Reg. 27 Residential Accommodation Regulations
A General Regulations
(1) First year undergraduates who wish to make their own accommodation arrangements may do so provided that they notify the Accommodation Officer of the accommodation before entering into a definite arrangement with the landlord/landlady.
(2) All undergraduates are required to notify the Accommodation Officer of changes of address during term-time.
(3) All full-time students must live within a reasonable distance of the University.
B Lodgings Regulations
(4) If undergraduates in lodgings intend to be absent for one night or longer, they must indicate to their landlord/landlady where they can be found, in case of emergency.
C University Accommodation Regulations
(5) The persons responsible for the proper management of residences, and the enforcement of the Accommodation Regulations are the Wardens, the Deputy Wardens, Subwardens and Resident Tutors.
(6) Allocation of Rooms
(a) Accommodation shall be allocated by the Warden in terms of a specified room in a residence. Students must comply with the decision of the Warden regarding the allocation of rooms.
(b) Any student failing to take up a place he/she has accepted is liable to an administrative levy of a sum equal in amount to two full weeks’ rent for the room allocated, subject to the discretion of the Accommodation Manager in the case of exceptional or extenuating circumstances to reduce or cancel the levy.
(c) Any student failing to take up a place he/she has accepted within four days from the start of any letting period, or failing to inform the Accommodation Manager in writing beforehand of their late arrival, shall be liable to forfeit their place in University accommodation.
(7) Period of Residence
(a) Accommodation in halls of residence will normally be offered for a period of 30 weeks, 39 weeks or 50 weeks. This letting period cannot be amended after its commencement.
(b) Students shall be liable to pay accommodation charges on the first day of each term or on the date when occupation of accommodation commences if this begins on a date later than the beginning of term.
(8) Changing of Rooms and Transfers
(a) Residents may not change rooms or accommodation except by application to and with the subsequent permission of the Warden.
(b) Any student wishing to change rooms or transfer to other University accommodation will be required to pay an administrative levy subject to the discretion of the Accommodation Manager in the case of exceptional or extenuating circumstances to reduce or cancel the levy.
(c) The Warden shall have the right to change the room allocation at any time as he/she in his/her discretion thinks fit.
(d) All requests to change accommodation (except in the case of transfers from one unit of accommodation to another, where both are under the control of the same Warden) must be referred to the Accommodation Manager in the first instance.
(9) Leaving University Accommodation
Any student who wishes to leave University accommodation, except in the case of transfer as provided for under paragraph (8)(b) above:
(a) must give two full term-time weeks’ notice;
(b) shall not normally be entitled to any reduction in fees payable in respect of the period following the expiry of notice given by him/her;
(c) shall normally be liable for rent until the end of the letting period during which the period of notice expires.
Note:
The date of leaving University accommodation shall be defined as the date on which the key is returned to the issuing office.
(10) Requirement to Leave University Accommodation
(a) A student whose continued presence in the place of residence is felt to be detrimental to the well-being of the community or who has significantly or repeatedly breached the Disciplinary Regulations under paragraph (20) below may be required to leave the accommodation. Students found to be using, in possession of or allowing their room to be used for the consumption of any illegal substance in campus residences will be required to leave the accommodation.
(b) A student required to vacate his/her accommodation shall be given four weeks’ notice, except that:
(i) if the end of the letting period is less than four weeks away the student shall be required to leave at the end of that period;
(ii) a student whose registration as a student of the University is for any reason terminated may be required to leave with effect from the date of the termination.
(iii) in exceptional circumstances, and only with the approval of the Registrar, a shorter notice period may be applied.
(c) Any student required to vacate their accommodation shall be informed that he/she may appeal against such a decision by writing to the Registrar or, if a shorter notice period was applied under (b)(iii) above, the Vice-Chancellor, who will, if it is determined that there are grounds for an appeal, appoint an Residential Appeals Committee to examine the case. The Residential Appeals Committee shall be empowered to confirm, set aside or vary the decision made under (b) above.
(d) An appeal must be received within ten working days of the date of the letter informing the student that the decision has been taken that they will be required to leave the accommodation. The letter of appeal must state briefly the grounds upon which the appeal is made.
(e) The membership of the Residential Appeals Committee is as follows:
Chair - normally a Pro-Vice-Chancellor (appointed by the Vice-Chancellor)
Three further members of the Senate (appointed by the Vice-Chancellor)
Two student members (normally a sabbatical officer of the Union of Students and one other student whose name shall be communicated to the Registrar by the President).
(11) Use of Rooms
Rooms may be used only as private living accommodation and for purposes of study.
(12) Visitors
(a) No person may occupy or share the occupation or live in any room or premises unless specifically authorised by the University.
(b) No residents may have extra people living in their rooms, nor may they sub-let.
(c) Visitors are only permitted during the hours laid down in the handbook of the relevant Hall of Residence.
(d) Students are responsible for the behaviour of their guests or visitors, who are not students of the University.
(13) Parties in Halls of Residence
(a) Written permission must be obtained from the Resident Tutor or Sub Warden responsible for the area before any party is held.
(b) Parties may usually be held only at weekends and must end by midnight.
(14) Pets
No pets or any other animals may be kept in any University residential accommodation.
(15) Vehicles
(a) Students wishing to keep vehicles must register them and must comply with the University Ordinance and Regulations on Parking and Traffic.
(b) Students in residence who do not have authority for a motor vehicle on campus must not keep their vehicles on public roads within one mile of the University. Students who break this rule will be required to vacate their campus accommodation.
(16) Wiring and Aerials etc.
(a) Electrical appliances may be operated only from the fixed power points provided. Students may not install any additional electrical wiring, computer cabling or telephones.
(b) No additional space heating appliance may be used without permission of the Warden.
(c) Students must not erect television or radio aerials on the roofs or in the lofts of University residential buildings.
(17) Door Locks
No door lock may be changed or added except by authority of the Warden.
(18) Infectious and Contagious Diseases
Notice shall be given to the Warden of any resident or visitor who is suffering from an infectious or contagious disease in order that the risk to the health and safety of other residents may be assessed by the University.
(19) Damage
(a) A student shall immediately report to the Resident Tutor responsible for the area any damage to or loss of property, fixtures, fittings or furnishings. Where such damage is attributable to or the responsibility of a student he/she shall repay to the University the cost or a proportion of the cost of renewing or replacing the same. Where damage cannot be attributed to an individual student the Warden may hold responsible the group of students living in the area in which the damage or loss has occurred.
(b) Wardens, Sub Wardens and Resident Tutors are empowered to require a student to make good the cost of damage not exceeding £25 in respect of (a) above. Where the appropriate charge exceeds £25, the power to require payment resides with the Warden.
(20) Discipline in Halls of Residence
(a) The following types of misdemeanour will require disciplinary action:
(i) Anti-social behaviour such as drunkenness; disorderly conduct; unnecessary noise; selfish use of noise-emitting equipment including radios, music centres, CD players, televisions, computers, musical instruments; playing games in close proximity to residences; disregard of such hours of silence and visiting hours as may be laid down in the handbook for the relevant Hall of Residence, and any behaviour causing a nuisance, inconvenience, or annoyance to other residents.
(ii) Non-compliance with any of the University Accommodation Regulations (as set out above), or with any rule in the handbook for the relevant Hall of Residence.
(iii) Wilful or negligent damage, including flyposting, to the premises, or its fixtures, fittings and furnishings.
(b) (i) Resident tutorial staff are empowered to fine up to £25 for anti-social conduct as defined in paragraph 20(a)(i) above or for any other plainly anti-social actions not specifically mentioned, or for non-compliance with the Regulations as defined in paragraph 20(a)(ii) above, or for wilful or negligent damage as defined in paragraph 20(a)(iii) above.
(ii) Wardens are empowered to raise fines not exceeding £100 for anti-social conduct as defined in paragraph (20)(a)(i) above or for any other plainly anti-social action not specifically mentioned, or for non-compliance with the Regulations as defined in paragraph (20)(a)(ii) above, or for wilful or negligent damage as defined in paragraph (20)(a)(iii) above.
(iii) In the absence of the Warden, the Deputy Warden or any other member of the resident tutorial staff nominated by the Warden shall exercise his/her powers under paragraph (20)(b)(ii) above.
(iv) The Warden or any member of the resident tutorial staff is additionally empowered to exact a written apology in respect of anti-social behaviour, to be communicated through him/her to any person or persons named.
(c) (i) The Warden is empowered to sit with two students normally chosen by local student committees and two resident tutors to hear appeals against decisions made or in mitigation of penalties imposed by resident tutorial staff under paragraph (20)(b) above, it being understood that the member of the resident tutorial staff who took the initial decision may not sit on the appeals panel. Where disciplinary action was taken by the Warden alone, the appeal shall be referred to the Registrar in the first instance, who shall determine whether to deal with the matter himself/herself or to report it to the Residential Appeals Committee under the recognised procedure.
(ii) In the absence of the Warden, the Deputy/Sub Warden or any member of the resident tutorial staff nominated by the Warden shall exercise his/her powers under paragraph (20)(c)(i) above, except that he/she may not so act in the case of an appeal against one of his/her own decisions.
(d) (i) Any fines levied will be used to purchase books for the University Library.
(ii) The Finance Director will be responsible for the collection of fines.
(iii) The penalty for non-payment of fines shall be exclusion from University accommodation. (Students who fail to pay fines shall also be subject to any other sanctions normally applied to debtors to the University.)
(e) A student shall not normally be allocated a room in campus residences for any future years of study at the University where there have been significant or repeated breaches of the disciplinary regulations.
(f) If a student who is not a resident of the Hall concerned causes a disturbance or breaks a Regulation whilst on the premises this will be dealt with under paragraphs (20)(b)-(d) above, unless the offence is sufficiently serious to warrant action by the University Discipline Committee. In cases of doubt or difficulty the Registrar will determine which authority takes disciplinary measures.