OP has described, to rooms with ensuite bathrooms and a kitchen shared by just 4 people - with a cost to match.

Apparently it was mainly the international/foreign students who chose the expensive accommodation - and stayed in a lot studying. The cheaper places had a better party atmosphere!