UEA freshers (2019 starters) part 2

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Previous thread and hope you don't mind that I set up the next thread @juicy0. Just did it to ensure that we carry on chatting seamlessly

I’m really regretting not moving everything out of DS room now.
But my bigger problem is DS from Bournemouth is now ill.
It’s all very worrying.

I've just returned from emptying DD's room and there were lots of students and their parents doing the same.

Ds just told me last night that he had an email giving him the chance to cancel his accommodation contract. He has left a few bits there though. I am hoping we can still cancel and go and collect the bits once the lockdown is over.

Hope everyone is doing ok in these very strange times.

I emailed to the accommodation address to see if we can post the keys. If not ds can take them back. He will be alone in the car, he probably won't have any contact with anyone when posting the keys in the box. I hope he won't get told off for being out. I can't see him being stopped in his car round here.

@icanbewhatiwant there was an option on the email for keys to be returned by post, it gave the address and suggested using a tracked delivery service. I'm not sure after last nights announcement whether there will be anyone there to sign for parcels though so it might be worth giving them a call in the accommodation office. I used the key drop box last night, there were copies of the termination form with envelopes and pens there to use.

We cleared DD's room and kitchen spaces and it looked like the cleaners had given the kitchen a thorough clean even though the whole flat is currently unoccupied. I put all the clothes we were wearing straight in the wash, showered, anti bacced my phone and car keys and washed my hands multiple times.

Everything is still loaded in the car so I guess that's a job for today!

Are all of your DC home? How are you all doing?
DD seems to be grieving for the loss of the summer term they had planned and is really down. I think she was holding out a hope that they would return after Easter and it's now finally dawned on her that it's unlikely. I feel for them all, it's not the end of the year they envisaged but of course there are much bigger worries in the world right now.

Stay safe and well everyone x

I asked DS about the email, but haven’t had a response- we now won’t be able to clear his room out after the PM’s announcement last night - hopefully we can still terminate and collect stuff in a few weeks

DS hasn’t had an email about terminating - do you think they are sending them out in batches?

Here is the email DD received, in two parts because it will only let me post three pics. I guess they may issue revised instructions following last night announcement.

Part 2

Thank you - he definitely hasn’t had that - we are now stuck and won’t be able to clear the room out because of last night’s announcement

This is so unfair how are we meant to clear out their rooms now that we can’t travel?

They didn’t give enough time between sending out the email and travel restrictions being imposed. This is the first time I’ve seen the email, although it has probably been sent to DS and he’s not opened it.

It can’t be right that we now have to pay for a whole term just because we left his duvet a few books and his kitchen stuff. Feeling cross !

@NotSorry maybe they're releasing by residence. Is your DS in a Zig? Mine is. Or alphabetically?

@newmodelarmymayhem18 yeah could be - he's in Paston House

@Itscoldouthere - DS has emailed accommodation to say that he's not received the email and what's he supposed to do now that we're not allowed to travel

there is also a tweet on twitter calling them out for exactly what you are saying - they have replied and said they are reviewing the situation

we couldn't go as I can't drive for another 3 weeks and DH is working

DS just got his - it went to his gmail one rather than the university email though. It arrived at 9.23pm yesterday evening, so after BoJo imposed the lockdown.

The one scenario they've seemingly overlooked (perhaps on purpose) is the one whereby students can't get back to empty their rooms (which is probably the situation most would be in).

Well I shall be sending an email, because if they don’t make some changes to the date it really is unfair and also would encourage people to break the curfew to go there and empty rooms. Many people are now in a situation where paying fees for an unused room will be impossible. I fear some students may now not return at all next year, as they will no longer be able to afford university. We are now living in a different place. It’s all so sad.

I think they will have to issue reviewed instructions now that lockdown has been imposed. They were slow off the mark, other unis including Newcastle, Imperial, St. Andrews and many others issued this option to students over a week ago and with the situation changing at such a fast pace it's a shame they didn't react more quickly.
I too wonder if some students may not return after the summer, let's face it with strikes and now Covid it has been a pretty rubbish experience in many ways. However won't most have already signed private rental agreements for next year? I know DD has and we have to start paying for that in July as things stand and she is keen to return.

@juicy0 I hope they do the right thing, and allow people to remove their possessions after travel restriction finish.
It’s so stressful for some and like you say their timescale is completely off and unachievable.
I hope people don’t drop out, but I’m sure some will due to financial pressure or other stressful situations that might arise from this situation.

We’ve just emailed UEA, their current letter says all rooms must be emptied and keys must be returned by 19th April, which is the day before official start of term and 5 days after the current travel restrictions are due to end. Obviously we don’t know if the government might change their guidelines/date.
It alls very tight and unfair, I mean what are they going to do with the rooms? Nothing!

That will be difficult to do. I do hope they change that as it seems unfair if we end up paying nearly £2k just because the students left without completely clearing their rooms out. We didn't know when we brought ds back that he wouldn't be going back to that room.

Can you guys not travel anyway to move stuff anyway? You probably won't see anyone while at UEA? I know we've been told not to move stuff but it's still something that needs doing? I don't know.

@juicy0 we didn't wash our clothes. I hope we didn't pick anything up. Just washed hands. I didn't think of clothes 😩 I did leave everything in the car apart from food out the freezer. It's still in the car.

@icanbewhatiwant well that’s the whole problem isn’t it. Picking up belongings certainly isn’t essential travel, but faced with the option of pay for a whole term or breaking the rules, people are being forced to make a difficult choice.
UEA should now be saying come back once travel restrictions are lifted, who knows if they will be by the current planned date.

@Itscoldouthere yes exactly. I think I would be breaking the rules as I'd go. I am fortunate enough to live local enough to go yesterday knowing what the new rules would be.
Yes no idea how long we will be told to stay home. I'm sure it'll be longer than 3 weeks

I would hope UEA will show some flexibility as they had written the letter before the lockdown came into place. It doesn't seem like essential travel so we will wait and see what happens.

Found DS’s email - also sent to his gmail not his uni email

I’ll let you know what they reply

Some of us don't have a car so travelling to get them would clearly be a breach of the lockdown rules. I am quite happy for DS and one of us to travel back in a day to collect the rest of his kit once the current rules have been lifted (maybe in three weeks), albeit most likely temporarily.