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What to do?

Currently I am studying for as a first year student. I went through clearing so I have to rent a house as the uni don’t offer a clearing accommodation. They suggest to form a house hunting page group through their official house hunting page. Tbh I didn’t really have much of a choice about who I live with just need the people who are willing to take the house as clearing happened in late August and there weren’t so many houses left. As I continued to live there one of my housemates assaulted me. I called the none emergency police and all, informed my landlord which she suggested to call the police.

The next morning I then went to the accommodation team the uni police was there they took on the case. They said they will talk to the person who assaulted me(which I think it’s not gonna work I would rather go through prosecution but the uni police doesn’t want the person’s reputation to get ruin) So they use an excuse of “we don’t know if it’s going to work until we tried”.

Around a month gone by they still haven’t visit. So I went back to the accommodation office to discuss this with the person who deals with private rented accommodation. And I asked for temporary accommodation went to see the support to get back up saying that they feel the need for me to have one. Whilst I was at the office police happens to be there so they made a little effort and made a visit but no one was home apparently. The person who deals with temporary accommodation didn’t email me back for a month. And things got worst my housemates started interrupting me even more including my sleep, by knocking the door at 1am just to put the heating on. Even though we all have been home all day. During the knocking I called the non emergency police again, she also heard the knocking so I reported that on top of the assault case. I called the uni police to make sure the report has gone through. One of them said, oh yeah I have read the report and that’s it.
So I left back to my family’s house and commute instead. Then we broke up for Easter holiday I was only managed to get through to private accommodation person she said she can only offer one week other than that I have to pay. This happened within the space of 3 months and nothing has been sorted. The assault happened in Jan/Feb. I had the evidence but the uni police didn’t even ask to see it. I contacted the student support for my part(which is business school) all that’s been said was keep doing what I am doing(e.g. getting extension for work etc). I’m really tired of this uni they treating this as a norm. I don’t expect them to be doing everything but I have to keep chasing the police up and keep calling everyone to make sure that my case is still in the loop. Bear that in mind I also have my uni work to sort out and each module contains a lot of work we all know that. I’m looking for a suggestion what to do or has this happened to anyone? How did you overcome it? Also what do think the uni could do or should do in upcoming future.
Original post by Afirstyear
Currently I am studying for as a first year student. I went through clearing so I have to rent a house as the uni don’t offer a clearing accommodation. They suggest to form a house hunting page group through their official house hunting page. Tbh I didn’t really have much of a choice about who I live with just need the people who are willing to take the house as clearing happened in late August and there weren’t so many houses left. As I continued to live there one of my housemates assaulted me. I called the none emergency police and all, informed my landlord which she suggested to call the police.

The next morning I then went to the accommodation team the uni police was there they took on the case. They said they will talk to the person who assaulted me(which I think it’s not gonna work I would rather go through prosecution but the uni police doesn’t want the person’s reputation to get ruin) So they use an excuse of “we don’t know if it’s going to work until we tried”.

Around a month gone by they still haven’t visit. So I went back to the accommodation office to discuss this with the person who deals with private rented accommodation. And I asked for temporary accommodation went to see the support to get back up saying that they feel the need for me to have one. Whilst I was at the office police happens to be there so they made a little effort and made a visit but no one was home apparently. The person who deals with temporary accommodation didn’t email me back for a month. And things got worst my housemates started interrupting me even more including my sleep, by knocking the door at 1am just to put the heating on. Even though we all have been home all day. During the knocking I called the non emergency police again, she also heard the knocking so I reported that on top of the assault case. I called the uni police to make sure the report has gone through. One of them said, oh yeah I have read the report and that’s it.
So I left back to my family’s house and commute instead. Then we broke up for Easter holiday I was only managed to get through to private accommodation person she said she can only offer one week other than that I have to pay. This happened within the space of 3 months and nothing has been sorted. The assault happened in Jan/Feb. I had the evidence but the uni police didn’t even ask to see it. I contacted the student support for my part(which is business school) all that’s been said was keep doing what I am doing(e.g. getting extension for work etc). I’m really tired of this uni they treating this as a norm. I don’t expect them to be doing everything but I have to keep chasing the police up and keep calling everyone to make sure that my case is still in the loop. Bear that in mind I also have my uni work to sort out and each module contains a lot of work we all know that. I’m looking for a suggestion what to do or has this happened to anyone? How did you overcome it? Also what do think the uni could do or should do in upcoming future.


Go and see a student adviser plus and or your department about making a complaint about the way it has been handled.

You need evidence.

You should talk to the real police about the assault, but you need evidence that it took place.

You can also talk to CAB or shelter about leaving the house you are in.
there should be plenty of places with third years leaving already and desperate to offload what remains of their lease.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/
https://england.shelter.org.uk/get_help
Students at University of Brighton, Checkland
University of Brighton
Brighton
Visit website
Reply 2
Original post by 999tigger
Go and see a student adviser plus and or your department about making a complaint about the way it has been handled.

You need evidence.

You should talk to the real police about the assault, but you need evidence that it took place.

You can also talk to CAB or shelter about leaving the house you are in.
there should be plenty of places with third years leaving already and desperate to offload what remains of their lease.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/
https://england.shelter.org.uk/get_help


Hi
Thanks for the response, I did go to the actual police but they weren’t interested either they said it will just be my words against hers. Also do you think the uni can offer any compensation or how do I talk to them to make them listen and actually do something?
Original post by Afirstyear
Hi
Thanks for the response, I did go to the actual police but they weren’t interested either they said it will just be my words against hers. Also do you think the uni can offer any compensation or how do I talk to them to make them listen and actually do something?


Go and see the student advisor or see CAB.
If they arent dealing with it then ask about , then make a formal complaint as to how its been handleds. Sounds like they have failed to do anything, failed to inform you, failed to investigate and failed to consider with an outcome.

If she is a member of the uni as are you and she atacjed you then try and find out what uni byelaw she has infringed.

Seems like you are evidence light.

As for leaving the accommodation, then if the uni is LL (are they?) then they owe you a duty to control the other tenants and she would have been in breach of her licence.

You can also consider speaking to your local law centre or ask the law department if they run a law clinic.

I believe its not the complaints procedure, but the bullying and harassment procedure.
https://staff.brighton.ac.uk/ss/Documents/Student_Bullying_Harassment_Procedure.pdf
https://staff.brighton.ac.uk/hr/equality/pubdocs/Harassment%20and%20Bullying%20Policy.pdf

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