The Student Room Group
Student at University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh

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You can get internet in your room and it is included in the price of the rent, which is pretty normal for most universities I believe - it was 4 years ago when I was looking at universities so I don't imagine it will have gone backwards! I believe they have now made wireless provisions in Pollock although don't quote me on it - ask one of the freshers, if not, it will be on a plug into the wall and go basis.
Student at University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
Reply 21
Okay, I have a kind of odd/specific question.

Edinburgh website
You are guaranteed an offer of University accommodation if you are a new single student and you meet the conditions below:

You reside outside the City of Edinburgh.

We guarantee only to provide an offer of accommodation to all new single freshers who meet the above criteria.


I live with my dad in the states, but my mother lives in Edinburgh. Does that mean I don't meet the criteria? :s-smilie: (Not really expecting anyone to be in the same situation, but since you all have more experience with university accommodation than I do...)
tzareenah
Okay, I have a kind of odd/specific question.



I live with my dad in the states, but my mother lives in Edinburgh. Does that mean I don't meet the criteria? :s-smilie: (Not really expecting anyone to be in the same situation, but since you all have more experience with university accommodation than I do...)


No, if your permanent residence is in the USA and your fee status is that of international student then you'll be guaranteed accommodation. If it's not your permanent residence then things are a little more complicated.
Reply 23
I'm wondering how far away from Edinburgh you have to be to get uni halls. I'm hoping to start a Edinburgh Uni next year but I live just outside Edinburgh at the moment. I don't really wanna stay at home for first year as I think it'll be harder to make friends. All this is new to me but I was thinking booking private halls would be better? Don't wanna apply for uni halls and then get knocked back because I live too close to the uni already (even though it's not actually in Edinburgh, it's about half an hour away).
Reply 24
unisaz
I'm wondering how far away from Edinburgh you have to be to get uni halls. I'm hoping to start a Edinburgh Uni next year but I live just outside Edinburgh at the moment. I don't really wanna stay at home for first year as I think it'll be harder to make friends. All this is new to me but I was thinking booking private halls would be better? Don't wanna apply for uni halls and then get knocked back because I live too close to the uni already (even though it's not actually in Edinburgh, it's about half an hour away).


On their website it says you are guaranteed accomodation as long as "you reside outside the City of Edinburgh" so you should be OK.

Maybe better to contact them and make sure.
Reply 25
Twin Rooms

I found information about twin rooms in Pollock was hard to come by when I was applying - so here are my experiences:

Essentially twin rooms are a matter of luck. Most of them are simply normal sized rooms with a bunk bed in. These are miserably cramped, with only a couple of square metres of floor space after the bed and desk. However, if you are lucky you may get one of the twin rooms on the fourth floor of Chancellor's Court. These rooms are two or three times as large as a standard room, and perhaps the largest in Pollock. They have two single beds, and in most cases have large balconies. Best of all they cost no more than the other twin rooms. It's glaringly unfair but I'm not complaining :biggrin:

Many of the fourth floor rooms are fitted out for disabled people (low spyholes, ramps into the showers, plenty of space etc.) which is a typical example of the seemingly limitless stupidity of the Pollock management - wheelchairs can't get up the balcony steps and as for when the lift breaks down... anyway the end result is that these giant size rooms become twinned :smile:

(There are only about 20 of these twin rooms in Chancellor's Court so it's quite a gamble to apply for one :smile:)

Food

The JMCC is where you'll be eating for the year if you come to Pollock. The food it serves is marginally better than your average school dinner, but the illusion of variety disappears after a month or so as by then you will have eaten every meal they make at least once.

If you don't mind endless soggy, bland shades of beige then all is well, but if you have any appreciation of food whatsoever then it becomes a chore to go. I know about a dozen people who are moving to self catered accommodation after the first semester simply to escape the JMCC. Although it has to be noted that these people are almost exclusively mainland European with high standards for food - one Italian only lasted three weeks before he moved out :P

On the rare occasion they produce something appealing (like jam donuts) there is such a scramble for them that they are gone in seconds.

The place is also horribly disorganised, understaffed and overcrowded, with bottlenecks forming everywhere as dozens of people stand waiting for food/cutlery/condiments... you get the idea.

To sum up: if you go to the JMMC hungry the smell when entering will put you off, and at the end you leave full, but never satisfied.

But at least you can go back for as many helpings of their crap food as you want :wink:
nearlyheadlessian
x


do you want to copy the above information into your first post? as otherwise it will get lost :smile:
it is opinionated, but good :smile:
oxymoronic
do you want to copy the above information into your first post? as otherwise it will get lost :smile:
it is opinionated, but good :smile:


I can't at the moment - whenever I try and edit the first post all I get is a blank box. I've tried to take this up with someone, somewhere, as there's clearly something wrong (I've certainly never seen that on a forum before and it was editing fine until a couple of weeks ago)...
Reply 28
I've got a group of friends who I'll be sharing a flat with next year, but when do we have to have found somewhere to live by? When do most people find their flats? Is there a shortage of flats in Edinburgh? How do you go about finding a flat?
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1094481

see the second post in this thread for information on private flats - this will give you a general idea of what happens on the flathunting front and where to start looking :smile: Also ask any friends you have in later years from societies etc as a lot of flats just go through friends, especially if it is a private landlord - thats how I got my current flat.

There isn't a shortage of flats as far as I know, no, I've never known anyone to have any problems with finding somewhere decent as there is so much around - as you'll know, Marchmont is pretty much all students. Decide how much you're all willing to spend excluding bills and which area of town you're interested in before hand as theres no point viewing something in Bruntsfield and is £350 a month each if only half of you actually want/can afford both of those things.

I'd say you don't need to start looking until March at the earliest if you want a flat for June/July start date once you've moved out of uni accommodation, but if you're not wanting to move in until September then you don't really need to look until April/May time at the earliest. The earliest flats tend to be advertised in March but the cynic in me says they're normally aimed at the first years who have little experience in finding flats so they're generally over priced and not as good as if you hold on because the letting agencies know first years panic and want to get it sorted quickly, whereas you get the fourth years who don't bother looking until August. Obviously thats just my opinion, it could be wrong and some people will get amazing flats in March, but in first year I got my flat in March then in 3rd and 4th year we didn't sort anything until after exams and my flats in the later years have been cheaper and better than the 2nd year one :smile: My current flat is amazing.

I'd go and have a look at a few towards the end of semester just so you can see whats available, find out prices etc but don't make any decisions yet until you've seen what else you can get for your money. If you go to a viewing and 4th years are currently living there that is a good sign too as obviously, we know a wee bit more about flats etc so are generally more picky by the later years. That's not to say avoid places where 2nd years currently live though, but everyone I know this year has much better flats than we did in 2nd year and we're paying less for them too, and evidently, a lot of 4th years will move on from Edinburgh so their flats will be advertised.
oxymoronic


I'd say you don't need to start looking until March at the earliest if you want a flat for June/July start date once you've moved out of uni accommodation, but if you're not wanting to move in until September then you don't really need to look until April/May time at the earliest. The earliest flats tend to be advertised in March but the cynic in me says they're normally aimed at the first years who have little experience in finding flats so they're generally over priced and not as good as if you hold on because the letting agencies know first years panic and want to get it sorted quickly, whereas you get the fourth years who don't bother looking until August. Obviously thats just my opinion, it could be wrong and some people will get amazing flats in March, but in first year I got my flat in March then in 3rd and 4th year we didn't sort anything until after exams and my flats in the later years have been cheaper and better than the 2nd year one :smile: My current flat is amazing.

ikvoria
x

I'd probably suggest you start looking in March too, if you're feeling eager. It is somewhat dependent on when you'd like to move in - bear in mind that if a flat is empty and you take it you'll only have a month to move in (ie, you pay a holding deposit on the flat on June 30th, then you'll have to be moved in and paid up by the end of July). Same will apply if there are occupants from the date they move out. If you don't want to spend time in Edinburgh over the summer then bear in mind that it'll be expensive to pay rent when you're not living there. Unlike a lot of other cities, it's pretty uncommon for landlords to be prepared to reduce rent when you're not there. I'd suggest not leaving it as late as August simply because you've got no safety net. Sure, they'll always be somewhere you can live but you may have to compromise on both quality and price, and if you're desperate for somewhere to live it rather removes any bargaining chips you had when it comes to negotiating price. (Also bear in mind that Edinburgh in August is horrible - I would hate to house hunt then). In order that you're ready for the whole thing, talk to your future flatmates now to establish what you consider are important qualities in a flat - particularly price and location! Have a look at what's available now on the usual sites (see 2nd post) so that you're a bit more familiar with what your money might get you. If you've got the time, go do a couple of viewings just for practice - agents won't mind, it's their job.
Reply 31
Does anyone know when you can start applying for halls for 2010-11?
Reply 32
I don't come on here much anymore but I'm a current third year at Edinburgh. When I went into my second year I rushed because i thought I had to find something and ended up with not a great flat. I moved in my third year and was more picky and also less stressed about the whole thing and ended up with a much better flat- you learn from experience! So basically, start looking in March but don't rush in to anything. It is all a bit of a gamble but generally waiting a bit longer pays off. I think August could be a bit late just simply because letting agents are pretty taken up with festival lets.
Re paying rent in the summer: it is possible to find places with a lease that starts in September at the beginning of the summer but you generally have to sign for a year anyway.
I have to say that Marchmont flats are pretty popular and depending how many people you want to live with will limit your choices e.g. I don't think I've seen anywhere in excess of 5 bedrooms and 2 bedroomed places are harder to find.
I'd say just go and see a few places early on just so you can see what you get for different amounts of money, in my experience you can pay the same amount but get very different flats even in the same area.
Also, try and view a flat more than once because you tend to miss things first time.
Happy flat hunting!
Reply 33
Just realised that I've basically repeated a lot of what other people have said, sorry!
Reply 34
Has anyone heard of a company called IQ ? It looks like they are building flats for students next to the big cinema in fountainbridge (went past it on the bus!). Does anyone know about them? Looks a bit like unite accommodation?
Reply 35
All information if you google it!!
Looks like UNITE, but they accept parcels!
Reply 36
I suppose I was being a bit lazy! Could have done that myself I suppose! I've heard mixed reviews of unite so might try and find a bit more info on these new flats as they look like they might be ok.
Janey91
Does anyone know when you can start applying for halls for 2010-11?


At some point in Feb or March - they normally state a date for when applications open and then push it back several weeks.

The first post in this thread will be updated with application information when it is published :smile:
oxymoronic
At some point in Feb or March - they normally state a date for when applications open and then push it back several weeks.

The first post in this thread will be updated with application information when it is published :smile:


And when it is retrieved. Post #1 appears somehow to have been annihilated by tsr's mystical powers.
nearlyheadlessian
And when it is retrieved. Post #1 appears somehow to have been annihilated by tsr's mystical powers.


Have you asked in the ask a mod asking place about why you can't edit it? as thats just plain weird!

just tried and i can edit my 1st/2nd year subjects one with no problems.

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