Aberystwyth University
The massive disadvantage of Aber that noone is talking about?
Scroll to see replies
Original post by Dave4468
That would make sense but they just keep accepting more and more people.
Sounds like I should be investing money into building property there for students.
Future idea. Noted.
Aberystwyth University
Original post by AreYouDizzeeBlud_x
Sounds like I should be investing money into building property there for students.
Future idea. Noted.
Future idea. Noted.
Or buy some run down shack over there and rent it to students for £800 monthly per person.
I think this is a very prevalent topic and I’m glad someone has posted it. I’ve always been open with prospective students and freshers, and advised them to look ASAP for housing due to this diabolical housing situation we have in Aber. Having been a student and occasional postgraduate tutor in Aber for seven years now, I’ve seen the housing problem come to a head over the past few years in particular.
Since I started in Aber, the university has actually closed more halls of residence than it has opened. The Llanbadarn halls of residence (300 beds) were closed in June 2007, as they had never really bothered to maintain them and look after them, since buying them from the College of Librarianship Wales (now the Department of Information Studies) when they became part of the university in 1989, despite this being a term of the agreement. Therefore, when they received estimates for repairs and refurbishment, they baulked at the costs involved and just decided to demolish them instead. This was a time though when their was a surplus in hall space and they didn’t foresee a problem – this is despite the Guild of Students advising them to be cautious in case a sudden increase one year. This was dismissed by the senior management as the Guild being paranoid. The Guild were told by one of the Pro Vice Chancellors at the time (who has now retired) that they would never plan for more students than they could possibly house as that would be daft of them. Famous last words!
In June 2010 they closed block five of Pengrim, as they wanted to turn it into an academic building for the Department of Education and Lifelong Learning (currently down in Old College) and the Department of Psychology. Part of the long-term estates strategy is to dispose of Llanbadarn and Old College and centralise everything on the already cramped Penglais campus. Rather than wait until room becomes available though or room can be made for the School of Education and Lifelong Learning, they’re closing residential blocks during a housing crisis! Great move! The Department of Psychology opened in 2007 and was squeezed somehow into the Llandinam building, with the promise of a brand spanking new building soon. Three years on and they’re still squashed into something like three or four rooms in Llandinam. Therefore block five of Pengrim is now closed to turn it into an academic building.
In September 2010, with something like 80 students still homeless, they had no choice but to halt the work being done in block five and re-open it as a residential block in order to house these students. They were told this was only a temporary measure as they had not found any accommodation for the start of term, and that RHS would work with them to secure something else that was suitable. As work had already begun and the fittings had been ripped out, they had to spend several thousand pounds on turning it back into a residential block to meet with the legal requirements of student halls of residence. To do this, they used money allocated to them from the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales grant, which was intended to be used to turn the block into the academic building. In December 2010, the contractors told the university they needed to get on with the work as they had other jobs to be doing later on and they would be delayed too long otherwise. Therefore, the university had to find temporary temporary accommodation for these students just after Christmas, and the contractors went back to work. This work is scheduled to be completed by the start of term in September. Therefore, future groups of students will not have this option to fall back on.
They loudly proclaim that this new build near PJM, when open, will have 1000 beds. While true, they won’t be 1000 new beds. In the middle of the worst housing crisis ever seen in Aber, the university have earmarked Pantycelyn (the Welsh speaking residence) for closure in the near future, losing 220 beds. Therefore that’s Llanbadarn (300 beds), Pantycelyn (220 beds) and block five of Pengrim (c.90 beds) all closed since June 2007 and the only thing replacing them all in the short term is a new block of Rosser (90 beds) for postgraduate students only. Therefore, only 390 beds can really be said to be new beds, the other 610 are replacing old accommodation stock. Not so great really when you delve a littler deeper.
With all due respect AreYouDizzeeBlud_x, the university management and Residential & Hostility Services (RHS) don’t really care. Your friends who managed to find something early were lucky. Anyone who has tried to deal with the Accommodation Office will know that they are not the most organised or friendly of people to deal with.
As of July 2011, there are still a large number of returning people who don’t have somewhere to live. The article you linked to showing the new build on land behind PJM was only announced after Christmas 2010 and will take a while yet to open. They still have a long way to go with that yet, they need to appoint a contractor first! The university have been dragging their heels on this matter for about four years now and have finally bowed into pressure from the Guild of Students, who fought tooth and nail to get them to sit up and take notice. Initially, it was a treated with an “oh, you’re making a mountain out of a mole hill. Relax, nobody will have to drop out due to lack of a place to live”. Cue two years where they actually had people dropping out for that very reason. That, pressure from the Guild and the demonstration held in February helped them sit up and take note.
It first came to a real head in September 2008 and clearing. The university guarantees all freshers a place in halls so long as they apply by 1st August. They had housed all the people who applied by the deadline and then entered clearing. They allowed too many people in during clearing and ran out of beds. It appeared that nobody from Admissions & Recruitment was checking with the Accommodation Office regularly to see how many beds were left. Therefore, many Freshers were housed in hotels, B&B and places in Borth. It made the BBC News and everything - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/7618675.stm
When it came to opening halls applications for the 2009/10 session for returning students in December 2008, they barred all potential second years from applying, just to be on the safe side. Therefore, these freshers who had arrived in September 2008 with nowhere to live in a town they didn’t know, were then told that as they would be in the second year in 2009/10, they couldn’t apply for halls (unless on disability/medical grounds) Two years on the trot they’ve had a negative accommodation experience. In December 2009 when they opened the applications for the 2010/11 session to returning students, they allowed people who would be second years in 2010/11 to apply, but had severely reduced the numbers of returning students who could go back into halls, as they are expecting more and more new students (freshers and postgraduates)
In December 2010 when opening the applications for returning students in 2011/12, they had 1312 applications and only 542 spaces for returning students. 174 of those spaces went to students in the guaranteed categories (e.g. International students, disabled students etc)
The problem has been exacerbated now by the lack of central government funding in Higher Education. The coalition cut 80% from the block grants they award to universities. The majority of this goes on teaching and learning, so as a result, the university has been forced to accept more students to make up the cost. More students equals a higher demand for housing.
The problem is supply and demand as previously mentioned is a problem too. Some landlords have been charging outrageous rents for very poor properties because they know someone will be desperate enough for a place to live. The Accommodation Office (part of RHS) has a registration scheme where landlords sign up and by doing so, agree to certain minimum stands. However, it appears that as the start of the academic year draws closer, and the numbers of students still needing a place to live is very high, they turn a bit of a blind eye to this quality agreement and start recommending dodgy landlords just to get students housed. That and the fact that students do their own research and find landlords who are not registered and end up paying through the nose and getting ripped off. The Guild of Students challenged the university on this matter and they advised students only to use approved landlords on their lists, and that they would investigate any student who was having problems with a landlord and help them as much as possible. This is of course, b******s. What landlord in their right mind is going to spend (potentially) thousands on doing up their properties to the standards dictated to them by the university, when they know in a few years, the university will open the brand new black behind PJM and potentially put them out of business?
Since I started in Aber, the university has actually closed more halls of residence than it has opened. The Llanbadarn halls of residence (300 beds) were closed in June 2007, as they had never really bothered to maintain them and look after them, since buying them from the College of Librarianship Wales (now the Department of Information Studies) when they became part of the university in 1989, despite this being a term of the agreement. Therefore, when they received estimates for repairs and refurbishment, they baulked at the costs involved and just decided to demolish them instead. This was a time though when their was a surplus in hall space and they didn’t foresee a problem – this is despite the Guild of Students advising them to be cautious in case a sudden increase one year. This was dismissed by the senior management as the Guild being paranoid. The Guild were told by one of the Pro Vice Chancellors at the time (who has now retired) that they would never plan for more students than they could possibly house as that would be daft of them. Famous last words!
In June 2010 they closed block five of Pengrim, as they wanted to turn it into an academic building for the Department of Education and Lifelong Learning (currently down in Old College) and the Department of Psychology. Part of the long-term estates strategy is to dispose of Llanbadarn and Old College and centralise everything on the already cramped Penglais campus. Rather than wait until room becomes available though or room can be made for the School of Education and Lifelong Learning, they’re closing residential blocks during a housing crisis! Great move! The Department of Psychology opened in 2007 and was squeezed somehow into the Llandinam building, with the promise of a brand spanking new building soon. Three years on and they’re still squashed into something like three or four rooms in Llandinam. Therefore block five of Pengrim is now closed to turn it into an academic building.
In September 2010, with something like 80 students still homeless, they had no choice but to halt the work being done in block five and re-open it as a residential block in order to house these students. They were told this was only a temporary measure as they had not found any accommodation for the start of term, and that RHS would work with them to secure something else that was suitable. As work had already begun and the fittings had been ripped out, they had to spend several thousand pounds on turning it back into a residential block to meet with the legal requirements of student halls of residence. To do this, they used money allocated to them from the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales grant, which was intended to be used to turn the block into the academic building. In December 2010, the contractors told the university they needed to get on with the work as they had other jobs to be doing later on and they would be delayed too long otherwise. Therefore, the university had to find temporary temporary accommodation for these students just after Christmas, and the contractors went back to work. This work is scheduled to be completed by the start of term in September. Therefore, future groups of students will not have this option to fall back on.
They loudly proclaim that this new build near PJM, when open, will have 1000 beds. While true, they won’t be 1000 new beds. In the middle of the worst housing crisis ever seen in Aber, the university have earmarked Pantycelyn (the Welsh speaking residence) for closure in the near future, losing 220 beds. Therefore that’s Llanbadarn (300 beds), Pantycelyn (220 beds) and block five of Pengrim (c.90 beds) all closed since June 2007 and the only thing replacing them all in the short term is a new block of Rosser (90 beds) for postgraduate students only. Therefore, only 390 beds can really be said to be new beds, the other 610 are replacing old accommodation stock. Not so great really when you delve a littler deeper.
With all due respect AreYouDizzeeBlud_x, the university management and Residential & Hostility Services (RHS) don’t really care. Your friends who managed to find something early were lucky. Anyone who has tried to deal with the Accommodation Office will know that they are not the most organised or friendly of people to deal with.
As of July 2011, there are still a large number of returning people who don’t have somewhere to live. The article you linked to showing the new build on land behind PJM was only announced after Christmas 2010 and will take a while yet to open. They still have a long way to go with that yet, they need to appoint a contractor first! The university have been dragging their heels on this matter for about four years now and have finally bowed into pressure from the Guild of Students, who fought tooth and nail to get them to sit up and take notice. Initially, it was a treated with an “oh, you’re making a mountain out of a mole hill. Relax, nobody will have to drop out due to lack of a place to live”. Cue two years where they actually had people dropping out for that very reason. That, pressure from the Guild and the demonstration held in February helped them sit up and take note.
It first came to a real head in September 2008 and clearing. The university guarantees all freshers a place in halls so long as they apply by 1st August. They had housed all the people who applied by the deadline and then entered clearing. They allowed too many people in during clearing and ran out of beds. It appeared that nobody from Admissions & Recruitment was checking with the Accommodation Office regularly to see how many beds were left. Therefore, many Freshers were housed in hotels, B&B and places in Borth. It made the BBC News and everything - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/7618675.stm
When it came to opening halls applications for the 2009/10 session for returning students in December 2008, they barred all potential second years from applying, just to be on the safe side. Therefore, these freshers who had arrived in September 2008 with nowhere to live in a town they didn’t know, were then told that as they would be in the second year in 2009/10, they couldn’t apply for halls (unless on disability/medical grounds) Two years on the trot they’ve had a negative accommodation experience. In December 2009 when they opened the applications for the 2010/11 session to returning students, they allowed people who would be second years in 2010/11 to apply, but had severely reduced the numbers of returning students who could go back into halls, as they are expecting more and more new students (freshers and postgraduates)
In December 2010 when opening the applications for returning students in 2011/12, they had 1312 applications and only 542 spaces for returning students. 174 of those spaces went to students in the guaranteed categories (e.g. International students, disabled students etc)
The problem has been exacerbated now by the lack of central government funding in Higher Education. The coalition cut 80% from the block grants they award to universities. The majority of this goes on teaching and learning, so as a result, the university has been forced to accept more students to make up the cost. More students equals a higher demand for housing.
The problem is supply and demand as previously mentioned is a problem too. Some landlords have been charging outrageous rents for very poor properties because they know someone will be desperate enough for a place to live. The Accommodation Office (part of RHS) has a registration scheme where landlords sign up and by doing so, agree to certain minimum stands. However, it appears that as the start of the academic year draws closer, and the numbers of students still needing a place to live is very high, they turn a bit of a blind eye to this quality agreement and start recommending dodgy landlords just to get students housed. That and the fact that students do their own research and find landlords who are not registered and end up paying through the nose and getting ripped off. The Guild of Students challenged the university on this matter and they advised students only to use approved landlords on their lists, and that they would investigate any student who was having problems with a landlord and help them as much as possible. This is of course, b******s. What landlord in their right mind is going to spend (potentially) thousands on doing up their properties to the standards dictated to them by the university, when they know in a few years, the university will open the brand new black behind PJM and potentially put them out of business?
Original post by Declan01
I think this is a very prevalent topic and I’m glad someone has posted it. I’ve always been open with prospective students and freshers, and advised them to look ASAP for housing due to this diabolical housing situation we have in Aber. Having been a student and occasional postgraduate tutor in Aber for seven years now, I’ve seen the housing problem come to a head over the past few years in particular.
Since I started in Aber, the university has actually closed more halls of residence than it has opened. The Llanbadarn halls of residence (300 beds) were closed in June 2007, as they had never really bothered to maintain them and look after them, since buying them from the College of Librarianship Wales (now the Department of Information Studies) when they became part of the university in 1989, despite this being a term of the agreement. Therefore, when they received estimates for repairs and refurbishment, they baulked at the costs involved and just decided to demolish them instead. This was a time though when their was a surplus in hall space and they didn’t foresee a problem – this is despite the Guild of Students advising them to be cautious in case a sudden increase one year. This was dismissed by the senior management as the Guild being paranoid. The Guild were told by one of the Pro Vice Chancellors at the time (who has now retired) that they would never plan for more students than they could possibly house as that would be daft of them. Famous last words!
In June 2010 they closed block five of Pengrim, as they wanted to turn it into an academic building for the Department of Education and Lifelong Learning (currently down in Old College) and the Department of Psychology. Part of the long-term estates strategy is to dispose of Llanbadarn and Old College and centralise everything on the already cramped Penglais campus. Rather than wait until room becomes available though or room can be made for the School of Education and Lifelong Learning, they’re closing residential blocks during a housing crisis! Great move! The Department of Psychology opened in 2007 and was squeezed somehow into the Llandinam building, with the promise of a brand spanking new building soon. Three years on and they’re still squashed into something like three or four rooms in Llandinam. Therefore block five of Pengrim is now closed to turn it into an academic building.
In September 2010, with something like 80 students still homeless, they had no choice but to halt the work being done in block five and re-open it as a residential block in order to house these students. They were told this was only a temporary measure as they had not found any accommodation for the start of term, and that RHS would work with them to secure something else that was suitable. As work had already begun and the fittings had been ripped out, they had to spend several thousand pounds on turning it back into a residential block to meet with the legal requirements of student halls of residence. To do this, they used money allocated to them from the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales grant, which was intended to be used to turn the block into the academic building. In December 2010, the contractors told the university they needed to get on with the work as they had other jobs to be doing later on and they would be delayed too long otherwise. Therefore, the university had to find temporary temporary accommodation for these students just after Christmas, and the contractors went back to work. This work is scheduled to be completed by the start of term in September. Therefore, future groups of students will not have this option to fall back on.
They loudly proclaim that this new build near PJM, when open, will have 1000 beds. While true, they won’t be 1000 new beds. In the middle of the worst housing crisis ever seen in Aber, the university have earmarked Pantycelyn (the Welsh speaking residence) for closure in the near future, losing 220 beds. Therefore that’s Llanbadarn (300 beds), Pantycelyn (220 beds) and block five of Pengrim (c.90 beds) all closed since June 2007 and the only thing replacing them all in the short term is a new block of Rosser (90 beds) for postgraduate students only. Therefore, only 390 beds can really be said to be new beds, the other 610 are replacing old accommodation stock. Not so great really when you delve a littler deeper.
With all due respect AreYouDizzeeBlud_x, the university management and Residential & Hostility Services (RHS) don’t really care. Your friends who managed to find something early were lucky. Anyone who has tried to deal with the Accommodation Office will know that they are not the most organised or friendly of people to deal with.
As of July 2011, there are still a large number of returning people who don’t have somewhere to live. The article you linked to showing the new build on land behind PJM was only announced after Christmas 2010 and will take a while yet to open. They still have a long way to go with that yet, they need to appoint a contractor first! The university have been dragging their heels on this matter for about four years now and have finally bowed into pressure from the Guild of Students, who fought tooth and nail to get them to sit up and take notice. Initially, it was a treated with an “oh, you’re making a mountain out of a mole hill. Relax, nobody will have to drop out due to lack of a place to live”. Cue two years where they actually had people dropping out for that very reason. That, pressure from the Guild and the demonstration held in February helped them sit up and take note.
It first came to a real head in September 2008 and clearing. The university guarantees all freshers a place in halls so long as they apply by 1st August. They had housed all the people who applied by the deadline and then entered clearing. They allowed too many people in during clearing and ran out of beds. It appeared that nobody from Admissions & Recruitment was checking with the Accommodation Office regularly to see how many beds were left. Therefore, many Freshers were housed in hotels, B&B and places in Borth. It made the BBC News and everything - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/7618675.stm
When it came to opening halls applications for the 2009/10 session for returning students in December 2008, they barred all potential second years from applying, just to be on the safe side. Therefore, these freshers who had arrived in September 2008 with nowhere to live in a town they didn’t know, were then told that as they would be in the second year in 2009/10, they couldn’t apply for halls (unless on disability/medical grounds) Two years on the trot they’ve had a negative accommodation experience. In December 2009 when they opened the applications for the 2010/11 session to returning students, they allowed people who would be second years in 2010/11 to apply, but had severely reduced the numbers of returning students who could go back into halls, as they are expecting more and more new students (freshers and postgraduates)
In December 2010 when opening the applications for returning students in 2011/12, they had 1312 applications and only 542 spaces for returning students. 174 of those spaces went to students in the guaranteed categories (e.g. International students, disabled students etc)
The problem has been exacerbated now by the lack of central government funding in Higher Education. The coalition cut 80% from the block grants they award to universities. The majority of this goes on teaching and learning, so as a result, the university has been forced to accept more students to make up the cost. More students equals a higher demand for housing.
The problem is supply and demand as previously mentioned is a problem too. Some landlords have been charging outrageous rents for very poor properties because they know someone will be desperate enough for a place to live. The Accommodation Office (part of RHS) has a registration scheme where landlords sign up and by doing so, agree to certain minimum stands. However, it appears that as the start of the academic year draws closer, and the numbers of students still needing a place to live is very high, they turn a bit of a blind eye to this quality agreement and start recommending dodgy landlords just to get students housed. That and the fact that students do their own research and find landlords who are not registered and end up paying through the nose and getting ripped off. The Guild of Students challenged the university on this matter and they advised students only to use approved landlords on their lists, and that they would investigate any student who was having problems with a landlord and help them as much as possible. This is of course, b******s. What landlord in their right mind is going to spend (potentially) thousands on doing up their properties to the standards dictated to them by the university, when they know in a few years, the university will open the brand new black behind PJM and potentially put them out of business?
Since I started in Aber, the university has actually closed more halls of residence than it has opened. The Llanbadarn halls of residence (300 beds) were closed in June 2007, as they had never really bothered to maintain them and look after them, since buying them from the College of Librarianship Wales (now the Department of Information Studies) when they became part of the university in 1989, despite this being a term of the agreement. Therefore, when they received estimates for repairs and refurbishment, they baulked at the costs involved and just decided to demolish them instead. This was a time though when their was a surplus in hall space and they didn’t foresee a problem – this is despite the Guild of Students advising them to be cautious in case a sudden increase one year. This was dismissed by the senior management as the Guild being paranoid. The Guild were told by one of the Pro Vice Chancellors at the time (who has now retired) that they would never plan for more students than they could possibly house as that would be daft of them. Famous last words!
In June 2010 they closed block five of Pengrim, as they wanted to turn it into an academic building for the Department of Education and Lifelong Learning (currently down in Old College) and the Department of Psychology. Part of the long-term estates strategy is to dispose of Llanbadarn and Old College and centralise everything on the already cramped Penglais campus. Rather than wait until room becomes available though or room can be made for the School of Education and Lifelong Learning, they’re closing residential blocks during a housing crisis! Great move! The Department of Psychology opened in 2007 and was squeezed somehow into the Llandinam building, with the promise of a brand spanking new building soon. Three years on and they’re still squashed into something like three or four rooms in Llandinam. Therefore block five of Pengrim is now closed to turn it into an academic building.
In September 2010, with something like 80 students still homeless, they had no choice but to halt the work being done in block five and re-open it as a residential block in order to house these students. They were told this was only a temporary measure as they had not found any accommodation for the start of term, and that RHS would work with them to secure something else that was suitable. As work had already begun and the fittings had been ripped out, they had to spend several thousand pounds on turning it back into a residential block to meet with the legal requirements of student halls of residence. To do this, they used money allocated to them from the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales grant, which was intended to be used to turn the block into the academic building. In December 2010, the contractors told the university they needed to get on with the work as they had other jobs to be doing later on and they would be delayed too long otherwise. Therefore, the university had to find temporary temporary accommodation for these students just after Christmas, and the contractors went back to work. This work is scheduled to be completed by the start of term in September. Therefore, future groups of students will not have this option to fall back on.
They loudly proclaim that this new build near PJM, when open, will have 1000 beds. While true, they won’t be 1000 new beds. In the middle of the worst housing crisis ever seen in Aber, the university have earmarked Pantycelyn (the Welsh speaking residence) for closure in the near future, losing 220 beds. Therefore that’s Llanbadarn (300 beds), Pantycelyn (220 beds) and block five of Pengrim (c.90 beds) all closed since June 2007 and the only thing replacing them all in the short term is a new block of Rosser (90 beds) for postgraduate students only. Therefore, only 390 beds can really be said to be new beds, the other 610 are replacing old accommodation stock. Not so great really when you delve a littler deeper.
With all due respect AreYouDizzeeBlud_x, the university management and Residential & Hostility Services (RHS) don’t really care. Your friends who managed to find something early were lucky. Anyone who has tried to deal with the Accommodation Office will know that they are not the most organised or friendly of people to deal with.
As of July 2011, there are still a large number of returning people who don’t have somewhere to live. The article you linked to showing the new build on land behind PJM was only announced after Christmas 2010 and will take a while yet to open. They still have a long way to go with that yet, they need to appoint a contractor first! The university have been dragging their heels on this matter for about four years now and have finally bowed into pressure from the Guild of Students, who fought tooth and nail to get them to sit up and take notice. Initially, it was a treated with an “oh, you’re making a mountain out of a mole hill. Relax, nobody will have to drop out due to lack of a place to live”. Cue two years where they actually had people dropping out for that very reason. That, pressure from the Guild and the demonstration held in February helped them sit up and take note.
It first came to a real head in September 2008 and clearing. The university guarantees all freshers a place in halls so long as they apply by 1st August. They had housed all the people who applied by the deadline and then entered clearing. They allowed too many people in during clearing and ran out of beds. It appeared that nobody from Admissions & Recruitment was checking with the Accommodation Office regularly to see how many beds were left. Therefore, many Freshers were housed in hotels, B&B and places in Borth. It made the BBC News and everything - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/7618675.stm
When it came to opening halls applications for the 2009/10 session for returning students in December 2008, they barred all potential second years from applying, just to be on the safe side. Therefore, these freshers who had arrived in September 2008 with nowhere to live in a town they didn’t know, were then told that as they would be in the second year in 2009/10, they couldn’t apply for halls (unless on disability/medical grounds) Two years on the trot they’ve had a negative accommodation experience. In December 2009 when they opened the applications for the 2010/11 session to returning students, they allowed people who would be second years in 2010/11 to apply, but had severely reduced the numbers of returning students who could go back into halls, as they are expecting more and more new students (freshers and postgraduates)
In December 2010 when opening the applications for returning students in 2011/12, they had 1312 applications and only 542 spaces for returning students. 174 of those spaces went to students in the guaranteed categories (e.g. International students, disabled students etc)
The problem has been exacerbated now by the lack of central government funding in Higher Education. The coalition cut 80% from the block grants they award to universities. The majority of this goes on teaching and learning, so as a result, the university has been forced to accept more students to make up the cost. More students equals a higher demand for housing.
The problem is supply and demand as previously mentioned is a problem too. Some landlords have been charging outrageous rents for very poor properties because they know someone will be desperate enough for a place to live. The Accommodation Office (part of RHS) has a registration scheme where landlords sign up and by doing so, agree to certain minimum stands. However, it appears that as the start of the academic year draws closer, and the numbers of students still needing a place to live is very high, they turn a bit of a blind eye to this quality agreement and start recommending dodgy landlords just to get students housed. That and the fact that students do their own research and find landlords who are not registered and end up paying through the nose and getting ripped off. The Guild of Students challenged the university on this matter and they advised students only to use approved landlords on their lists, and that they would investigate any student who was having problems with a landlord and help them as much as possible. This is of course, b******s. What landlord in their right mind is going to spend (potentially) thousands on doing up their properties to the standards dictated to them by the university, when they know in a few years, the university will open the brand new black behind PJM and potentially put them out of business?
Quality Post
Bare in mind, I was only going on what I was told by a few mates plus bits and pieces of news on the net. Thanks for giving a full explanation.
Original post by MGlass
I am about to be a 2nd year student, since December I have been looking for housing for next year. Myself and many others, still do not have anywhere to stay. I can tell you that looking for a house has caused me and many other alot of distress, and wasted ALOT of our time.
We have been told by the estate agents that 2010 there was only just enough places for students, they expect not everyone in this year to get one.
Aber Uni completly ignores this issue (except for building a new accommoadation block with a measley 90 beds compared to the hundreds extra needed each year), and are taking on more new students next year than this year! Where will they all go?
The 'Accommodation Office' give next to no help getting a 2nd or 3rd year house. If you are from the UK you have no guarantee you will get somewhere to live in your second year. They have actually been no aid to ANYONE AT ALL. I'm not joking, they are the opposite helpful, giving us false promises just to shoo us away as quickly as possible.
If you are from the UK and thinking of coming to Aberystwyth, I would say don't even bother! It's unspoken, but men generally have it much harder to get a house. Unless your parents are willing to buy a house for your second/ third year, you will spend too much of your free time trying to please Letting Agents, who will smile to your face and stab you in the back, as they casually waste your time.
This is a real issue, the biggest issue Aber should face, but they constantly keep it a quiet as they can, they truly let down their students with this mess. Last year they must of known this problem would reach breaking point this year, but they are prenteding it will solve itself, in the spring of 2012 they will have a catastrophic mess on their hands, it will truly be every student for themselves because the reality will be their will not be enough space.
We have been told by the estate agents that 2010 there was only just enough places for students, they expect not everyone in this year to get one.
Aber Uni completly ignores this issue (except for building a new accommoadation block with a measley 90 beds compared to the hundreds extra needed each year), and are taking on more new students next year than this year! Where will they all go?
The 'Accommodation Office' give next to no help getting a 2nd or 3rd year house. If you are from the UK you have no guarantee you will get somewhere to live in your second year. They have actually been no aid to ANYONE AT ALL. I'm not joking, they are the opposite helpful, giving us false promises just to shoo us away as quickly as possible.
If you are from the UK and thinking of coming to Aberystwyth, I would say don't even bother! It's unspoken, but men generally have it much harder to get a house. Unless your parents are willing to buy a house for your second/ third year, you will spend too much of your free time trying to please Letting Agents, who will smile to your face and stab you in the back, as they casually waste your time.
This is a real issue, the biggest issue Aber should face, but they constantly keep it a quiet as they can, they truly let down their students with this mess. Last year they must of known this problem would reach breaking point this year, but they are prenteding it will solve itself, in the spring of 2012 they will have a catastrophic mess on their hands, it will truly be every student for themselves because the reality will be their will not be enough space.
You didn't know this problem existed before you went to Aber? I knew of this problem even before I went to Aber and I knew I had to get into the student residence hall for as much as I baulked at the idea and thought I would find a flat on my own in town.
There actually is no shortage of homes in Aber, there is a shortage of landlords who would rent out their properties to students for obvious reasons.
The problem has been around for as long as time in memorium
As an international student, the university guarantees accommodation for them for the duration of their studies as obviously they are hungry for the fees
But even those students these days face problems in getting accommodation. For those who are going in for your 1st year, don't let this discourage you, but the best advice is when you start your course, you start getting to know people, this is actually very important if you go to Aber as how good a time you get in Aber is never about what you do there but who you do it with. Find your mates early and start looking and asking around for houses for the following year by the 3rd week of November........ seriously in order for you to avoid the stress, that's just how soon you need to start.
The accommodation situation is awful, and the extension to PJM won't help second year students, after all it's first years, third years and post grads that get priority.
If you search early for a home, your pretty much fine, but you HAVE to be early. One of the large reasons that there is such a housing problem is because Aber is so great, people stay there once they finish uni, thus less place for students to live.
The university simply couldn't care less about the situation. The accommodation office isn't that helpful either (other than telling a few of us how awful our prospective landlord was). I'm lucky that I managed to get into private accommodation, I still know loads of people searching.
Your advice is good, as AMAZING as Aber is, if you want to finish University, and go through exams without the stress of not having somewhere to live, don't go.
Orrr... make your parents by a house there, there's quite a lot suitable for student property up for sale, and it's a good earner, and you'll have a place to live come second year.
(
If you search early for a home, your pretty much fine, but you HAVE to be early. One of the large reasons that there is such a housing problem is because Aber is so great, people stay there once they finish uni, thus less place for students to live.
The university simply couldn't care less about the situation. The accommodation office isn't that helpful either (other than telling a few of us how awful our prospective landlord was). I'm lucky that I managed to get into private accommodation, I still know loads of people searching.
Your advice is good, as AMAZING as Aber is, if you want to finish University, and go through exams without the stress of not having somewhere to live, don't go.
Orrr... make your parents by a house there, there's quite a lot suitable for student property up for sale, and it's a good earner, and you'll have a place to live come second year.
(
Original post by amt92
If you search early for a home, your pretty much fine, but you HAVE to be early.
(
If you search early for a home, your pretty much fine, but you HAVE to be early.
(
how early are we talking here (September i'll be a first year)
Original post by PeterNorth
how early are we talking here (September i'll be a first year)
By the sounds of things, people start looking during November/December, as apparently the accommodation office tells people to start looking during new years.
I'm starting this year as well, and on hearing how bad it is, I was thinking about looking during October, or maybe straight after freshers' week..
I'd say keep you eye out for housing from the time you get there. But seriously from around November, by New Years most of the stuff has gone.
Another bit of advice, make friends with people that live in housing already that won't be staying in the same house the next year, because then they can give a tip to the landlord that you'd like the house, and possibly help you out before the house would actually be advertised.
Another bit of advice, make friends with people that live in housing already that won't be staying in the same house the next year, because then they can give a tip to the landlord that you'd like the house, and possibly help you out before the house would actually be advertised.
Another massive disadvantage of the university is the fact that NO ONE CAN SAY THE NAME.
Original post by ellakrystina
Another massive disadvantage of the university is the fact that NO ONE CAN SAY THE NAME.
Hence why everyone just says Aber.
Original post by DRJT
By the sounds of things, people start looking during November/December, as apparently the accommodation office tells people to start looking during new years.
I'm starting this year as well, and on hearing how bad it is, I was thinking about looking during October, or maybe straight after freshers' week..
I'm starting this year as well, and on hearing how bad it is, I was thinking about looking during October, or maybe straight after freshers' week..
Original post by PeterNorth
how early are we talking here (September i'll be a first year)
Im starting this September, clearly it's our destiny to do a TSR house share and troll both the uni and TSR in coherence
I just wanted to say a big thanks to all that have contributed to this conversation, I am starting at Aber Uni in September and needless to say the discovery of this news has worried me. I sent an email to the Accommodation office last night in regard to the problem and received this reply:
"The information that you have received seems to be untrue. We operate an online Private Sector database where landlords can register with us. Certain criteria have to be met, however normally the list of these landlords are made available for students by beginning of December. For those who have left it late to find accommodation are finding difficulty at this point to find somewhere in the Private Sector database, even though we still have landlords registering occasionally, it is a tedious task for those to have to continually check on a daily basis for those new landlords.
Also the Property Managements in Aberystwyth normally start advertising properties for the following academic year in November, therefore at this stage I would safely say that there is no panick.
Many thanks"
Not being pernickety or anything but the fact they spelt panic wrong does worry me a bit xD
Thanks again everyone for this information, I am passing it onto as many as I can so we aren't stuck in positions of having no where to live
"The information that you have received seems to be untrue. We operate an online Private Sector database where landlords can register with us. Certain criteria have to be met, however normally the list of these landlords are made available for students by beginning of December. For those who have left it late to find accommodation are finding difficulty at this point to find somewhere in the Private Sector database, even though we still have landlords registering occasionally, it is a tedious task for those to have to continually check on a daily basis for those new landlords.
Also the Property Managements in Aberystwyth normally start advertising properties for the following academic year in November, therefore at this stage I would safely say that there is no panick.
Many thanks"
Not being pernickety or anything but the fact they spelt panic wrong does worry me a bit xD
Thanks again everyone for this information, I am passing it onto as many as I can so we aren't stuck in positions of having no where to live
Original post by AreYouDizzeeBlud_x
Im starting this September, clearly it's our destiny to do a TSR house share and troll both the uni and TSR in coherence
Haha, I'm up for that. We can get our accommodation for next year sorted before most freshers get their room for this year finalized.
Original post by GlowHallow
I just wanted to say a big thanks to all that have contributed to this conversation, I am starting at Aber Uni in September and needless to say the discovery of this news has worried me. I sent an email to the Accommodation office last night in regard to the problem and received this reply:
"The information that you have received seems to be untrue. We operate an online Private Sector database where landlords can register with us. Certain criteria have to be met, however normally the list of these landlords are made available for students by beginning of December. For those who have left it late to find accommodation are finding difficulty at this point to find somewhere in the Private Sector database, even though we still have landlords registering occasionally, it is a tedious task for those to have to continually check on a daily basis for those new landlords.
Also the Property Managements in Aberystwyth normally start advertising properties for the following academic year in November, therefore at this stage I would safely say that there is no panick.
Many thanks"
Not being pernickety or anything but the fact they spelt panic wrong does worry me a bit xD
Thanks again everyone for this information, I am passing it onto as many as I can so we aren't stuck in positions of having no where to live
"The information that you have received seems to be untrue. We operate an online Private Sector database where landlords can register with us. Certain criteria have to be met, however normally the list of these landlords are made available for students by beginning of December. For those who have left it late to find accommodation are finding difficulty at this point to find somewhere in the Private Sector database, even though we still have landlords registering occasionally, it is a tedious task for those to have to continually check on a daily basis for those new landlords.
Also the Property Managements in Aberystwyth normally start advertising properties for the following academic year in November, therefore at this stage I would safely say that there is no panick.
Many thanks"
Not being pernickety or anything but the fact they spelt panic wrong does worry me a bit xD
Thanks again everyone for this information, I am passing it onto as many as I can so we aren't stuck in positions of having no where to live
So they're pretty much calling everyone liars? Well I'm sure there's truth to both sides tbh, but it still doesn't hurt to look around early.
(edited 12 years ago)
Lets without bias evaluate that reply from someone who has been through it.
Yes, they are, but the vast majority of people are looking for or have houses long before the university do that. People tend to start around the start of November, it may only be a month but they go. DO NOT LISTEN when the uni says you'll be fine after Christmas.
The accommodation office like to swear by their database. Don't trust them, far more landlords don't advertise there than do. Go to the estate agents in town, if you are early they will have pages of properties.
Correct, so why do you advise students to start looking from December?
Original post by GlowHallow
"The information that you have received seems to be untrue. We operate an online Private Sector database where landlords can register with us. Certain criteria have to be met, however normally the list of these landlords are made available for students by beginning of December.
"The information that you have received seems to be untrue. We operate an online Private Sector database where landlords can register with us. Certain criteria have to be met, however normally the list of these landlords are made available for students by beginning of December.
Yes, they are, but the vast majority of people are looking for or have houses long before the university do that. People tend to start around the start of November, it may only be a month but they go. DO NOT LISTEN when the uni says you'll be fine after Christmas.
Original post by GlowHallow
For those who have left it late to find accommodation are finding difficulty at this point to find somewhere in the Private Sector database, even though we still have landlords registering occasionally, it is a tedious task for those to have to continually check on a daily basis for those new landlords.
For those who have left it late to find accommodation are finding difficulty at this point to find somewhere in the Private Sector database, even though we still have landlords registering occasionally, it is a tedious task for those to have to continually check on a daily basis for those new landlords.
The accommodation office like to swear by their database. Don't trust them, far more landlords don't advertise there than do. Go to the estate agents in town, if you are early they will have pages of properties.
Original post by GlowHallow
Also the Property Managements in Aberystwyth normally start advertising properties for the following academic year in November, therefore at this stage I would safely say that there is no panick
Also the Property Managements in Aberystwyth normally start advertising properties for the following academic year in November, therefore at this stage I would safely say that there is no panick
Correct, so why do you advise students to start looking from December?
Ah dear, you can't beat a really mangled email from Residential & Hostility Services. Like politicians, they have an amazing ability not to answer the question you've actually asked them or to leave you more confused than you were originally.
Wait until you get into halls and they start sending reminders of inspections and other 'useful' emails to you. Some of them are brilliant!
Wait until you get into halls and they start sending reminders of inspections and other 'useful' emails to you. Some of them are brilliant!
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- Official Aberystwyth University freshers 2023 chat
- Aberystwyth Vet School Offer holders 2024
- Masters in Politics & IR - Cardiff or Aberystwyth?
- Portsmouth Move In
- How is the gay scence at Aber University?
- Aberystwyth or Cardiff for creative writing?
- kpop fans in Aberystwyth??
- Aberystwyth vs city uni london
- Aberystwyth accommodation
- Aberystwyth Entrance exam
- Unconditional offer confirmation
- Is EPQ Essential For Medicine ?
- Official Aberystwyth University 2023 Applicant Thread
- Aberystwyth Accommodation
- Magic circle law firms
- University Academic Appeals
- Aberystwyth Uni film makers 2023
- Uni life
- Aberystwyth V Winchester Uni to study English Lit/Creative Writing joint hons
- German and History
Latest
Trending
Last reply 3 days ago
The Official Aberystwyth Applicants for 2024 Entry ThreadLast reply 1 month ago
How long will it take for me to get my Aberystwyth entrance exam results?Trending
Last reply 3 days ago
The Official Aberystwyth Applicants for 2024 Entry ThreadLast reply 1 month ago
How long will it take for me to get my Aberystwyth entrance exam results?
