Aberystwyth University Guild of Students

Urdd y Myfyrwyr Prifysgol Aberystwyth University Guild of Students

Student Support Officer

Post University Accommodation Offer Advice

Written by Tom Burmeister
Thursday, 23 February 2012 12:29
Post University Accommodation Offer Advice Now the situation is becoming more clear for many regarding Accommodation for next year. This week, undergraduate students who have applied to enter University Accommodation for the next academic year will be getting one of two messages - they will be offered a room or they will be told that their application was unsuccessful. While there may be plenty of people who will be very happy with their offer of a room, other will be faced with big decisions and/or a lot of work to do. Really, there are many situations you could be in. You could...  ...have applied for university accommodation alongside your attempts to find somewhere in the private sector. You just signed a contract with a landlord/letting agent and you now have been offered University Accommodation that you didn't expect.  ...have signed up for a private sector house in November with 10 of your 'best mates', but also applied for University Accommodation knowing it was no-binding. Now those 'mates' are looking less attractive cohabitants and you want the place in PJM you have now been offered.  ...have pinned all your hopes of accommodation for next year on the one online form you completed in December. Now your application has bee unsuccessful and you are sure you will be homeless because everyone tells you “there are no houses left”.  ...have done absolutely nothing towards even thinking where you might live next year, and have only this moment thought it might be worth looking considering your neighbour has got very excited/angry/upset about the status of their application to university accommodation. Obviously, what's always Poncho Tom's first rule? - DON'T PANIC! Some facts:  If you have been unsuccessful in your application to university accommodation, then your name can be entered onto a 'waiting list'. There is still a chance that if enough people turn down their offer you may be offered a place.  There is still property on the current market, there will be more property on the future market, and you still have over 3 months to find somewhere (not including summer).  You will HAVE to be FLEXIBLE on SIZE and LOCATION! You may not get that perfect 5 bedroom house opposite the Ship and Castle.  If your forced to live out of town on a bus route (eg: Bow Street) then we may be able to subsidise your bus pass through our Bus Bursary scheme. Some tips:  Many 'good Landlords' are actually not in the business of hassling their current tenants to confirm their intentions to stay in the property or not until about now in the year. Some of the best properties may still be come.  Not all properties will be advertised overtly, so get networking round different groups of friends.  Those people with both a University Accommodation offer and a private sector house may take their time to decide where they want to stay. If they accept the offer from the University they are still not-bound legally until they sign their licence agreement when the move in next year.  Hence, not only will the waiting list will move over time, but also spaces in private sector properties will pop up as private ads. Keep a look out, especially on Facebook feeds and for posters on campus.  Regardless of where you find it, make sure you do ALL the proper checks. Quick, efficient but an eye for detail is the way to be. If in doubt ask an expert or get advice. Some resources:  Facebook feeds to check regularly: http://www.facebook.com/AberUni.AccommodationOffice http://www.facebook.com/groups/101273186613749/ http://www.facebook.com/groups/134519843334696/ Also, sports and societies advertise internally too.  The Cambrian News: http://www.cambrian-news.co.uk/property-accommodation-to-let/ There's no harm in trying properties marked 'professional only'  The Smaller letting agents: ALP: http://www.facebook.com/pages/ALP-Property-Management/225744087452769 1StopLettings: http://www.facebook.com/1StopLettings Padarn: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Padarn-Letting-Agency/232075316851579  GET OUT THERE. Finding property from a computer is limiting yourself. Get looking in windows, taking routes you don't know, and checking notice boards across town. If you want to come chat then I'm always up for talking housing and looking over contracts etc. Contact me on union.support@aber.ac.uk or call in on my drop in hours on Thursday 10-1pm. All the best out there. Tom
Last Updated on Thursday, 23 February 2012 12:31

Late GM Report

Written by Tom Burmeister

Tuesday, 13 December 2011 16:54

Ok since the last GM I have been dealing with ever more accommodation advice and complaints.

While at the same time organising Housing Week which I hope some of you have noticed this week.

As a result of some of the issues I tabled at Student Support Committee, we now have 3 groups that will action some of the big issues in support.

The Accommodation Sub-Committee will be a body responsible for providing responses to short, medium and long term accommodation issues. Having an accredited on-campus Student Lettings Service released at the same time as the University Penglais Farm development coming online could be a solution to Aberystwyth's long standing accommodation woes. Making this key to the strategic aims of the Accommodation Sub-Committee is vital to all us at the Guild.
The Mental Health Action Planning group, is soon to be set up in January and I intend to push for a comprehensive mental health policy including provision for the professional Mental Health Advisor that I have petitioned for in October. At the moment student support is going through some rearrangement, hiring a 'Student Advisor' and an 'Accessibility Advisor' but I still think they need more specific support expertise in the Mental Health arena.
The final group is one around Student Financial Support, so that it works off one form 'to rule them all' so that you don't have to provide evidence 3 times to get support from 3 different pots. I am also going to try and investigate better options than the current £10 Aber Card top up emergency provision that University provides.

Housing Week

The plan was advertise the survey, encourage people to get some advise and to get students engaged with how we can tackle the problem properties, agents and landlords.

I shouted at a camera for 5 mins (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLCaeq2ysuA), talked to people at the stall and every morning had got the laptops set up in the library – whether anyone filled in the survey still remains to be seen.

While I was away on Tuesday, I tried to do some last minute marketing yesterday for the remaining events. Today's, Tricks of the Trade workshop could have been better attended to say the least, but I'm hoping some intelligent, informed people like yourselves will be interested in this extra event I managed to secure this week

11am in the Main Hall/Joint tomorrow (Fri 9th) is your opportunity to question the HMO office and get some answers as to what Ceredigion County Council is doing to maintain standards in the private sector. Even if its specific issues with your property that you want to highlight or just know what the procedure is if these guys get involved, then please come along.

Will be informative, with genuine expertise on display, and hopefully challenging for all involved.

Poncho out!

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