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

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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?

That is unacceptable and especially for what they charge per month.
Thankfully my son decided to accept his first choice of Uni at Edinburgh Uni which is commutable from our home in Fife.
He just started back today and now in his final year. It has saved a fortune in taking out student loans to cover accommodation costs over in Edinburgh.
I certainly would not have been happy with accommodation offered in that state if he had decided on student halls.

I would prob get her to speak to someone about this but also can’t you make it a bit nicer together. Get a new toilet seat, a bit of a spring clean, some nice plants etc. It’s not her forever home, it’s only one year in halls. As for the mould, is it a mould prob or just because it’s not had any ventilation as empty? there are good sprays to remove it & then it can be painted. If it reoccurs then that’s bad for health so she will need to raise if. I know we can’t see if it’s really awful from these pics too so you’ll have to judge it yourself if it’s too awful. Surely if she wanted to be there so much it wouldn’t matter

Surely if she wanted to be there so much it wouldn’t matter

I’m sorry but that is all shades of wrong.

For uni halls, that is appalling, I thought it was a dodgy landlord!!! Disgusting.

Ugh, I hear you. My daughter had a grim, rubbish room in first year (Bristol) and then somehow managed to get an even worse place in second year.

It was bloody depressing leaving her in those dumps, but I think I decided it might be motivating for her. 🤣

Looking back, I lived in some hideous places when I was young. I guess it's par for the course as an impoverished student.

I think the housing situation in some cities is so dire that they don't have a lot of choice. They're young and resilient.

Mould = possibly a health hazard so worth your daughter complaining about this until it is fixed. If she starts sneezing / having other allergy symptoms it's advisable for her to update the complaint reflecting that the mould is making her ill and arranging to see a GP. (Yes, yes Freshers' 'flu is real - she's looking for allergy rather than cold symptoms).

A leak under the bathroom sink = possible serious damage to that room and whatever's below it. It's in the landlord's interest to fix it.

Falling off toilet seat - they should fix, but it's not the end of the world if your daughter buys a loo seat to fix it herself.

Lack of wardrobe - may be an opportunity for your daughter to buy her own preferred wardrobe (especially if the wardrobes in the other rooms don't look great).

I think you've taken the right approach there. Some student accommodation is directly, but as long as it's safe, the main thing is to meet other people in the same boat. Since they're all in it together, its a bonding experience.

WTF This is utterly unacceptable, even if you were only paying for the most basic tier of student halls. Halls should have been deep cleaned over the summer, and both major and minor repairs completed.

I'd support her in arguing for a reduction in rent for this.

Cobwebs and grotty kitchen aren’t on - halls should have been cleaned before new students arrived. But the cosmetic stuff is just part of uni life.
Raise the cleanliness, then go out and get a really bright bedspread, some nice posters/fairy lights/room bits and make it her own. Then leave her to meet her new flat mates. They can bond over grossness and laugh about it. She’ll have a great time once she’s settled

Take pictures of everything so that she's not being charged at the end of the year for damage and cleaning that wasn't done. Help her find out how to report repairs. Help her complain about cleaning which has been needed. It sounds rubbish for a "premium" room but maybe that is down to location or size?

DD1 was in quite old, tatty halls, DD2 in brand new ones. DD1 and her flatmates could do pretty much anything they wanted in their rooms, sticking up pictures, Christmas decorations etc. DD2 was very careful, only stuck things on the noticeboard and we both thoroughly cleaned her room and communal area at the end of the year. DD2 was still charged a cleaning fee which she couldn't challenge (possibly some of her flat didn't clean their rooms or the uni regarded any marks as unacceptable). So there can be a freedom living somewhere less than pristine.

Apart from the leak I think the rest is fairly typical. (Not having to clean) the drab room I mean. Add a bright duvet, a plant...cheery bright things. Hopefully it will just be a place to sleep...and too much fun will be had. Making a space yours is part of the fun.

Really is not that bad at all.

100% this . Opportunity for growing up

You are not being unreasonable.

I hate the narrative that students should have to put up with substandard because it's only temporary. Being 18-24 should be the best time of your life. Students shouldn't have to deal with shoddy accommodation, let down by arrogant and greedy landlords.

Why is your daughter at University if she "wasn't fussed about going anyway"? As an adult, she should be able to make her own choices.

The rotting food in the fridge could have been from last term, yuck, I feel itchy reading your post and seeing the pictures.

Would your daughter be happier in a college setting, do you think? Perhaps you could discuss with her the options of college instead, there are some great diplomas out there.

Failing that, name and shame the person/company responsible for the accommodation.

Mould can cause health problems. No one should live around mould. It's not right.

Is this Southampton? My son moved in at the weekend and the place was filthy. Kitchen still full of food and dirty dishes and rubbish from last tenants, doors won’t lock, toilet in his en-suite not attached to the wall …. It’s disgusting and given the cost of uni accommodation not at all acceptable

Complain about the sink and the window. I hope the previous tenants weren’t charged a move-out cleaning bill? Did you take pictures of the filth in the kitchen for posterity? Everything else is aesthetic and in a student house she’ll have to get creative and make do. Your very own nice new storage is good to have and you can buy a rug.

Totally agree, not all young people are assertive and resilient at that age. Halls or not standards should be better for £700-£800 per month

No, it is not over the top. I am really sorry for your life experiences but this situation is quite different. Both my DC went to uni and both paid in excess of £5k for their first year accommodation in halls. The rooms were immaculately clean, if somewhat basic. Both DC were given contracts stating they were responsible for keeping rooms to same standard. No posters to be stuck on wall etc, as any damage must be paid for. (And they will, so make sure you have loads of photos of damage.) The uni has the whole summer to clean and repair accommodation. You need, as someone has said, to complain, complain, complain. This is not acceptable.

Uni halls in Bournemouth when I took a friend's child were immaculate and have weekly inspections. It had been deoe cleaned before moving in and were good quality. This looks awful and is def not premium!!

Your description sounds awful but the pictures don’t look that bad at all. Rug over the mark on the carpet. Coaster or mouse mat on the mark on the desk and stick a picture on the window sill. I’d stick your concerns in an email just to cover yourselves in case they think your DD has caused the damage. They won’t provide new carpet or a new desk though.

My daughter’s accommodation was shocking and that was uni halls. We complained and they sorted some stuff out but when more problems came to light she was moved. I’d take it up with the uni as they charge enough for it and even the best is pretty basic. Good luck x

Mould can be source of illness, beware. Just change accommodation. I wouldn't pay to live like this. Did you not look round halls prior ?

This. I drove the 2nd carful of stuff ( he had his own car loaded) and found a smaller tv and other bits on freecycle.

He didn't go into halls though, it was basically shared flats in a student village. Cost him £105 a week last year

It was clean though if rather drab

This is much nicer than my Uni accomodation was 🤣

I took my daughter to uni on Saturday. We were both anxious about the accomodation as she hadn't got her first choice.
I was pleasantly surprised. Although a bit tired / on the basic side it was clean and well maintained. There was no mould or dirt or anything broken.
Uni is so much money now. I am a bit sceptical about the value of higher education now. The universities should up their game a bit if they are going to thrive or even survive. Expecting young people to pay £££ for awful accommodation is in no way acceptable .