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King's College London

London

kings accommodation - no email

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Reply 40

MPN

Original post by Francis W

I spoke to accommodation today and the chap said I'd find out by/just before (couldn't work out what the heck he actually meant, don't think he could either) the 14th of September whether I have anywhere to live. Apparently the allocations starting today will last a week and then there'll be another round. He also said that in the last allocation all the places were given out.

Wait, if all places were given out already so what's the point of another round? This is getting wrose and worse with each day :frown:

King's College London

London

Reply 41

Lyman

Original post by Hangman2TW

I was given acommodation i could never afford and couldnt arrange a swap, im very interested in flat sharing as i think the 2 hour journey into lodon will kill me! thanks for the links, will definetly be attending one of those flatmate finder events... PM me if things dont go well with your accommodation :biggrin:

The very best of luck, I only hope you can find a flat which suits your needs better than KCL's accommodation. It's criminal how much the University is allowed to charge already cash-strapped students for cramped, dingy rooms! A word of advice; your situation sounds more desperate than mine ever did. My parents have a large, comfortable home in London so I have always have had somewhere to fall back into- in fact, this year (my final) I am living at home so as to cut costs and not face the prospect of having to pay rent upon the onset of my rather inevitable unemployment next June. If you are unable to find ideal accommodation you could always defer a year and start over so that next year you ensure that you have decent accommodation. I might have done this myself but there was the pressure of starting university in 2011 so as to avoid the fee hike!

Reply 42

Francis W

Original post by jessica15329

Wait, d'you mean all the places they had for that round got given out? For a minute I thought you meant all the places they have, and I was like 'well, another round would be pointless...?' Silly me :colondollar:

Original post by MPN

Wait, if all places were given out already so what's the point of another round? This is getting wrose and worse with each day :frown:

That's what he said. In the initial allocation all of the places would have been given out and places that come up in each following round will be from the people who haven't taken up their offer - either for their degree at King's and/or for their accommodation (e.g. couldn't afford it/too far from their campus). That's what I think will be the case - I don't work for them so I don't know exactly. I don't think they'd deliberately keep a hold of places to leave people guessing up until the 14th or whenever they stop.

Reply 43

MPN

Original post by Francis W

Thanks, it's just so frustrating to wait and not know yet.

Reply 44

Lyman

Original post by jessica15329

Any ideas on how likely I am to be offered accommodation? The only thing not working in my favour is the fact I live within the M25.

On the other hand:

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I applied in time

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KCL's my firm

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my postcode isn't totally in London (Middx - includes some areas north of the M25)

•

and I live in the northernmost borough, so I am on the 'periphery of London' as was said by the person posting about the ULU and KCLSU flatmate events (which I may have to book... argh :s-smilie: )

•

plus I'm from a low-participation area (or whatever you call it, people where I live, not many go to uni)

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and um, I'm poor basically xD

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^ I know that doesn't factor into it, but as a vulnerable student I'm particularly worried about having to live out (I am not living at home the whole year -_-) but not having the comfy safety net that is my uni's own halls.

Argh I just can't deal with finding private accomm at this point in my life :frown:

I wouldn't give up all hope just yet! One of my friends who comes from Kingston Upon Thames (a similar distance away from KCL to Enfield, assuming this is where you live) won a place in Stamford Street just as he was about to sign along the dotted line of a contract in mid-September. As you live rather far out there is still a chance you could be offered accommodation but I certainly wouldn't count my bets. Even if you are offered halls it is likely that you could be paying upwards of 4.5k for the year, that is a lot of money to part with, for me at least I'd have to make considerations there!

As I said in my previous post it is 'healthy' to assume that you won't be offered accommodation before the start of term. There is a chance that you might find a place in halls later on, before Christmas (this certainly happened to another person I know), there is also an equal probability that the university won't be able to offer you anything for the duration of the year. If you are determined to get out of home then I'd attend all the flatmate finder events that you can, with plenty of people desperate to leave home there is a strong chance that you'll meet a group of people you can find a flat with; if money is a consideration then there is a chance you could reduce your rental costs further than at any KCL residence (a friend of my girlfriend's paid a weekly rent of £80 in Dulwich last year).

A word on the unpleasant topic of living at home; after my initial housing plans fell into pieces during the August of 2011 I found myself having to live at home for a few months as I sorted out alternative accommodation. It wasn't half as bad as I expected. It is hard to deny that meeting people isn't harder- the short of it is you're living out of your bedroom which is anything but the innately sociable environment halls provide. The short of it is you'll have to make more of an effort to go out and socialise than someone with accommodation would but there is help at the university. Student's in a similar position have organised KINGS LAHS (Live At Home Students) which provides a forum in which London-based attendees can meet each other, make friends and organise groups in which to attend various fresher events together. Whilst I wouldn't see LAHS as being an ideal replacement for accommodation it does provide a starting point from which you might be able to meet a few likeminded people and branch out... it certainly did for me!

Here are some links:

https://www.facebook.com/kings.lahs

https://www.facebook.com/groups/174352376837/?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/groups/216235808420787/?fref=ts

http://kclsu.org/organisation/LiveAtHome/

Check the facebook groups, maybe even message them. Normally they hold a mixer in mid-September a couple of weeks before term starts, definitely worth attending!

If you need further help or advice don't hesitate to PM me!

Reply 45

FrenchNerd

Original post by jessica15329

Any ideas on how likely I am to be offered accommodation? The only thing not working in my favour is the fact I live within the M25.

On the other hand:

•

I applied in time

•

KCL's my firm

•

my postcode isn't totally in London (Middx - includes some areas north of the M25)

•

and I live in the northernmost borough, so I am on the 'periphery of London' as was said by the person posting about the ULU and KCLSU flatmate events (which I may have to book... argh :s-smilie: )

•

plus I'm from a low-participation area (or whatever you call it, people where I live, not many go to uni)

•

and um, I'm poor basically xD

•

Argh I just can't deal with finding private accomm at this point in my life :frown:

I'm in a similar situation to you. I rang them up just a minute ago and they told me that my application is being considered in the 2nd round of allocations (which I think is happening all this week) but that due to living in the M25 it's possible but unlikely that I'll get a place so I think we should just take Lyman's advice and assume we're not getting accommodation :frown:

Personally, I'd prefer to commute than share a flat with other students for my first year so if I don't receive anything I'll just stay at home but maybe you might want to try one of those flatfinder things?

Reply 46

Lyman

Original post by FrenchNerd

Another thing for what it's worth; admittedly I lived out for most of the first year (with school friends who were studying at CSM) but during that time I met a group of friends who I lived with through the last year, there was a falling out but in all it was a good experience. As I say, meeting people isn't as easy but provided you make the effort it's more than likely you'll find flatmates I did and I'm no social butterfly! Now I'm in my third year I've made the decision to return home. Living out has lost its novelty and I'd rather avoid the prospect of renting beyond June when I face almost inevitable unemployment.

Reply 47

jessica15329

Original post by Lyman

Thank-you

Given I do, yes, live in Enfield, I'm hoping they'll take that into account if they're still considering me :s-smilie:

And I don't mind paying the rent on my first choice (Ewen Henderson - about £6k) or my lowest choice, Hampstead (£3.4k) purely due to the fact that a) I'm allocated the maximum bursary/loans and I get the maximum (£1.500) KCL grant/scholarship thing too, so I can sort of afford it, and b) being kind of a vulnerable student, I need the safety net & continuity of a KCL halls offer in this whole transition - I need a place I can definitely call my own or my new start at uni will be really difficult...

Original post by FrenchNerd

Yeah, I will need to see about those flatmate events methinks :frown:

though it's definitely not my ideal, and neither is living from home...
What number do we have to call by the way...? KCL Accom Services or something like that I'm guessing, but I'm not sure what the number is...

Reply 48

FrenchNerd

Original post by jessica15329

Yeah, I will need to see about those flatmate events methinks :frown:

I've PMed it to you :smile:

Reply 49

FrenchNerd

Just got an offer today for Ewen Henderson Court so check your emails!

Reply 50

joannaannaoj

Just been offered Moonraker.. so glad the waiting is over!

Reply 51

xxKiaraxx

Original post by joannaannaoj

Just been offered Moonraker.. so glad the waiting is over!

Same here! So relieved that I won't be homeless. :tongue:

Reply 52

epiphany

Just been offered Julian Markham! :smile:

Reply 53

Francis W

Does anybody have a place in Stamford St. that they don't want/want to trade? I've been offered Moonraker but I'd prefer to be nearer Strand Campus. I'm glad I've at least got somewhere; I really was not expecting to get an accommodation offer so soon after the conversations I had with King's yesterday.

Reply 54

CicelyA

Original post by Francis W

I have just been offered a place at Julian Markham house - is there anyone who would want to swap this for a place at Moonraker?

Reply 55

jessica15329

Original post by FrenchNerd

I've PMed it to you :smile:

I GOT OFFERED EWEN HENDERSON WHICH WAS MY FIRST CHOICE OH MY GOD
But thank-you for PM'ing me the number, that would have come in VERY handy and I'd definitely have used it today if I had heard nothing! Thanks anyway!
Omg can I go cry with happiness now please :tongue:

Reply 56

FrenchNerd

Original post by jessica15329

I'm Ewen Henderson too! :biggrin:

Can't wait to move in and get familiar with the area. Never really been to New Cross before.

Reply 57

tonyblair

i got ewn too. but its not really new cross its closer to lewisham and lewisham is ... lewisham :/

Reply 58

vincent79

Hello,
i had the same problem during my first year at uni, i decided to try to share a flat with only 3-4 people. I had a great year and i made a lot of friend. you should try as well. start to check a spare room some where close to your uni, try to find a nice flat with students. you'll make a lot of friends and enjoy your freedoom. i didn't regret it.

Reply 59

vincent79

Hello,
i had the same problem during my first year at uni, i decided to try to share a flat with only 3-4 people. I had a great year and i made a lot of friends. you should try as well. start to check a spare room some where close to your uni, try to find a nice flat with students.
type on youtube how to find a flat and rooms to rent in London
or in google
spare rooms London
flats and mates in london
london spare rooms

you'll make a lot of friends and enjoy your freedoom. i didn't regret it. :-)