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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be disgusted with my DD uni accommodation, pics included?

295 replies

DumpedByText · 14/09/2025 00:46

My DD has moved four hours away to her uni accommodation today.

We got in her room and it was filthy, there is a huge burn mark in the middle of the carpet where someone has put a hot pan down. The desk has a burnt circle so has the windowsill. There is mould all around the window that won't come off.

The toilet seat is falling off, there was a leak under the bathroom sink. Cobwebs everywhere and she has no wardrobe. It's a cupboard with a hanging rail on wheels.

The kitchen had rotten food in the fridge and freezer. The oven had thick grease as did all the cupboards. One mum had already scrubbed that by the time we got there. I've scrubbed the rest of the kitchen. Water from the sink drainer pours into the cupboard underneath to.

So am I expecting too much? What can be done, if anything about the burn marks and mould.

I've had to buy more storage as there were no shelves due to no wardrobe, the other rooms have half hanging and shelves and this is supposed to be a premium plus room!

There is no room for a wardrobe either and she doesn't want to move flats.

She's cried and cried as she wasn't fussed on going anyway so this has made it worse and she doesn't want to stay.

Can I insist they sort it, and what would you do?

To be disgusted with my DD uni accommodation, pics included?
To be disgusted with my DD uni accommodation, pics included?
To be disgusted with my DD uni accommodation, pics included?
To be disgusted with my DD uni accommodation, pics included?
OP posts:
paddyclampster · 14/09/2025 00:50

Is this halls? Doesn’t seem right to me. Which uni? Both of mine are at uni. Accom more tired when they are in private houses but halls were definitely clean and well maintained. If it’s really grim I’d be tempted to kick up a fuss.

Dramatic · 14/09/2025 00:50

I wouldn't be particularly bothered by the pan marks, I'd just stick a rug on the carpet. The mould looks like it's just the sealant needs re-doing. I couldn't get worked up about it. I'd ask for the drain under the sink to be sorted though.

Ponderingwindow · 14/09/2025 00:55

Separate the complaints into 4 categories, cosmetic, spartan, pre-move cleaning, and functionality.

now throw out the lists for cosmetic and spartan complaints. This is student housing. A burn mark is unattractive, but does no harm. If you complain about this sort of thing, your other more important complaints will get lost in the noise.

you can argue that the room should have been cleaned before move in and they should be reimbursed for cleaning supplies, but you have bigger issues to deal with. I would include this more for lack of care than anything. It sets the scene.

your real focus should be ongoing functionality. Leaks and mold need to be fixed. It’s ok to be pushy about these issues.

Original poster
DumpedByText · 14/09/2025 00:55

paddyclampster · 14/09/2025 00:50

Is this halls? Doesn’t seem right to me. Which uni? Both of mine are at uni. Accom more tired when they are in private houses but halls were definitely clean and well maintained. If it’s really grim I’d be tempted to kick up a fuss.

Yes halls, I'm going to ask them to come and look tomorrow and ask their views.

Its older accommodation but that damage isn't on when it's the most expensive room.

OP posts:
MojoMoon · 14/09/2025 00:56

The pan marks and the burn marks are unsightly but they aren't dangerous or unhygienic.

My honest answer is she is now an adult and she should be leading on dealing with it. You can advise and encourage but you should not be speaking to the hall manager yourself.

Model calm resilience to her. It's a grotty room, it isn't going to kill her. She is paying rent so entitled to complain and certainly ask for issues like the sink to be fixed but it's not the end of the world and I wouldn't be modelling behaviour for her that suggests this is a catastrophe.

PollyBell · 14/09/2025 01:11

She needs to do this herself

ByHappyJadeViewer · 14/09/2025 01:12

See I don't understand how they can sign a tenancy without viewing the room. Sure you can't be expected to travel 4 hours but they are also not told the room number until arrival

Springtimehere · 14/09/2025 01:17

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N0Tfunny · 14/09/2025 01:18

Read the room description in the contract and in any brochures or website and complain about everything that doesn’t match up.

take detailed photos of everything ( with an object like a pen or coin for scale ) .

Circs · 14/09/2025 01:20

She's cried and cried as she wasn't fussed on going anyway so this has made it worse and she doesn't want to stay

I'd be way more focused on the strength of her reaction and what you say here than the pan marks, tbh.

It sounds a bit shit, but not THAT bad. Does your DD not want to be at Uni at all?

mathanxiety · 14/09/2025 01:26

The mould and the water leaks are the big issues.

Be thankful there's no wardrobe, as that would be mouldy too.
A clothes rail is better.

sittingonabeach · 14/09/2025 01:31

Take photos of everything. What is detailed on the inventory? DS has just moved into private accommodation and the inventory he was given notes any marks on wall, carpet etc. So he can’t be blamed for them at the end of his tenancy. I told him to take photos of anything not included

Commonsenseisnotsocommon · 14/09/2025 01:32

Nothing that a bit of elbow grease, a nice rug and a bit of resilience can't help with. Also, she is at least 18 years old, why cant you leave her to get on to the uni if that conversation needs to happen, stop micromanaging her.

Surveille222 · 14/09/2025 01:33

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Ghht · 14/09/2025 01:46

Honestly, the kitchen doesn’t sound great but her room seems generally what you would expect. Uni halls are grim and definitely aren’t polished.

I was dropped off at my first year of uni 10 years ago this September. Me and my flatmates were all dropped off and left to it. Any issues, we just had to crack on and sort out together (which was actually a great learning experience and we all worked together to sort out any issues in the flat). With respect, why are you sorting this out for her? Why is the other mum sorting out the kitchen? A lot seems to have changed with parenting in the last 10 years.

POTC · 14/09/2025 01:55

I was unimpressed by Uni of Surrey accommodation. Multiple issues. We are a very low income family and making it liveable has meant spending the money that would have provided my meals for the week. Both myself and student are disabled, the cleaning required has also caused significant pain, I do the absolute minimum at home because of this so hardly a clean freak!
One curtain missing, as are the sliders it should attach to so not as simple as just buying our own, other one disgustingly dirty. I've bought a new pair and split the hooks/sliders between the two, blocking the open end with blutac. It's not great but better than having a window with no means of blocking out the light (ASD student with sensory issues, although pre 6am sunrise wake up for any student hardly fair!)
Carpet filthy and not stuck to the floor so cannot hoover as just sticks. Used the vac powder and got on hands/knees to use hoover as only way to at least make it slightly less vile.
Nothing has been cleaned, previous occupant left items which were still there. Food debris under bed. Broken glass on bathroom floor. Toilet roll had end folded into a point though so they'd been in there!
Walls disgusting, had to scrub them all.
Radiator dial snapped off, and no on/off so will now be stuck with it on whatever it was set to before it snapped with no way to just turn off if that's too hot.
Kitchen filthy. Rice, garlic & rubbish in food cupboard. Scrubbed everything as much as I could manage.

When you're having to pay not far off £200 a week for even the lowest cost accommodation I don't think it's unreasonable to expect to arrive to a clean and undamaged room/flat!

Barkybarkynutnut · 14/09/2025 02:03

Are you pp mad?? You are paying £8000 to stay in accommodation and expect it to be grim?? I ve just moved my son into Liverpool Uni halls in Greenbank and it is immaculate. And I would expect the same wherever I went. The op is well within her rights to be pissed off! Also I think a young person moving out of home for the first time needs some support in dealing with a situation like this and it is not out of order to get involved as a parent.

Meadowfinch · 14/09/2025 02:13

YABU This is student halls. If you want a hotel room, it will cost a lot more.

If it is warm, dry and has a door that locks properly , it's better than mine was, and better than a fair proportion of the population live with. When I went, we were told up front in BIG letters, not to expect the same standard of housing as at home.

As PP have said, buy a rug for the floor and a new toilet seat, and get a competent diyer to scrub the window sealant with dilute bleach. If that doesn't work, scrape out the sealant and replace.

Report the leaks, they should fix those. They are probably unaware. Your dd should be doing this. All part of becoming independent.

But why is your dd going at all if she isn't keen?

Original poster
DumpedByText · 14/09/2025 02:23

I'm putting a positive spin on it, we've cleaned, bought a rug, more storage and I'm ordering a desk mat to cover the burn.

Once it's all finished I think it will look great.

OP posts:
WorriedRelative · 14/09/2025 02:29

You need to get all of this on record with the landlord so she isn't charged for the damage at the end of the year.

PinkFrogss · 14/09/2025 02:30

Halls cost a lot of money, would posters genuinely be happy to pay what is probably over £5,000 for a less than 52 week flatshare that is in this state?

The only thing I’d be mindful of OP is they may offer to move DD into another flat, if she’s getting on well with her flatmates then she may not want to move. Are their rooms in a similar state? If so there may be some shit flat camaraderie which will help friendships along.

I would very muster insist on the uni completing a deep clean and fixing issues such as the damp and toilet seat.

dizzydizzydizzy · 14/09/2025 02:37

It sounds utterly crap. Your poor DC.

I think that was good advice from the PP who said separate the problems into 4 separate categories.

I don't agree with the PPs who've recommended leaving your DC to sort it out. I'm presuming your DC is 18 and never had to deal with such matters before. I would draft an email on their behalf (and your DC can send it from their email account as if they have written it themselves). If that doesn't work, it can be escalated to you, tbe parent. You can then fire off a stronger email to back them up. I presume you are the guarantor so you are involved anyway. Your DC could even copy you on the email, saying something like "I am copying my mother because she is my guarantor".

swimlyn · 14/09/2025 02:41

Toilet roll had end folded into a point though so they'd been in there!

Well done University of Surrey!

It's touches like this that make all the difference...

RJ2023 · 14/09/2025 02:48

That is shocking given the money you have to pay for student halls these days. I wouldn't stand for that.

I went to Southampton in 1998 - in extremely cheap halls (Montefiore House) by today's standards. They were lovely when we moved in and well maintained throughout my first year by the univerisity.

Does the uni still own the halls your daughter has gone to or have they been sold off to some other company (whose only interest will be in screwing the students over for the maximum they can extract)? Given the state of the rooms and kitchen I am guessing it's the latter?

BeachLifeForMe · 14/09/2025 03:14

This wouldn't surprise me if it was a private let sadly, but halls should not be in this condition. Can she speak to the students union for some advice? If the accommodation is owned by the uni then they might be able to apply some pressure. I stayed in halls, over 20 years ago, and it was basic but very clean and everything in working order. I'd expect a high standard for the amount you have to pay these days!