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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Really poor quality halls accommodation

34 replies

SadformystudentDC · 17/09/2022 22:58

I have just dropped my DS at university. I am no stranger to student accommodation both halls and private as DS is the youngest of three, but the halls accommodation at uni was rank and I feel so depressed for him.

The accommodation is in a sort of half basement. There are six rooms, two showers, a loo and a kitchen on the same windowless corridor. Even with the lights on the corridor was so dark we had to use the torches on our phones to see the room numbers. There was a permanent beep from the smoke alarm. None of the bathrooms, loo or kitchen have any windows at all. The kitchen is tiny and consists of a sink, an under the counter fridge, a kettle and a microwave. Not even a toaster. Way too small for a table. Absolutely nowhere for students to socialise.

The bedroom is worn and tired looking with painted brick walls but would be passable if the rest were not so dreary. This was meant to be a fresh start after he had a shitty time at another uni in what turned out to be a terrible environment not helped by Covid.

if it were me I would be straight onto accommodation to ask for a change of rooms but he doesn't like causing trouble so I know he will resist this, but I could tell he found the accommodation incredibly depressing as anyone would. Now I know about it and put the right search terms into Google I have found complaints from other students about it. Honestly I could cry.

OP posts:
Skelligsfeathers · 17/09/2022 23:00

Where on earth is ut?

HilarityEnsues · 17/09/2022 23:00

Now is the time to request a transfer, there is a lot of movement in the first two or three weeks, with students turning up, not turning up, deciding to live elsewhere, so there's more chance of getting a move now than later in the term. I know he doesn't want to cause trouble but that sounds awful, and the housing office probably has complaints every year and just depends on moving a few of the loudest complainers out to elsewhere. Hope it works out.

blueshoes · 17/09/2022 23:11

Definitely complain. The accommodation is not free. Your son is ultimately paying for this. He could get depressed by the surroundings and won't want to invite friends back. No way will I keep quiet. Sorry, but as a parent, I am going to set him up for success if this is the last time I am able to do it. Squeaky wheel gets the grease.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 17/09/2022 23:13

That sounds awful!

Shinyandnew1 · 17/09/2022 23:15

Did you look around when choosing or were you shown other halls? It’s not the Ziggerats at UEA, is it??

caffelattetogo · 17/09/2022 23:35

Is it a catered hall and this is just a tea kitchen with a cafeteria and communal rooms nearby?

SpringGreenShine · 17/09/2022 23:43

Relative had run down halls in a Leeds Uni, drug dealing student, and even someone who broke in and squatted.
Rich, obnoxious drug dealing student, Uni aware of, but wouldn’t get rid of , just had security watch him.
Its so unfair on our children. Another relative complained straight away at all the druggies in their flat, as soon as they arrived.

OnceTwiceThreeTimesAMummy · 18/09/2022 00:06

I thought if there was no windows it wasn't habitable?

Laquila · 18/09/2022 00:08

That sounds bloody miserable - I would request a transfer ASAP. Surely the others in his halls won't have to know he's asked? Then if it's granted he can just move.

Afterfire · 18/09/2022 00:14

Shinyandnew1 · 17/09/2022 23:15

Did you look around when choosing or were you shown other halls? It’s not the Ziggerats at UEA, is it??

I wondered this when reading this as well. We toured this accommodation and it was honestly so dark and depressing it felt like living underground, even though oddly enough dd seemed to like it! She didn’t go to that university in the end though.

I think a lot depends on who they are with. Friends and peer group is everything. Are there people to chat to?

If it’s too late to change then I’d encourage them to try and see the funny side and just make some friends and get out and about as much as possible.

marblemad · 18/09/2022 01:02

Make a complaint immediately and look up the student code for accommodation, sounds like it's not upto conduct, get him moved

vjg13 · 18/09/2022 09:00

HilarityEnsues · 17/09/2022 23:00

Now is the time to request a transfer, there is a lot of movement in the first two or three weeks, with students turning up, not turning up, deciding to live elsewhere, so there's more chance of getting a move now than later in the term. I know he doesn't want to cause trouble but that sounds awful, and the housing office probably has complaints every year and just depends on moving a few of the loudest complainers out to elsewhere. Hope it works out.

This,

There was a lot of movement in my daughter's halls last year. There was an online noticeboard for swaps too.

Original poster
SadformystudentDC · 18/09/2022 09:03

Thanks everyone you have bolstered my reserve, now to bolster his! We'll get onto it on Tuesday. It is Uni of Kent BTW.

OP posts:
Stomacharmeleon · 18/09/2022 10:11

@SadformystudentDC wow I am shocked. I live near there and the accommodation is generally well thought of. Definitely complain.

My son is off today and thankfully did not put ziggurats for UEA. They even asked after results if he would reconsider a room there. He is in the village luckily (I hope)

Hope it all works out x

EvilEdna1 · 18/09/2022 10:20

I knew this would be Kent. I want there in 90s. Two of the college's were designed by someone who designed prisons and it shows. There are not many corridors like that so hopefully he will be able to move.

HilarityEnsues · 18/09/2022 10:48

Oh I know the exact accommodation you mean, it's made of breeze blocks and is like a prison! I had friends there in the 90s. Definitely ask for an exchange or swap and push hard for it, there's a lot of swapping and dropping out at this stage. Although he may make friends along the corridor and they will all bemoan their fate together and bond, you never know.

Original poster
SadformystudentDC · 18/09/2022 13:58

Yes prison is exactly the feeling! I felt claustrophobic while I was there.

Thanks for the feedback. Fingers crossed!

OP posts:
Poppyblush · 19/09/2022 07:26

I think there’s lots of halls which are grim in many ways. Universities need to raise their game. Charging a fortune for substandard accommodation is not on. But they do it.

Piggywaspushed · 19/09/2022 07:34

I am not doing the 'when I were a lass, I walked barefoot' thing.honest but no windows in corridors or bathrooms is quite common surely? Are there extractors?

The breeze block thing was common in the 80s . Your description sounds similar to lots of older York accommodation of the same vintage.

The kitchen not having a window is definitely weird, though. And the smoke alarm needs sorting as that sounds like a battery has died.

Has he met any flatmates yet?

Agree that Ziggurats is grim but it has a weird cult status!

University accommodation is so overpriced!!

Oblomov22 · 19/09/2022 08:12

How demoralising.
Kent? Hmm. Isn't it classic that they don't want you to complain? Both my ds's are like this, never want any fuss, but on this one I think I'd have to overrule.

Oblomov22 · 19/09/2022 08:15

If you go to WIWIKAU most parents have settled their children into a huge room, extra big bed, with en-suite. Most of them look like a plush hotel.

That's not how I think university accommodation should be - it's supposed to be a bit grim on the basic side. With a well worn mattress. Wink

But seriously OP, this is taking the mick.

Piggywaspushed · 19/09/2022 08:36

Some of the rooms on Facebook look nicer than a nice Premier Inn!!

Afterfire · 19/09/2022 08:44

Oblomov22 · 19/09/2022 08:15

If you go to WIWIKAU most parents have settled their children into a huge room, extra big bed, with en-suite. Most of them look like a plush hotel.

That's not how I think university accommodation should be - it's supposed to be a bit grim on the basic side. With a well worn mattress. Wink

But seriously OP, this is taking the mick.

Oh don’t worry, when they get to year 2 it’s all very grim as they end up renting some truly weird and wonderful places!

I dropped my dd off for her second year at Nottingham yesterday and she’s renting a room in a shared house with 6 of her friends. It’s safe - no mould or dangerous issues thankfully but god it’s gross. I helped her to unpack and my asthma was twitching, I really couldn’t have stayed much longer than I did! However, she’s happy as anything. I doubt any of them will clean it for the entire year they’re there. 🤢😆

keeprunning55 · 19/09/2022 08:56

I dropped my ds off at uni yesterday & his accommodation was pretty grim, but the cheapest. He went through clearing & it’s all that was left. He didn’t seem too bothered. I was upset.by RIP being written on his bedroom wall in large writing, the tiny dark corridor, the grimmest looking shower & that his room backed onto a bin area and a multi-storey car park. He however, saw some skateboarders making a lot of noise and wanted to join them.

boys3 · 19/09/2022 15:15

In defence of the Ziggs at UEA the kitchens are light, airy and large as they would need to be given the number sharing each one

oops I should have preceded Ziggs with iconic 😀

the description from the OP of the halls at Kent does sound truly awful. I have to count myself lucky with the quality of halls all my three have had at their unis