Durham University

[KingscoteStaff]

The continuation thread for those with DC at Durham, or applying to Durham, or alumni, or staff!

January 2022 finds our DC packing their big coats, checking the forecast for snow and wondering when Michaelmas actally is...?

Assemble!
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Thank you all so much. I've just booked the Premier Inn as we needed to be sure of 2 separate beds.

Looking forward to the visit. Hoping it will be the first choice!

Just had an excellent dinner at Restaurant 17 underneath Chapters on Old Elvet Bridge.

Cold night, though!

Interesting chat with a group of second years who are moving back into College for 3rd year on cost reasons. All seemed to think that this will become much more usual. 3 years ago, several of the Hatfield 3rd year rooms were unclaimed.

@KingscoteStaff Glad you had a lovely trip. Interesting about the accommodation. I've read something about students just being told they aren't getting a returner place in college and now there's nothing available on the private rental market. Might have been second years though and maybe they are not a priority?

I think it helps if you are willing to act as a Frep or take on a position of responsibility in (for example) College sports or music.

@KingscoteStaff Interesting thanks. DS has just started to mention possibly doing a placement year so it may be something to consider.

DS does not have anywhere to live for his 3rd year, which is concerning. His Hill college rejected a lot of current 2nd years for the 3rd year and promises of ‘assistance’ with finding somewhere else have not materialized.
I’m rather disappointed that the college sat back and watched the feeding frenzy for private accommodation before Christmas, then washed their hands of final year students when there is nothing left to rent privately.
I know he was incredibly fortunate to get 2nd year in Halls, but he thought 3rd years would be prioritised as is traditional. It’s the timing of the No Room At The Inn email that has pissed me off. They must have known their accommodation plans for 24/25 - Durham isn’t getting less popular after all.
Maybe he could knock on Hatfield’s door and ask for a spare room

@SpamhappyTootsie
has he tried the private halls? I guess some students might have double booked? ( Ie a room in private halls before Xmas in the hope that they would then be successful in getting back into halls ) . There might be an odd room going now in a flat? .. might be worth a pop?

I think Dd would have liked to have gone back into halls for third year ideally but she wasn’t prepared to take the risk (and have to wait to find out) incase they said no and she was then stuck. She ditched the idea and is staying put and signed again but she did hear that some double booked and signed for halls as well .

i agree.. it’s poorly done by the uni. They were well aware of the trouble students had this year before Xmas and it’s obvious that the timing of their decision (if it’s a no) leaves students rather up shit creek

Yes, he’s tried the private halls and the student letting agencies. He’s also trying normal letting agencies and we’ve told him to pass our details to them if he needs extra guarantor evidence i.e we actually rent the place for him. The availability is absolutely dire across the board. They have been told a place on the waiting list becoming available is not likely now.
Don’t get me wrong, he’s 20 and perfectly capable of coping in private accommodation if there was any left! We are prepared for the hike in cost (we pay for his accommodation) to double what we pay now, so that’s not a problem, fortunately, but there will be students who don’t have that option, I’m sure. I told him he was incredibly lucky to get 2nd Year Halls, along with his flatmates but I do think the accommodation office should have been more honest about the intake projections and encourage 2nd years to look early at alternatives.

Ha, quite the rant there ^^. It’s been playing on my mind for a few weeks as you can probably tell!

I think given the recent high intakes of students, obvious shortages of student housing solutions. It wouldn’t hurt for Durham to recruit a few less students this year and allow students such as your DS back into Halls.

My DS is a first year and has signed up to a hell hole in Gilesgate for year 2 (it is a fair stomp away and from the outside it looks really really grim). Although he loves his hill college, the gym, being close to the science site and has had a fantastic time in halls I wouldn’t want him to risk applying for Halls again for year 3, having to wait until now and then having a potential knock back and scrambling around.

My DS is a first year and has signed up to a hell hole in Gilesgate for year 2 (it is a fair stomp away and from the outside it looks really really grim).

This sounds so like my son's house for next year I wonder if they're sharing. It was in the middle of nowhere and had no windows when we went to see it!

I hope the hell hole is at least cheap?

It is cheap and it had windows.

We haven’t seen the contract and they have sorted it out themselves they rebuffed parental involvement so 🤞 it works out.

Does it have a garden shed DS can put a sleeping bag in? He’ll be no trouble, he’ll be a sensible 3rd year

@SpamhappyTootsie Does the DSU accommodation service not have a website where people advertise spare rooms in their houses they've rented for next year.

In my time at Durham there were a lot of 6/7/8 bed houses where often there was a spare room available to rent

@bguthb90 I assumed they would have, or that the ‘assistance’ promised a fortnight ago by the accommodation office would be that sort of set up, but it’s been radio silence from the AO since the “you have been unsuccessful in your application” email.
Some private flats allow you to apply individually. There’s very little left now, though and it’s being snapped up so quickly.

Surely some students may drop out, not progress to subsequent years of course or may have a falling out with flat mates somewhere along the line which may create an opening for him.

There’s a Facebook group ‘Parents of Durham University Students’ which has been full of advice on accommodation.

Think my DS is with WordleWobble’s DS in Gilesgate, for his second year’s accommodation.

Thanks all. I’m sure something will turn up if he/we keep looking. Be ideal if it’s somewhere he wants to stay for his MSc year too, but we’ll see.

My DD is in Gilesgate too next year, with 5 other girls. The house actually looks quite decent. She isn't looking forward to the walk up the hill (but she isn't really that far up, between the roundabout and the first turning on the left hand side), and would have preferred to have been in the viaduct, but as soon as they saw this house (3 weeks in!) they realised they would struggle to get anything for the same price as nice as this in the Viaduct.

@SpamhappyTootsie have you / he tried the FB Group : Durham Uni Find a Housemate it advertises those looking and those with pate rooms . It seems not uncommon for groups to Sgn a house then try and fill the rest of the rooms . Also those who are leaving advertise their rooms etc . good luck

there is also a very useful parents of Durham Uni FB grouo for those who haven’t found

that group mentioned the unis commitment to finding accommodation and what they plan to do about it . Also mentioned Uni reckon there are 400 unfilled accomm slots in Durham .

Have you seen this @SpamhappyTootsie et al. Have you seen this. Given the current housing crisis and yet Durham are ultimately planning on using this building for a new College as soon as the work on HB College is complete.

www.instagram.com/p/CpN82wZt0-x/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

@SpamhappyTootsie

www.facebook.com/groups/1218937848948580/permalink/1339892400186457/

This is the post.

@Wordlewobble thank you! DS says he’s following that page, and I’m having a Lurk too.