Firm v insurance - slightly worrying Birmingham and accommodation)

[DontGotoRoehampton]

Have recently seen poster talking about accommodation problems with clearing places, but heard a worrying story this week from a friend.
A DC firmed Imperial College for Physics, needed A A A (predicted).
DC got the grades, but in the wrong subjects, should have got A for Maths, got A. Did get the A Physics.
Ok, so far, so fair - did miss the prescribed grades.
Accepted his insurance offer same day - Birmingham, then told there was no accommodation, would be sorted out when they arrived.
Arrived to find chaotic accommodation situation.
In a big hall, student told to get in to group of four (no-one knew anyone at that point - and go out and look for accommodation - ie rental properties in Birmingham.)
The DC was not street-wise - from a semi-rural setting, but even for a 'streetwise' 18 year old would have been a very harsh intro to Uni.
My DC will not be applying to Birmingham!

Oh dear!

Comes to something when you need to use your professional scepticism in choosing education :(

I asked this question at Leeds and was told they guarantee "insurers" accommodation.

I suppose the Lecturers don't see the students until all of this is sorted and, by then, the students have been through Freshers and probably got over the stress/worry/fun of it and are thinking more about the course than the system they used to find accommodation.

I'm not sure that the accommodation process is a lecturer issue unless they are a personal tutor and the student actually has no where to live (which isn't the issue here)