Dont live in UNITE accomodations (Huddersfield)
I feel that I must send out at least some kind of warning over the poor state of the accomodations and treatment by the company of unite towards students. I live in the "Snow Island" flats run by UNITE in Huddersfield and to say they ahve been one disappointment to the next is an understatement. For a start the first day I moved into my room the walls were all dirty, the room smelt of cannabis, the carpets were dirty, plug sockets didnt work, wooden panels were coming apart. In our communial kitchen we only had 1 fridge to share between 6 people, there was stains all over the wall where apparently the previous residents had thrown eggs at it and all unite did was give it a quick wipe down and a crappy attempt at painting over it.
Since I moved in the fire alarm has gone off on average once every 3 days at least and on some days it has gone off over 10 times in a single day from 9am -5am.
2 out of the 4 hobs on the oven stopped working about 4 months ago and all we have been told is that they are "waiting for the parts". Also you get no cleaner as we did in our previous accomodation (storthes hall) which cost the same amount to live in.
Recently they stopped allowing us to get parcels from reception, due to "health and safety reasons" so now we have to go to the royal mail sorting office to collect our parcels.
The other week our ceiling was leaking (we are on the bottom floor so I guess it was the pipes) and then mould started covering the patch where it was. It took about a week to get it sorted, if you could say that, as all they did was give it a quick wipe and a crappy paint over (im sure that is their tactic)
And the thing that has incensed me more causing me to write this is their "communial room flat inspection". On the first one they told us that our cookers needed cleaning, their was missing furniture (which there was not) and that we needed to clean out the storage cupboard, because the students from the previous year had put loads of rubbish in like beer cans and a traffic sign. So fair enough we gave the cooker a wipe down and the floors a sweep (our commuinal kitchen area wasnt too bad burt the cooker was starting to look alittle dirty so fair enough) and now they have done a second inspection and have said that the corners and edges of the floor need more cleaning. I mean are they are goddamn parents or something? For a start we have maintained the commuinal area alot better than other flats and it looks cleaner than if UNITE tried to do it, but they still seem to want to insist on making every part perfect, when they cant seem to provide us with the same grace from when we moved in. The problem is, is that im sure they will look for any opportunity they can to charge us when we want to move out.
There are probably about 20 other things I could probably mention also, but I think you get the picture. I can't say what other UNITE accomodations are like but even if there flats are better, the company is still run by the same people who have no respect for the people they are meant to accomodate. But if you do come to live in huddersfield, do not stay with Unite. Storthes Hall was the place I originally lived and I wished I stayed there again, as it was much more accomodating, friendly and providing than this hell hole is.
Since I moved in the fire alarm has gone off on average once every 3 days at least and on some days it has gone off over 10 times in a single day from 9am -5am.
2 out of the 4 hobs on the oven stopped working about 4 months ago and all we have been told is that they are "waiting for the parts". Also you get no cleaner as we did in our previous accomodation (storthes hall) which cost the same amount to live in.
Recently they stopped allowing us to get parcels from reception, due to "health and safety reasons" so now we have to go to the royal mail sorting office to collect our parcels.
The other week our ceiling was leaking (we are on the bottom floor so I guess it was the pipes) and then mould started covering the patch where it was. It took about a week to get it sorted, if you could say that, as all they did was give it a quick wipe and a crappy paint over (im sure that is their tactic)
And the thing that has incensed me more causing me to write this is their "communial room flat inspection". On the first one they told us that our cookers needed cleaning, their was missing furniture (which there was not) and that we needed to clean out the storage cupboard, because the students from the previous year had put loads of rubbish in like beer cans and a traffic sign. So fair enough we gave the cooker a wipe down and the floors a sweep (our commuinal kitchen area wasnt too bad burt the cooker was starting to look alittle dirty so fair enough) and now they have done a second inspection and have said that the corners and edges of the floor need more cleaning. I mean are they are goddamn parents or something? For a start we have maintained the commuinal area alot better than other flats and it looks cleaner than if UNITE tried to do it, but they still seem to want to insist on making every part perfect, when they cant seem to provide us with the same grace from when we moved in. The problem is, is that im sure they will look for any opportunity they can to charge us when we want to move out.
There are probably about 20 other things I could probably mention also, but I think you get the picture. I can't say what other UNITE accomodations are like but even if there flats are better, the company is still run by the same people who have no respect for the people they are meant to accomodate. But if you do come to live in huddersfield, do not stay with Unite. Storthes Hall was the place I originally lived and I wished I stayed there again, as it was much more accomodating, friendly and providing than this hell hole is.
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Ive yet to hear of anyone with a good word to say for Unite tbh
I've lived in 2 different unite properties in Sheffield and at both I felt angry and ripped off. I pay £125 a WEEK and I didn't have a working shower for MONTHS. Staff are rude, service is shocking, and my first night at uni was spent in a filthy room where the smell of wee (or fish, take your pick) was overwhelming. I had to wait until the next day when I'd cleaned the room and shampooed the carpet myself to even unpack my stuff. They randomly turn the water off (for 3 days once), they rarely warn you that they are going to let themselves into your room, and if anything needs fixing, forget it. They'll charge you mind-boggling sums for questionable "repairs" and "cleaning services" when you leave, but a lot of students find out the hard way that they very rarely repair or clean anything. If they do, it's minimum effort, minimum cost to them.
Never again. Never, ever again.
Never again. Never, ever again.
I lived with them last year and didn't have a single problem with them all year, now they've been taken over by Liberty Living they won't stop charging us for ****.
I lived in Unite halls in my first year and didn't have a problem. Mine were brand new so I was the first person to stay in my room. I think a lot of the problems you had were because other people had made mess and unite hadn't wanted to look after the place when they'd left. We had our own handy man in the building and the manager of the place was really nice when we had problems of 'who broke what' in the flat.
I think overall I couldn't have asked for a nicer place to live in, I wouldn't generalise your halls in huddersfield to all Unite halls, I think it depends on the management and staff as well.
I think overall I couldn't have asked for a nicer place to live in, I wouldn't generalise your halls in huddersfield to all Unite halls, I think it depends on the management and staff as well.
I STRONGLY recommend you don't. They will do ANYTHING to screw you out your damage deposit and have minimal respect for their customers. They're extremely dishonest and have the scruples of a People Trafficker or Robert Mugabe. I know other people who have said UNITE go out their way to desperately cling on to as much of their damage desposit as possible and have done, despite no damage! Booking my stay with them was the fourth biggest mistake of my life 
Now I can't (and won't) speak for any property other than the one I'm in (Plymouth - Discovery Heights) but they're a waste of money, rude and extremely unhelpful. I've been the model tenant but that's not enough
Stay anywhere but Discovery Heights if you come here
___________________________________________________________
Why I'm moaning: In November they had a deal where you could rebook the following year for a 10% reduction on your rent. Nice. This was two months before any other property in Plymouth was avaliable to be booked so I don't want to be homeless or waste even more money staying here, so rebooked.
Long story short, find (3 months later) I could book a cheaper place, so I worried about nothing. But UNITE will be helping themselves to my £250 "deposit" in "cancellation fee". NOT made clear when re-booking! Plus they're threatening to pile on more charges when I move out if I don't clean the entire flat from top to toe. Disgusting!
Feel free UNITE lovers to slag off this post and me but I'm free to pass on my experiances and warn future victims..............I mean customers
Now I can't (and won't) speak for any property other than the one I'm in (Plymouth - Discovery Heights) but they're a waste of money, rude and extremely unhelpful. I've been the model tenant but that's not enough
Stay anywhere but Discovery Heights if you come here ___________________________________________________________
Why I'm moaning: In November they had a deal where you could rebook the following year for a 10% reduction on your rent. Nice. This was two months before any other property in Plymouth was avaliable to be booked so I don't want to be homeless or waste even more money staying here, so rebooked.
Long story short, find (3 months later) I could book a cheaper place, so I worried about nothing. But UNITE will be helping themselves to my £250 "deposit" in "cancellation fee". NOT made clear when re-booking! Plus they're threatening to pile on more charges when I move out if I don't clean the entire flat from top to toe. Disgusting!
Feel free UNITE lovers to slag off this post and me but I'm free to pass on my experiances and warn future victims..............I mean customers
Unite are pretty crap tbh.
Some of my friends live in Unite accommodation here in Aberdeen, and they're always telling me how awful it is. £20 charge for a lockout, and totally screw people over when it comes to inspections - my friends have left the place in better condition than they found it too.
One of my friends is glad he lives on the ground floor on his side, so he can go outside and clean his window before he leaves.
Some of my friends live in Unite accommodation here in Aberdeen, and they're always telling me how awful it is. £20 charge for a lockout, and totally screw people over when it comes to inspections - my friends have left the place in better condition than they found it too.
One of my friends is glad he lives on the ground floor on his side, so he can go outside and clean his window before he leaves.
I second that. Currently staying with UNITE at Riverside Point in Nottingham. Two things that left a bad taste in my mouth:
- Being charged for fully replacing a sofa cover that is in better state (small burn hole) than we found the other sofa in when we moved in (two big holes in it)
- Being charged £20 for a lock out (during the day and I didn't lose my key - just left it in the room!) and only finding out about the charge when I got an invoice in the post
- Being charged for fully replacing a sofa cover that is in better state (small burn hole) than we found the other sofa in when we moved in (two big holes in it)
- Being charged £20 for a lock out (during the day and I didn't lose my key - just left it in the room!) and only finding out about the charge when I got an invoice in the post
I wish I saw this before I chose UNITE. Everything here is totally in keeping with my experiance. Bumped
One more update on my personal UNITE saga: they've now taken money out of my deposit for damage charges that I've already paid. I'm really beyond caring at this point but the least I can do is to warn others about UNITE.
It seems to me that this company is in the business of charging fees, not making money from renting out rooms.
If you're going to stay with UNITE, I would advise you to:
- Note ANY damage that's not on the check-in inspection form and report it to them ASAP. They will happily charge you for damage that was there when you moved in! You might want to take pictures of the place when you move in.
- Keep copies of all inspection forms: you might need them later.
- Communicate with them by e-mail, so you can keep track of what's been said (because they won't!).
- Take up meditation.
- For those of you doing business degrees: be grateful for getting a free course in "How not to run a business."
It seems to me that this company is in the business of charging fees, not making money from renting out rooms.
If you're going to stay with UNITE, I would advise you to:
- Note ANY damage that's not on the check-in inspection form and report it to them ASAP. They will happily charge you for damage that was there when you moved in! You might want to take pictures of the place when you move in.
- Keep copies of all inspection forms: you might need them later.
- Communicate with them by e-mail, so you can keep track of what's been said (because they won't!).
- Take up meditation.
- For those of you doing business degrees: be grateful for getting a free course in "How not to run a business."
Hi
(edited 11 years ago)
treasureBelle
Unite are pretty crap tbh.
Some of my friends live in Unite accommodation here in Aberdeen, and they're always telling me how awful it is. £20 charge for a lockout, and totally screw people over when it comes to inspections - my friends have left the place in better condition than they found it too.
One of my friends is glad he lives on the ground floor on his side, so he can go outside and clean his window before he leaves.
Some of my friends live in Unite accommodation here in Aberdeen, and they're always telling me how awful it is. £20 charge for a lockout, and totally screw people over when it comes to inspections - my friends have left the place in better condition than they found it too.
One of my friends is glad he lives on the ground floor on his side, so he can go outside and clean his window before he leaves.
I'm kean to hear what your friends have been saying about Unite in Aberdeen.. I'm starting this year and have opted for the old fire station in Aberdeen... any reviews? or know anyone i can talk to?
I stayed with Unite in Aberdeen last year, at Hillhead Halls and hugely regret doing so! £120 a week is a lot of money for the scant quality of service you actually get and is not worth the way you are treated by Unite.
There were never any Unite staff in the office if you had any problems or queries. On a couple of occasions, when the fire alarm went off in the early hours of the morning (which, in the Unite buildings, happened very often) us groggy students, in the cold and in our pyjamas, were shouted at by a severe-looking woman in a police-esque security uniform (Who we later nicknamed 'Supercop' - she was obviously unhappy with her security woman status). On another occasion, after some students placed wine bottles up and along the stairs, Unite pushed a letter through the door of every flat in the block informing us that, for cleaning up the bottles, they were going to charge us £200 per flat. In a block of 8 flats, this would have made Unite £1600 for cleaning up 30 bottles!
The charges they place upon you at the end of the year are excessive and disproportionate. If you stay with Unite there is no way you will get your security deposit back. Some friends of mine were charged over £600 each at the end of the year!
Damage to your key card, which will happen within the first 6 months as they are not that durable, will result in a £20 charge for its replacement. I myself was charged £10 simply because they claimed there was "1x Black Bag" left in my room. When I asked about it they couldn't seem to give me any more specific information, they couldn't tell me what was in the bag or what sort of bag it was. They also charged me £12 for a paper mattress cover, which was never under any circumstances going to last a full year. I thought this was a free item when I arrived, it was only when I saw the breakdown of my charges at the end of the year that I realised I'd been charged for it - word of advice, leave the thing in the packet in a drawer, don't use it unless you're willing to pay £12 for it!
I was also charged £100 for a mattress. Unite had decided that the mattress I had had to use that year, complete with broken springs and cigarette burns, was fine for me to use but now it was in a 'condition unsuitable' for the next tenant.
In short, it would be better value for money just to rent accommodation from a private landlord. You can avoid the hassle, harassment and penalty charges that Unite continue to deal out to growing numbers of students each year.
There were never any Unite staff in the office if you had any problems or queries. On a couple of occasions, when the fire alarm went off in the early hours of the morning (which, in the Unite buildings, happened very often) us groggy students, in the cold and in our pyjamas, were shouted at by a severe-looking woman in a police-esque security uniform (Who we later nicknamed 'Supercop' - she was obviously unhappy with her security woman status). On another occasion, after some students placed wine bottles up and along the stairs, Unite pushed a letter through the door of every flat in the block informing us that, for cleaning up the bottles, they were going to charge us £200 per flat. In a block of 8 flats, this would have made Unite £1600 for cleaning up 30 bottles!
The charges they place upon you at the end of the year are excessive and disproportionate. If you stay with Unite there is no way you will get your security deposit back. Some friends of mine were charged over £600 each at the end of the year!
Damage to your key card, which will happen within the first 6 months as they are not that durable, will result in a £20 charge for its replacement. I myself was charged £10 simply because they claimed there was "1x Black Bag" left in my room. When I asked about it they couldn't seem to give me any more specific information, they couldn't tell me what was in the bag or what sort of bag it was. They also charged me £12 for a paper mattress cover, which was never under any circumstances going to last a full year. I thought this was a free item when I arrived, it was only when I saw the breakdown of my charges at the end of the year that I realised I'd been charged for it - word of advice, leave the thing in the packet in a drawer, don't use it unless you're willing to pay £12 for it!
I was also charged £100 for a mattress. Unite had decided that the mattress I had had to use that year, complete with broken springs and cigarette burns, was fine for me to use but now it was in a 'condition unsuitable' for the next tenant.
In short, it would be better value for money just to rent accommodation from a private landlord. You can avoid the hassle, harassment and penalty charges that Unite continue to deal out to growing numbers of students each year.
I am warning anyone to run in the opposite direction when it come to Unite. They are they epithomy of incompetence. I am currently in a battle with them about the rediculous charges they have made to me and all my flatmates last year. They are a money grabbing company and the so called showrooms you may see are absolutely nothing like the actual flats. If you can't get out of your contract make sure that when you move in you make note and get proof of every scratch because I garantee you they will find a way to charge you for it.
I was staying in the unite leicester, newarke point.
I was staying in the unite leicester, newarke point.
HellyS90
I stayed with Unite in Aberdeen last year, at Hillhead Halls and hugely regret doing so! £120 a week is a lot of money for the scant quality of service you actually get and is not worth the way you are treated by Unite.
There were never any Unite staff in the office if you had any problems or queries. On a couple of occasions, when the fire alarm went off in the early hours of the morning (which, in the Unite buildings, happened very often) us groggy students, in the cold and in our pyjamas, were shouted at by a severe-looking woman in a police-esque security uniform (Who we later nicknamed 'Supercop' - she was obviously unhappy with her security woman status). On another occasion, after some students placed wine bottles up and along the stairs, Unite pushed a letter through the door of every flat in the block informing us that, for cleaning up the bottles, they were going to charge us £200 per flat. In a block of 8 flats, this would have made Unite £1600 for cleaning up 30 bottles!
The charges they place upon you at the end of the year are excessive and disproportionate. If you stay with Unite there is no way you will get your security deposit back. Some friends of mine were charged over £600 each at the end of the year!
Damage to your key card, which will happen within the first 6 months as they are not that durable, will result in a £20 charge for its replacement. I myself was charged £10 simply because they claimed there was "1x Black Bag" left in my room. When I asked about it they couldn't seem to give me any more specific information, they couldn't tell me what was in the bag or what sort of bag it was. They also charged me £12 for a paper mattress cover, which was never under any circumstances going to last a full year. I thought this was a free item when I arrived, it was only when I saw the breakdown of my charges at the end of the year that I realised I'd been charged for it - word of advice, leave the thing in the packet in a drawer, don't use it unless you're willing to pay £12 for it!
I was also charged £100 for a mattress. Unite had decided that the mattress I had had to use that year, complete with broken springs and cigarette burns, was fine for me to use but now it was in a 'condition unsuitable' for the next tenant.
In short, it would be better value for money just to rent accommodation from a private landlord. You can avoid the hassle, harassment and penalty charges that Unite continue to deal out to growing numbers of students each year.
There were never any Unite staff in the office if you had any problems or queries. On a couple of occasions, when the fire alarm went off in the early hours of the morning (which, in the Unite buildings, happened very often) us groggy students, in the cold and in our pyjamas, were shouted at by a severe-looking woman in a police-esque security uniform (Who we later nicknamed 'Supercop' - she was obviously unhappy with her security woman status). On another occasion, after some students placed wine bottles up and along the stairs, Unite pushed a letter through the door of every flat in the block informing us that, for cleaning up the bottles, they were going to charge us £200 per flat. In a block of 8 flats, this would have made Unite £1600 for cleaning up 30 bottles!
The charges they place upon you at the end of the year are excessive and disproportionate. If you stay with Unite there is no way you will get your security deposit back. Some friends of mine were charged over £600 each at the end of the year!
Damage to your key card, which will happen within the first 6 months as they are not that durable, will result in a £20 charge for its replacement. I myself was charged £10 simply because they claimed there was "1x Black Bag" left in my room. When I asked about it they couldn't seem to give me any more specific information, they couldn't tell me what was in the bag or what sort of bag it was. They also charged me £12 for a paper mattress cover, which was never under any circumstances going to last a full year. I thought this was a free item when I arrived, it was only when I saw the breakdown of my charges at the end of the year that I realised I'd been charged for it - word of advice, leave the thing in the packet in a drawer, don't use it unless you're willing to pay £12 for it!
I was also charged £100 for a mattress. Unite had decided that the mattress I had had to use that year, complete with broken springs and cigarette burns, was fine for me to use but now it was in a 'condition unsuitable' for the next tenant.
In short, it would be better value for money just to rent accommodation from a private landlord. You can avoid the hassle, harassment and penalty charges that Unite continue to deal out to growing numbers of students each year.
Erghhh im hearing this a lot from other forums on TSR that UNITE find any way possible to retain your security deposit... Looks like that any student like behaviour is frowned upon and charged accordingly... Why are they such knobs?! haha..
This 'supercop' you refer to sounds hilarious... considering im paying 123 per week at the eold fire station i'd probably just talk back to her saying í practically pay your salary, listen to me'. haha.. but im a cocky bastard so hey ho.
Ifmy matteress is as what yours was do i have a chance to complain before moving in so that they wont charge me at the end.. erghh i have no clue why they would want to retain this security deposit.. surely they are making massive profits from the high rent per week..
I wonder if they actually give you a sheetbreaking down the charges upon arrival? or is it very secretive so they hope you'll cock up and have to fork out?
aha.. im still looking forward to moving in my accomodation.. but i can see my landlord being a right **** the way these forums are going! haha x
I did make a complaint when I first moved in, but no one did anything. I've since made contact with Unite and contested the charge but now I've asked to obtain details of their industry regulator they've completely stopped contacting me!
You'll be fine with Unite, just be really clever about things i.e. take photos of your room as soon as you move in so you can make note of any faults and don't use the mattress cover! :P
Other than that, you'll have a wicked time in Aberdeen; the people are friendly and there's a good nightlife.
Best of luck
You'll be fine with Unite, just be really clever about things i.e. take photos of your room as soon as you move in so you can make note of any faults and don't use the mattress cover! :P
Other than that, you'll have a wicked time in Aberdeen; the people are friendly and there's a good nightlife.
Best of luck
HellyS90
I did make a complaint when I first moved in, but no one did anything. I've since made contact with Unite and contested the charge but now I've asked to obtain details of their industry regulator they've completely stopped contacting me!
You'll be fine with Unite, just be really clever about things i.e. take photos of your room as soon as you move in so you can make note of any faults and don't use the mattress cover! :P
Other than that, you'll have a wicked time in Aberdeen; the people are friendly and there's a good nightlife.
Best of luck
You'll be fine with Unite, just be really clever about things i.e. take photos of your room as soon as you move in so you can make note of any faults and don't use the mattress cover! :P
Other than that, you'll have a wicked time in Aberdeen; the people are friendly and there's a good nightlife.
Best of luck
sweeeet... well you in Aberdeen now?
I am living in another Unite flat atm.
Second year here and can tell you they charge for matreses every year, and try to tell the new people that it is essentially a welcome gift giving them a new one. This is not due to the staff on site!
Let me re-iterate that, IT IS NOT THE FAULT OF ON-SITE STAFF.
The people in the office will do anything withing their power if actions needs to be taken. The head of repairmen here doesnt hesitate to complete tasks. At one point he was leaving for the night and I asked him if he could sort a report the next day (the water had stopped), and he happily went to the room, then minutes later security were on the scene to check other flats. It was found to be a broken pipe due to drunken people thinking they were plumbers.
On the bad side there are quite some points within the first 24 hours:
Second year here and can tell you they charge for matreses every year, and try to tell the new people that it is essentially a welcome gift giving them a new one. This is not due to the staff on site!
Let me re-iterate that, IT IS NOT THE FAULT OF ON-SITE STAFF.
The people in the office will do anything withing their power if actions needs to be taken. The head of repairmen here doesnt hesitate to complete tasks. At one point he was leaving for the night and I asked him if he could sort a report the next day (the water had stopped), and he happily went to the room, then minutes later security were on the scene to check other flats. It was found to be a broken pipe due to drunken people thinking they were plumbers.
On the bad side there are quite some points within the first 24 hours:
•
Hole in wall
•
Very limited washing machines
•
Tiles loose in bathroom
•
the computer chair was worn within 5 hours to have the bolts coming through (I am a computing student)
•
No recycling and limited outside bins.
•
The bathroom tap was cracked and loose
•
The bathroom shelf for my razors etc was an unstable plastic one
•
Dodgy Drains so you cant shower for mroe than 4 minutes at a time without flooding.
•
A huge dent in the bathroom sink that is almost a hemisphere
•
Shower curtain had ink that came off and flaked onto people when it was wet
•
Bed feels weak and unsafe, as well as a matress that is "new" from the store room then you still feel the springs digging in.
•
Hoover didn't work, and had an inch of mould in the bucket part.
•
Toilet seat was cheap plastic like in public toilets
•
You can feel the Wood boards under your feet move as you walk, by atleast 2cm while creaking as you walk
•
Thin walls, can even hear the childish homesick flatmate crying to his dad on hte phone every night
•
Internet can randomly cut off, and the support is clueless, they think Linux is an internet browser.
•
Wind and moisture, as well as rotten stenches, comes through the closed window
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