Queen Margaret, Edinburgh Accommodation

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Accommodation is all brand new, built in 2007. It is all situated on campus at Craighall. There are 800 rooms, in self catered flats, over 9 blocks. These flats range in size. Standard rooms share with 6 rooms per flat, whereas postgraduate rooms and deluxe rooms have 3-5 people per flat.

All rooms

All rooms have an internet connection - currently this is wired, but will be wireless eventually. Each room also has a phone, which you can use to make calls on a pay as you go basis. You can set up an online account (minimum top up £5) and this reduces call cost by 10%, or buy cards from the accommodation reception which cost £10. Calls are around 6p per minute, plus 10p connection chareg. Many oversea calls are a similar price. Unfortunately the phones do not accept incoming international calls. You can receive calls from the UK via an 0870 number and extension number. There is also an answerphone service (although I don't think this saves your messages for many days).

All rooms contain a very small shower room, which contains a sustainable flushing toilet, small sink, and shower. Shower is a push button type and is fixed to the wall (no detachable showerheads unfortunately). A lot of people have complained about the showers this year, particularly over the temperature. Under the sink there is a toilet roll holder and a hand towel holder is built in. There is a towel hook on the door. Most people only close the door fully when having a shower due to the size of the bathroom (door must be closed when showering to avoid setting off smoke alarms). There is also a shaver point which is particularly quiet.

Your room will include: - Wheely chair - Large desk lamp - Seven electrical sockets (most at desk level) - Fitted shelves - Chest of drawers - Wardrobe - Desk (If you own a desktop PC this will have to sit on the top opf the desk, since theres no way to feed cables up to it) - Bed (with mattress cover) - Notice board (officially you're only allowed to stick things up on this and nowhere else. It's debatable how much this rule is actually followed) - Radiator - Long mirror

Each flat contains a large kitchen, dining and entertaining space. In 6 bedded flats this consists of a table with 6 chairs, 6 comfy chairs and a coffee table, a huge fridge and a even bigger freezer, toaster, electric cooker, microwave, kettle. Fridges and freezers are big enough that there aren't likely to be arguments about fitting everyone's food in. There is also a cupboard which stocks a iron and ironing board, mop, sweeping brush and dustpan and brush. The kitchen is also home to the flat hoover. There is a large kitchen bin, and kitchens should have recycling bags. Each person will have a cupboard each, which can be padlocked if required.

The rooms seem to be well sound proofed, although all doors are fire doors which can lead to slamming when people forget. Officially, rules are that you should be quiet, e.g. listening to music only on headphones, between 11pm and 7am, however the soundproofing is good enough that many students have managed to have people over watching DVDs on speakers with their next door neighbour not noticing.

Fire alarms have the habit of going off at random hours in the morning as is the case at most universities. Each block has its own separate alarm system which reduces the likelihood of having to trek outside. Registration is not taken, but you should still evacuate for obvious reasons. The assembly points for the student villages are at the university side of the student village where the grass is. You will be required to stand there until the fire service have investigated, though the fire station is nearby so firefighters are usually quick at arriving.. If fire alarms are found to be set off in your room maliciously, a charge of around £100 will be taken.

Standard rooms

These are your typical sized student halls of residence rooms, i.e. not much floor space, though there is still plenty of storage space. These rooms contain a single bed. You will be sharing your flat with five other people. These are around £3400 for an academic year. There is the option of a 50 week contract if required. (£4250ish)

Deluxe/premium rooms

Like Standard rooms, but have a double bed, although the amount of floor space seems to vary, some are not that much bigger than a standard room. This room is still single occupancy. Cost slightly more than a standard room, and were apparently aimed more at postgraduate students, though appear to still have a very high proportion of undergraduates and freshers keen for a bit more luxury at a not much higher price. Currently rent is around £3600 for a 39 week contract or £4510 for the 50 week contract.

Facilities

The management suite on campus houses accommodation staff, a common room, mail boxes, vending machines, notices, and the laundry. The laundry currently costs £1.80 for a wash, or £1 for a dry cycle. Many students opt to dry clothes on a clothes horse in their rooms to save money, since the rooms are always warm.

Heating is only on during certain hours of the day, 6-10am, and 5pm-midnight during the winter months. They are also thermostat controlled, and will not operate if your room is already warm.

Maintanance is carried out by a maintenance team located within the management suite. You can report any faults to the reception desk by filling in a form. Repairs are usually sorted within a couple of hours but reports have circulated around the student body of problems being left all weekend.

Replacement keys cost money - the smart card costs £20 and keys (flat door/room door key and mailbox key) are likely to be similarly expensive to replace. Smart cards may become damaged if kept in close proximity to your university smart card - you will be charged if this happens.

Each block has a lift and stairwell which is cleaned professionally. Cleaning within the flat is to be done by tenants.

Other Queen Margaret Sections

• Queen Margaret Edinburgh Personal Statements
• Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
• Queen Margaret University Discussion Forum