Edge Hill Accomodation

sheilavw

We were delighted today when our Daughter got BCCC on A levels and accepted at her first choice (Edge Hill) However,she hasnt been given any accomodation and we are attending a work shop tomorrow. We are extremely disappointed as she had her heart set on living on campus the first year. On the application date she got straight on the computer at 12 when it opened. She had three computers on at college and it was 4 oclock when she finally got her application in, the system kept crashing. She has rung today and they have mentioned Pontins in Southport at £90 a week. I have looked at the Cosmo accomodation which is £82 then you have all bills and wifi and you pay for the weeks you arent there like Easter and Christmas. The accomodation on campus was only £69. Private rentals all the bills seem to be added on, just want something all inclusive at an affordable rate

melancholly

which campus will she be on? it's about 30 mins (ish?) from Liverpool to Ormskirk if she's based there..... might be an option to live in the huge range of student options there? plus a fun city to live in? it's not ideal to have a commute, but then in cities like London it's fairly normal....

bewildered123

Try if you can to find her something in Ormskirk so that she can socialise more easily with the people in on-campus housing.
I grew up near the Southport Pontins - it has not got a good reputation for its accommodation unless there's been a refurb in the past year or so. I'd certainly investigate thoroughly before taking that option - I think it would be rather grim in mid-winter. A key question to ask is whether they are laying on a bus link between Pontins and Edge Hill and how frequent / until what time it would be. Otherwise it is not an easy commute. You'd have to change buses in Southport or by train, you'd have a fair walk to Ainsdale station and then have to go almost into Liverpool to change at Sandhills for the Ormskirk train.
Otherwise the Edge Hill students I knew all seemed to live in Southport in shared houses. If your daughter got somewhere on the Southport-Ormskirk bus route that would be OK. Liverpool is also commutable with frequent trains and there's a few private halls there- there's a website called Liverpool Student Homes that gives an overview of what's available, but you need to be a bit careful with neighbourhoods.

mintymoneysaver

Please try to find her anything else but Pontins. There's student accomodation, and then there's Pontins! What a shame that she hasn't got accomodation on campus, don't all first choice students get it automatically?

sheilavw

Thanks everyone for your replies. We looked at Pontins yesterday and didnt like it. They would put a bus on morning in time for lectures then after lectures home. It took 30 mins each way. We looked at the 3 private rooms in nearby houses. She loved one of them, but it was living with all 2nd years, she just felt needed to think about it overnight but on the way home we were contacted to say it had been taken by a lad who came back for a second viewing. We have 3 more appointments this morning, but again she would be living with 2nd years. Her friend has got a room on campus and has offered her use of her floor for freshers. At the start of that week we can go on a waiting list. The guy said some dont even show up, some go home after a couple of days, or a couple of weeks, so at 40 mile away she could commute and see what comes up. He said everyone who was on the list got something last year but some were December, mainly people who live within 15 mile but still want to live in.

melancholly

a lot of people do drop out in the first few weeks.....but then you don't want to take somewhere rubbish in the hope that she'll get to move (or sign a year's contract if there's a chance that she will get the chance to go somewhere better!). it's a really tricky situation for you...... does the uni accommodation office help match up first year students together for houses? that might be a good option half way between what she's look at so far?

Person_one

A girl in the flat next door to mine moved out within about 4 hours when I was a fresher!

I think the waiting list is the best way to go, good luck.

sheilavw

Hi thanks everyone. After a 2nd day of viewings found a lovely house within 10 mins walk. Room is lovely. The others are 2nd and 3rd years, but they were all in last year, you will be lucky to get a full house just for freshers, most vacancies were one or two rooms. The people that own it were very nice and the house is perfect. She said the other 2 guys and 3 girls are lovely, one girl came in as a fresher last year and she has stayed so fingers crossed it will all work out. Couldnt believe some of the accomodation out there! Grim is the word

Person_one

Can I please advise you to stay on the waiting list for halls?

The problem with living with 2nd and 3rd years is that they will move out and move on while your daughter is still at uni, potentially leaving her looking for new people to live with in her 3rd year and minus her (hopefully) closest uni friends. I know a lot of students become close to people they only know from lectures but in my experience the closest relationships you form are with the people you live with.

Its also a great experience to go through fresher's week, being newly away from home, being in a new place and so on with other people who are going through it at the same time too. Not to mention the fact that if you live in halls and don't get on with your flatmates, there are still hundreds of other students around to socialise with and with flats for you to spend your evenings in right on your doorstep.

Take this from someone who had a fairly unconventional uni experience, has done it nearly every way you can, and knows what they're talking about!

patchwork_cat

Your plight has hit the BBC news http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-14639950