University - Halls of Residence

tbs624

poppysarah wrote: »

If it's like PFI schools then maybe not. Teachers got fined for using blu-tack on a wall.

and so they should be....;) Seriously, that stuff is a nightmare when it comes to redecoration. I'd rather have drawing pin holes in the walls.

pinkteapot

This sounds completely and utterly ludicrous. I was at uni 2000-03 and lived in halls for the whole three years. There was nothing like this. We had official fire drills once or twice a year (a couple of times it was accidentally set off at 2am, but this was rare). To my knowledge no one ever entered my room. We weren't supposed to use blu-tack but everyone did.

I third or fourth the advice about speaking to your student union; the 'monitoring' seems completely OTT. We hear about universities complaining about helicopter parents. They should try giving you a bit of independence themselves!

lynzpower

Tom2010 wrote: »

Don't even get me started on the fines for propping open the kitchen door despite it being 40'C, no windows, no ventilation, and despite the fact you're not allowed to leave any cooking unattended, so you have to stay & sweat yourself to death. Also don't get me started on the fact 8 students have to share a kitchen that is about 2mx2m, with a tiny fridge and a tiny fridge freezer!

The University is a former polytechnic in south London. I don't want to specify which until I've moved out...they spend plenty of money trying to 'big' themselves up on internet/student websites/forums.

Does anybody know whether I have any legal avenues open to me??

Yes you do, you could contact your local environmental health team for a start and ask them if the kitchen for 8 people is acceptable?

You might also wish to speak to the Security industry authority to ascertain whether people going through your stuff is something that should be licensed by the SIA as a security task. my gut feeling ( as a SIA badge holder) is that it is a licensable activity, and therefore should be done by SIA badged officers- would like to know how far you get.

Is this anything to do with UNITE? I actually spoke to them and they told me that they do kitchen inspections but not room inspections.

This sounds utterly horrendous, is your Student Union aware of this massive invasion of privacy. I would also suggest that given your disability, you may be afforded extra protection. I would talk this over with student welfare to see if they can do anything about this, I take it the Uni knew from application that you have Aspergers?

Good luck x

lynzpower

sooz wrote: »

I'd speak to the HMO dept of your local council. This link is not for your area, but you should find your council has something similar. Certainly this one says you should have a normal sized fridge freezer for each 5 occupants. Measure your worktops too

Actually, I dont think halls come under HMO rules. But do speak to your council anyway. They will have rules about halls & facilities for occupants.

As I understand it halls do come under HMO regs. That will probably be why there are constant fire drills and the banning of propping open of fire doors and naked flames

olly300

lynzpower wrote: »

Yes you do, you could contact your local environmental health team for a start and ask them if the kitchen for 8 people is acceptable?

It is acceptable.

Halls kitchens tend to be larger than the average family kitchen.

Edited to say:
I do agree with you about rummaging through your stuff. OP as you have Aspergers please get your SU involved it's not on.

olly300

FTBFun wrote: »

Actually when I was in halls 10 years ago (good god....) the cleaner used to let herself in at 9ish in the morning, every morning, to clean our en-suites.

We just got used to it in the end.

I got into the habit of cleaning my own.

I've been brought up to clean the house since I was in secondary school and it meant I could leave hand washed stuff in dripping in my bathroom.

They use to inspect it to check I cleaned it every month.

robin_banks

Blodwen wrote: »

I think the OP and some others are being a bit harsh in condemning the university here. Fair enough, having people rummaging through your stuff etc. isn't right but the fire regulations have to be enforced. OP- I think you'll find these 'fire drills' are not actually drills but one of your fellow students burning toast/smoking/smashing the glass for a laugh - why not take it up with them rather than the staff who HAVE to evacuate you and aren't allowed to let you back in until the fire brigade have checked everywhere, even if it seems obvious why the alarm was activated? And as harsh as it may seem to fine the girl in the shower, I bet she's never late out when there's a fire alarm now, and that might just save her life one day.

It wasn't that long ago that I was a student and cursed having to traipse down 17 flights of stairs during a fire alarm but I now work in a university and 'volunteered' to be fire officer for my dept (not halls but if you think that's bad try doing health and saftey for a lab), and you do get to see the other side of the coin.

If some young roisterer wants to bring back a WKD fuelled floozy that's his business and not some pathetic draconian rule.

sooz

olly300 wrote: »

It is acceptable.

Halls kitchens tend to be larger than the average family kitchen.

I think the OP said the kitchen was 2m x2m

tbs624

lynzpower wrote: »

As I understand it halls do come under HMO regs. That will probably be why there are constant fire drills and the banning of propping open of fire doors and naked flames

Halls of res are not classed as HMOs - see HA04, Schedule 14 - but there should be a code of conduct which is approved under s233 of the HA04

sooz

lynzpower wrote: »

As I understand it halls do come under HMO regs. That will probably be why there are constant fire drills and the banning of propping open of fire doors and naked flames

Of course! I was thinking of the licencing not the actual regs