Accommodation for Insurance place students?

Hi, I am doing this without my son knowing, but can anyone tell me if this is normal proceedure? My son has a place at Newcastle (his insurance)- Good news! We set about doing huge amounts of accommodation research and apply at 1500 on results day. We wait and we wait - we hear friends get their places - we cheer - we wait some more. A week goes by and we call them to be told everyone will hear by Sept 1st. However, I am advised that given the lateness the chances of him getting any of his 6 choices is unlikely. All I can see on this website and the Facebook roomswap page are students looking to swap - many with catered places wanting self-catered? How can this be right ?- we are desperate for a catered place but it seems Newcastle only have one catered hall so we used 4 choices on this one hall. How can student be looking for SC and get catered if the computer is doing its job properly? I am so disillusioned with the whole system? I am sad for him as we do not feel we can relax and celebrate, we are just in limbo - he got ABB in Maths Ecomonics and Chemistry - we haven't even opened a bottle yet to celebrate, until we know where he will be living - we live 5 hours away and don't know the area at all. I feel as though he is being punished for making Newcastle his insurance and not his firm when he was torn for the outset which order to put them in. Now I am wondering if we should suggest he takes a GAP year to guarantee him better crack at the accommodation in 2017. If the policy is to create balanced environments and mixed groups across all halls why allow the roomswap scheme to take place - since that suggests it can just create an imbalance? If the deadline for accepting the place is 14 days after the insurance offer is made - is it fair to leave students waiting to hear about accommodation on or after that deadline? Are there any other students in the same boat? Can anyone put my mind at rest? Many thanks.

Hi,

I spotted your thread and passed your query on to our accommodations team who said:

"If the parent wants to discuss it in more detail then they should contact us on 0191 208 3333, but should do so with the student’s permission as under data protection, we must have his agreement to discuss.
We are processing applications, but unfortunately due to a veryhigh volume of telephone calls with queries, this is stopping us from gettingon. We have a number of applications still to process and will be continuing with this each day until all students are allocated."I hope this will help to put your mind at rest.

Isabella

My daughter got her place through clearing. She applied originally but was offered quite high grades so didn't choose it. We were told she'd hear by end of August, now another email saying 16th September. She feels anxious, unsettled, all her friends know where they are going to. She also now wondering about a gap year.
I do think the deadline for accepting accommodation should be shorter than 2 weeks. Then students wouldn't be left wondering for so long.

My daughter got her place through clearing. She applied originally but was offered quite high grades so didn't choose it. We were told she'd hear by end of August, now another email saying 16th September. She feels anxious, unsettled, all her friends know where they are going to. She also now wondering about a gap year.
I do think the deadline for accepting accommodation should be shorter than 2 weeks. Then students wouldn't be left wondering for so long.

Thanks for reply. Where did your son get in the end? I hope my daughter will go, she's very sociable and I think she'll have a good time anywhere. She doesn't really want an unscheduled gap year. She just feels she can't pack or plan until she knows. I also need to book a hotel as we are in Kent, long drive! Hopefully her forthcoming trip to Bestival will take her mind off it!

She got offered Windsor Terrace. I think this is pretty good as not too expensive and on campus but she's afraid it wont be very sociable. I think she will just have to get on with it. I cant see her being far away from the party action!