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Original poster

Collecting personal belongings from uni accommodation

35 replies

Saker · 28/05/2020 17:39

Ds1 came home to us as did most students at the start of lockdown. He came on the train so he left the bulk of his stuff in his student house, 3.5h drive away. I'm wondering about how we're going to get it back as the contract on the house will end at the end of June and we will have to clear his stuff out. Even if we do the drive up and back in a day which is a long haul especially when there is nowhere to stop on the way, we would then be going in and out of another house for an extended period of time. Does anyone else have the same problem? Any suggestions?

OP posts:
Thighmageddon · 28/05/2020 17:43

My dd is being dropped off next week back at her uni house. She'll pack and clean and then we'll collect her when she's done a few days later.

Then the others who haven't collected their stuff will do the same after her.

FlibbertyGiblets · 28/05/2020 17:43

You will be scrupulous with hand hygiene and surface cleanings whilst there. It will be fine, a necessary journey. Take a packed lunch. All will be fine. Moving house is allowed.

cathyandclare · 28/05/2020 17:45

We're in the same situation. Dd also has a three day gap then has to move into next year's house. I can't get my head around it at all!

Original poster
Saker · 28/05/2020 17:45

OK I see. That sounds like a good plan. However, one of DS1's housemates has stayed in the house throughout, so he would effectively be joining a different household and also it's a long round trip to do twice to drop him and then pick him up.

OP posts:
Original poster
Saker · 28/05/2020 17:46

Sorry that was for thighmageddon.
@FlibbertyGiblets Yes I suppose it is moving house really, so I will have a check of the rules around that.

OP posts:
SauvignonBlanche · 28/05/2020 17:47

DD has just had an email telling her that:

Now that the Government guidelines have been updated, we anticipate that our students will want to come back to the Village to collect their belongings. We want to make this as safe as possible for you, staff and residents in the village. Therefore, we will be allocating date and time slot to our students to collect their belongings.

She’s been given a 4 hour time slot for this weekend.

She’s keen to get her stuff but where in the new guidelines does it say that this is now acceptable? Hmm

I’m only an hour away so it is do-able but how would someone like the OP manage this?

PleasantVille · 28/05/2020 17:48

Does your journey involve motorways? Service stations are still open.

SauvignonBlanche · 28/05/2020 17:49

DD isn’t allowed to stay overnight, have seen the PP above who explains that moving house is now allowed so I suppose it is ok.

I would have appreciated more notice and I’m always going to be cautious as DH is shielding.

Purpleartichoke · 28/05/2020 17:52

If the housemate is still present, it might work best for everyone if housemate packed the Bulk of your offspring’s belongings. It could speed up the process and minimize everyone’s exposure. Obviously housemate would have to be willing, but I know I would prefer to do the packing than have extra people inside the unit for longer than absolutely necessary

Original poster
Saker · 28/05/2020 17:52

Yes journey would involve motorways so service stations are possible, and I guess we could stop at a country park or something if I got organised and worked out where one is en route.

@SauvignonBlanche - that's interesting. This is a private rented house (2nd year) so I suspect the landlord won't be interested in anything other than seeing the back of him. I don't know where the guidelines have changed either. I thought there might be something today, but there doesn't seem to be.

I could wait a couple more weeks and see what happens, but Ds1 is needing stuff and it seems unlikely that much will change in that time.

OP posts:
GiraffeWithSwag · 28/05/2020 17:55

I’ve got DD 2.5 hrs from home and DS 2hrs away. Both need moving out of private accom by end June. Both houses currently have other students still living there. It’s just logistics really but doable. Admittedly a 3.5 hr trip each way sounds like hard work but early starts, packed lunch and hand washing should do it OP.
DS then needs to move into new 4th yr house from early July, DD will be finished thank goodness although her 4 yrs has flown by.

Original poster
Saker · 28/05/2020 17:55

@Purpleartichoke, I don't think we could expect that of housemate. I'm not sure she would even know what was who's and also we would need to take boxes and cases etc with us as there was no room to store them. But we could co-ordinate with her as to when we could be best out of her way.

To add to the confusion, they have a hired piano that has to go back, but I think that is being sorted now Grin.

OP posts:
Original poster
Saker · 28/05/2020 17:56

Yes I think I could manage the journey if the feeling is that it is allowable. The days are long, so it would be light. That's helpful, thank you.

OP posts:
MarieG10 · 28/05/2020 18:10

It is fine to collect belongings..look at what the law says as opposed to the shit guidance they keep publishing. It is fine to leave home if you have a reasonable excuse. Emptying a student house is definitely a reasonable excuse.

That is why Cummings was able to justify what he did legally as it is the law that matters, not guidance drafted by a civil servant that doesn't reflect what the regs say.

SauvignonBlanche · 28/05/2020 19:08

I now appreciate that collecting DD’s stuff is within the guidance and is legally sound but as she is sharing a house with someone who is shielding I’m not sure it’s wise yet? Hmm

DD wants her stuff as she did a crap job of packing but doesn’t want to put DH in harms way.

Original poster
Saker · 28/05/2020 19:37

I think that if the house has been empty for a long time, there shouldn't be any hazards there (apart from normal student house hazards Smile). If you drive straight there then hopefully you wouldn't need to mix with other people. Since your notice is so short, maybe she's one of the first in to get her stuff so it won't have had lots of others traipsing through.

Ds1 did surprisingly well at packing the essentials to bring back, but I know that it will be total chaos in the house and his stuff will be strewn everywhere so it will take a while to get it all sorted. And realistically we are going to need a cup of tea and a sit down for a few minutes.

OP posts:
SauvignonBlanche · 29/05/2020 18:48

I think that if the house has been empty for a long time, there shouldn't be any hazards there (apart from normal student house hazards) Grin

I’d agree @Saker but one of her flat mates is still there, the one that didn’t agree with social distancing Hmm

We’ve agreed to go, I’ll stay out and receive her crap and back the boot. I’ll go in at the end to clean and takes photos (2nd time Uni Mum who knows all the deposit tricks)

Glad to hear it all went well for you @Saker Smile

Original poster
Saker · 29/05/2020 19:16

Glad to hear it all went well for you @Saker**

We haven't actually been yet, I meant he did well packing what he needed for the train at the start of the lockdown, so he is not too desperate for the rest of his stuff yet, but I know that there will be a lot of sorting out to do when we get there. I think we will go the week after next and I have identified somewhere we can stop for a picnic on the way.

I hope it goes well for you this weekend. It's a nuisance that there's someone else there. That's a good tip about taking photos after cleaning, I wouldn't have thought about that.

OP posts:
bigbluebus · 29/05/2020 19:17

DH drove to collect DS from his Uni house last weekend - 300 miles round trip. He stopped at the last Motorway Service Station for a wee on the way up, rang DS from outside his house when he arrived, DS did all the loading of the car so that DH didn't go into the house (2 other occupants) and ate sandwiches he had taken with him for lunch. The roads were very quiet so it was a much faster journey than normal and DH said there was no one at the Service station.

Knotaknitter · 29/05/2020 21:13

I've done it today, I took a drink and sandwiches for lunch and we were away in an hour. This was helped massively by the flatmates who had cleaned the kitchen and taken out the recycling so there was less to sort out than I'd expected. DS assured me that the email he'd had said that the city centre car park would be open and it most definitely wasn't, once the shops start reopening the car parks should as well.

DS had a thirty minute time slot - I thought that was hopelessly optimistic.

MajesticWhine · 29/05/2020 21:39

We did this last weekend. I wasn't completely sure if it was allowed or not, but I couldn't see a problem. We didn't see anyone and we were able to stop for petrol. There was no one in the house so it was not mixing households.

SauvignonBlanche · 29/05/2020 22:09

DS had a thirty minute time slot - I thought that was hopelessly optimistic

Gosh yes - DD has a 4 hr slot.

ListeningQuietly · 29/05/2020 22:34

as somebody who ha been on the motorway and trunk road network every day of lockdown

lighten up folks

if a journey needs making, make it

One day I was clocked by 5 vehicles from 3 forces and stopped by none of them

If its the choice of kids not having the stuff they need (and milk turning the &&&&&) JUST GO GET THEIR STUFF

Horsemad · 29/05/2020 22:37

Do the returning students need to self isolate when they return home from their uni accommodation?

ListeningQuietly · 29/05/2020 22:45

Why would they ?

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