Student Halls - paying £550/month for this... legal advice?
Discussion
I'm in my first year of Uni, staying in a mainstream well know student accommodation company's halls in the centre of Bristol.
For the first few weeks of the year, everything was fine. Wasn't exactly lovely accommodation but it did the job. In the next few months, a small percentage of students living in the halls decided to trash the common areas, staircases, the foyer etc on a frequent basis, holes in walls smashed in, ceiling tiles broken, lights pulled down, graffiti on walls etc. There was smashed glass and no lighting on my hallway outside the flat.
It remained in this state for weeks, until typed notices appeared on the walls regarding the problem, and that it would be repaired if not to happen again. As stated, it was repaired and all was okay for a while. Until October when similar happened again but not quite as badly. The lifts broke most days and then magically seemed to work again most lunchtimes, not working on a morning and evening. Some threatening messages were posted on walls from the company, and an email sent out threatening everybody with the loss of our deposits, depsite the contract stating nothing about loss of deposit through common areas. We signed the contract and paid our deposits for our own flats and kitchen area. NOT the entire building.
The lifts then broke completely and notices were put up on the walls stating an engineer was due to inspect them. They have remained 100% out of use now since before Christmas, and I have 7 floors and 14 flights of stairs to climb every time I return home. I'm lucky, others have 14 floors to climb.
The building is supposed to have disabled access and therefore must recieve a grant towards this, yet the lifts remain out of use. The front exit door (a fire door) handle has broken off- the door is supposed to be pulled to open it, and with no handle, the door has to be prized open with the fingernails to get out. This has been in this state for 2 weeks now.
In the contract it states repairs must be made, and cleaning must be done- yet there is rubbish and disgusting rotten items / vomit in some areas that has overstayed its welcome. The contract states the landlord must supply security for the building. There is none, the only security is a man sat behind a desk in another seperate student building 50 metres down the road.
People have complained, written letters, in person, but nothing has yet happened. A few of my friends spoke to an office worker in the building one day (a rare sight, there is no staff on the premises 99% of the time), who claimed there is a way to get back our deposits plus additional compensation due to the landlord breaching the agreement. Does this sound feasible? In another building owned by the same company in another city, students can claim back £50 for each week the lift doesn't work. Same company as ours. Yet we haven't been informed of this or anything along these lines. Are there any actions we can take towards this? I will have paid over £5000 a year to live in this dump!
Any insight would be hugely appreciated. Thanks
For the first few weeks of the year, everything was fine. Wasn't exactly lovely accommodation but it did the job. In the next few months, a small percentage of students living in the halls decided to trash the common areas, staircases, the foyer etc on a frequent basis, holes in walls smashed in, ceiling tiles broken, lights pulled down, graffiti on walls etc. There was smashed glass and no lighting on my hallway outside the flat.
It remained in this state for weeks, until typed notices appeared on the walls regarding the problem, and that it would be repaired if not to happen again. As stated, it was repaired and all was okay for a while. Until October when similar happened again but not quite as badly. The lifts broke most days and then magically seemed to work again most lunchtimes, not working on a morning and evening. Some threatening messages were posted on walls from the company, and an email sent out threatening everybody with the loss of our deposits, depsite the contract stating nothing about loss of deposit through common areas. We signed the contract and paid our deposits for our own flats and kitchen area. NOT the entire building.
The lifts then broke completely and notices were put up on the walls stating an engineer was due to inspect them. They have remained 100% out of use now since before Christmas, and I have 7 floors and 14 flights of stairs to climb every time I return home. I'm lucky, others have 14 floors to climb.
The building is supposed to have disabled access and therefore must recieve a grant towards this, yet the lifts remain out of use. The front exit door (a fire door) handle has broken off- the door is supposed to be pulled to open it, and with no handle, the door has to be prized open with the fingernails to get out. This has been in this state for 2 weeks now.
In the contract it states repairs must be made, and cleaning must be done- yet there is rubbish and disgusting rotten items / vomit in some areas that has overstayed its welcome. The contract states the landlord must supply security for the building. There is none, the only security is a man sat behind a desk in another seperate student building 50 metres down the road.
People have complained, written letters, in person, but nothing has yet happened. A few of my friends spoke to an office worker in the building one day (a rare sight, there is no staff on the premises 99% of the time), who claimed there is a way to get back our deposits plus additional compensation due to the landlord breaching the agreement. Does this sound feasible? In another building owned by the same company in another city, students can claim back £50 for each week the lift doesn't work. Same company as ours. Yet we haven't been informed of this or anything along these lines. Are there any actions we can take towards this? I will have paid over £5000 a year to live in this dump!
Any insight would be hugely appreciated. Thanks
Louisa911 said:
I'm in my first year of Uni, staying in a mainstream well know student accommodation company's halls in the centre of Bristol.
For the first few weeks of the year, everything was fine. Wasn't exactly lovely accommodation but it did the job. In the next few months, a small percentage of students living in the halls decided to trash the common areas, staircases, the foyer etc on a frequent basis, holes in walls smashed in, ceiling tiles broken, lights pulled down, graffiti on walls etc. There was smashed glass and no lighting on my hallway outside the flat.
It remained in this state for weeks, until typed notices appeared on the walls regarding the problem, and that it would be repaired if not to happen again. As stated, it was repaired and all was okay for a while. Until October when similar happened again but not quite as badly. The lifts broke most days and then magically seemed to work again most lunchtimes, not working on a morning and evening. Some threatening messages were posted on walls from the company, and an email sent out threatening everybody with the loss of our deposits, depsite the contract stating nothing about loss of deposit through common areas. We signed the contract and paid our deposits for our own flats and kitchen area. NOT the entire building.
The lifts then broke completely and notices were put up on the walls stating an engineer was due to inspect them. They have remained 100% out of use now since before Christmas, and I have 7 floors and 14 flights of stairs to climb every time I return home. I'm lucky, others have 14 floors to climb.
The building is supposed to have disabled access and therefore must recieve a grant towards this, yet the lifts remain out of use. The front exit door (a fire door) handle has broken off- the door is supposed to be pulled to open it, and with no handle, the door has to be prized open with the fingernails to get out. This has been in this state for 2 weeks now.
In the contract it states repairs must be made, and cleaning must be done- yet there is rubbish and disgusting rotten items / vomit in some areas that has overstayed its welcome. The contract states the landlord must supply security for the building. There is none, the only security is a man sat behind a desk in another seperate student building 50 metres down the road.
People have complained, written letters, in person, but nothing has yet happened. A few of my friends spoke to an office worker in the building one day (a rare sight, there is no staff on the premises 99% of the time), who claimed there is a way to get back our deposits plus additional compensation due to the landlord breaching the agreement. Does this sound feasible? In another building owned by the same company in another city, students can claim back £50 for each week the lift doesn't work. Same company as ours. Yet we haven't been informed of this or anything along these lines. Are there any actions we can take towards this? I will have paid over £5000 a year to live in this dump!
Any insight would be hugely appreciated. Thanks
Gosh, that's really terrible. I feel for you.For the first few weeks of the year, everything was fine. Wasn't exactly lovely accommodation but it did the job. In the next few months, a small percentage of students living in the halls decided to trash the common areas, staircases, the foyer etc on a frequent basis, holes in walls smashed in, ceiling tiles broken, lights pulled down, graffiti on walls etc. There was smashed glass and no lighting on my hallway outside the flat.
It remained in this state for weeks, until typed notices appeared on the walls regarding the problem, and that it would be repaired if not to happen again. As stated, it was repaired and all was okay for a while. Until October when similar happened again but not quite as badly. The lifts broke most days and then magically seemed to work again most lunchtimes, not working on a morning and evening. Some threatening messages were posted on walls from the company, and an email sent out threatening everybody with the loss of our deposits, depsite the contract stating nothing about loss of deposit through common areas. We signed the contract and paid our deposits for our own flats and kitchen area. NOT the entire building.
The lifts then broke completely and notices were put up on the walls stating an engineer was due to inspect them. They have remained 100% out of use now since before Christmas, and I have 7 floors and 14 flights of stairs to climb every time I return home. I'm lucky, others have 14 floors to climb.
The building is supposed to have disabled access and therefore must recieve a grant towards this, yet the lifts remain out of use. The front exit door (a fire door) handle has broken off- the door is supposed to be pulled to open it, and with no handle, the door has to be prized open with the fingernails to get out. This has been in this state for 2 weeks now.
In the contract it states repairs must be made, and cleaning must be done- yet there is rubbish and disgusting rotten items / vomit in some areas that has overstayed its welcome. The contract states the landlord must supply security for the building. There is none, the only security is a man sat behind a desk in another seperate student building 50 metres down the road.
People have complained, written letters, in person, but nothing has yet happened. A few of my friends spoke to an office worker in the building one day (a rare sight, there is no staff on the premises 99% of the time), who claimed there is a way to get back our deposits plus additional compensation due to the landlord breaching the agreement. Does this sound feasible? In another building owned by the same company in another city, students can claim back £50 for each week the lift doesn't work. Same company as ours. Yet we haven't been informed of this or anything along these lines. Are there any actions we can take towards this? I will have paid over £5000 a year to live in this dump!
Any insight would be hugely appreciated. Thanks
Have you any photos?
Of you, not the damage
thole off Nelson St?? Je-sus.
I don't have photos on me now (other than a pic of two abandoned ovens on my floor with a note saying "Dear *****, here is our oven. We left it here as you have yet to remove it from infront of our fire escape. Thanks" haha.)
I'll get some next time I'm out, don't fancy 14 flights of stairs to get pics just now
But if anyone does have any info regarding legal action or compensation that other accommodation supposedly hand out, let me know please!
I'll get some next time I'm out, don't fancy 14 flights of stairs to get pics just now
But if anyone does have any info regarding legal action or compensation that other accommodation supposedly hand out, let me know please!
Edited by Louisa911 on Monday 8th March 14:58
Louisa911 said:
and make social groups or whatever.
I like that. I moved out of two different buildings owned by a well known student accomodation company (who I initially mistakened for a well known union) because I could barely stand a single person in my block. If they have other rooms/blocks/property, you can move there for a £50 fee, but be aware that they'll re-calculate their payments back into three equal installments, meaning you can get hit with a bill of hundreds at a time you're in no position to pay.If I were richer/not so busy working myself to death, I'd see my family's solicitor (if I had one) about your landlord not holding their end of the bargain & could you get out of your assured fixed lease?
which uni are you at? im at uwe, live on frenchay. is really expensive but have to say only problems ive had is because tossers in my block keep breaking the door to the block because there too lazy to get their key card out.
whatever you do don't go with grant management next year, i have a few friends living in their houses and say they are shockingly bad.
whatever you do don't go with grant management next year, i have a few friends living in their houses and say they are shockingly bad.
Edited by escort90 on Monday 8th March 15:10
Edited by escort90 on Monday 8th March 15:11
may be able to help here, first off go to citizen advise to verifiy.
if you have a contract stating that everything outside your flat is to be maintained by the maintance compny i.e floors, lifts, rubbish, ect ect and the placer is a pit, then you have the legal right to withhold your rent until everything is up to spec.
as for a fire door being broken, major breach of health and saftey, inform the company or you landlord that the fire door needs to be fixed immedatly or you will report it to the HSE (HEALTH AND SAFTY EXCECUTIVE), the going rate the company could be fined is in the thousands.
but seriously, as other posters have stated, 550 per month for living in that mess, move out, go on right move website, loads of place's and if you feel the landlord is going to withhold your deposit, then withold the rent, get loads of photos as evidance, statements,(will take up a bit of your time but worth it), because the landlord would have to go through the courts to get you evicted, and if you turn up at the same hearing with all you evidance, there is a good chance the judge would award in your favour, thus getting your deposit back, all the saved rent, and mayby even damages.
also go see a solicitor who charges nothing for the first hour, they will give good advise as to what you need to be doing to protect yourself.
if you have a contract stating that everything outside your flat is to be maintained by the maintance compny i.e floors, lifts, rubbish, ect ect and the placer is a pit, then you have the legal right to withhold your rent until everything is up to spec.
as for a fire door being broken, major breach of health and saftey, inform the company or you landlord that the fire door needs to be fixed immedatly or you will report it to the HSE (HEALTH AND SAFTY EXCECUTIVE), the going rate the company could be fined is in the thousands.
but seriously, as other posters have stated, 550 per month for living in that mess, move out, go on right move website, loads of place's and if you feel the landlord is going to withhold your deposit, then withold the rent, get loads of photos as evidance, statements,(will take up a bit of your time but worth it), because the landlord would have to go through the courts to get you evicted, and if you turn up at the same hearing with all you evidance, there is a good chance the judge would award in your favour, thus getting your deposit back, all the saved rent, and mayby even damages.
also go see a solicitor who charges nothing for the first hour, they will give good advise as to what you need to be doing to protect yourself.
20 years exactly in june)but i was paying £10 a week for a tiny box room and the most palacial stuff was only £25 quid a week...Louisa911 said:
A few of my friends spoke to an office worker in the building one day (a rare sight, there is no staff on the premises 99% of the time), who claimed there is a way to get back our deposits plus additional compensation due to the landlord breaching the agreement. Does this sound feasible?
Yes. It sounds very feasible. I'd start by contacting the student union; you'll have a welfare officer of some description, and there is likely a student welfare department of some description which will include information and assistance re accomodation. I wouldn't start by looking at solicitors or court action. The student union may have better ideas & be able to put pressure on the university and/or accomodation provider.
Come on, you are supposed to be a motivated potential leader of a new generation of graduates!
This:
We the undersigned believe that our building is in a poor state of repairs and a number of written requests to rectify this situation have been ignored.
We therefore put you on notice that as of the end of this month we will be withholding rent until the following is fixed:
X
Y
Z
If they get that, signed by 70% or more of the tenants - they will do something about it. If you stand as a group they would be committing financial suicide by kicking up a fuss with you all, then they could not risk that you would go through with it, as if you ALL did it they would be severely financially shafted.
This:
We the undersigned believe that our building is in a poor state of repairs and a number of written requests to rectify this situation have been ignored.
We therefore put you on notice that as of the end of this month we will be withholding rent until the following is fixed:
X
Y
Z
If they get that, signed by 70% or more of the tenants - they will do something about it. If you stand as a group they would be committing financial suicide by kicking up a fuss with you all, then they could not risk that you would go through with it, as if you ALL did it they would be severely financially shafted.
Edited by JustinP1 on Monday 8th March 17:10
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