Accommodation 09/10

[James Shield]

Returning students looking for accommodation for academic year 09/10 may find the following information helpful.

The online application process for halls of residence has now opened, and will close at 5pm on Friday 13th February 2009. The application form and related information can be found here (undergraduates) and here (postgraduates); information on residence fees for next academic year can be found here (undergraduates) and here (postgraduates).

Lists of available housing in the private sector will be released on the following dates (please confirm details with property agents, as these dates may have changed since this page was published):


Bradburne & Co, 139 South Street, St Andrews - List out mid-February

Delmor Lettings - Check Website - http://www.delmor.co.uk

Inchdairnie, 50 Argyle Street, - check website

Murray Donald Drummond Cook , 17 Bell Street, - List out 09.02.09

Premier Let, Largo Road, - List out 07.01.09

Pagan & Osborne, 106 South Street - List out 12.01.09

Rollo Davidson McFarlane, 6 Bell Street, - List out 20.1.09

St Andrews Property Letting, http://www.standys.co.uk - check website

Town and Gown, Bell Rock View, List out 5.1.09 - Email: townandgown@btinternet.com

Yeoman Properties - email: enquiries@yeomanproperties.co.uk


The Students' Association recommends that you have any tenancy lease checked over by an adviser before you agree to its terms or exchange money. To make an appointment for a lease check, please contact Eleanor Feltham (Accommodation Advocate at the Students' Association) on ef41@st-andrews.ac.uk or 01334 462700, or Joyce Lapeyre (Money Adviser at Student Support Services) on jl5@st-andrews.ac.uk 01334 462720.

We will also be launching our How To Rent campaign very shortly. This comprises a comprehensive guide to renting, as well as a survey of student opinion with regard to the management standards of local property agents. Watch out for updates over the next couple of weeks.

James Shield
Director of Representation
dorep@st-andrews.ac.uk

[Jono]

First time I've looked at the hall fees for two years. Forgive the profanity, but fuck me sideways!

[ct3012]

First time I've looked at the hall fees for two years. Forgive the profanity, but fuck me sideways!

And why do they still have Fife Park included on the list? I thought it was getting demolished next year?

[RandomMusings]

Can I just add to James' posting, that a number of properties are usually posted on the Find A Flat page found throughhttp://www.yourunion.net/howtorent - however, I will not be posting them until the exams are over.

You can find all our How to Rent information at the above website too, and as I posted in the 'Advice Please' Forum yesterday, it should be going live before the weekend (fingers crossed - revision pending!). I've also had word from our very helpful IT Services man that the survey should be up and running very soon too. I'll post back when I have further updates for y'all.

All the best for revision & t'exams to all!

Phil
SRC Accommodation Officer

[Frank]

First time I've looked at the hall fees for two years. Forgive the profanity, but fuck me sideways!

Indeed. £4800 for Chattan? Wha?!

[WashingtonIrving]

Remember when hall fees were cheap Frank? Back in my day..

[Frank]

Yeah, what was it for shared in Regs 04? £3200 odds £3400? Something like that...

I can't (or rather: don't) believe things have changed so much. I can see all the money is much better spent...

[Timata]

And why do they still have Fife Park included on the list? I thought it was getting demolished next year?

The uni sent out emails a month or so back, saying Fife Park is open next year - they've not yet secured funding and they have to build the replacement before they can knock it down. Inhabitants will however have the joy of building work going on two metres from their windows.

[What?]

How can the University justify a £700 odd increase in price for New Hall in just 2 years?! I was in there last year and I think the cost was about £5450 for the year, so how it can be north of £6100 next year is incredible

[Hennessy]

What about University managed accomodation, is that included?

[eagle]

How can the University justify a £700 odd increase in price for New Hall in just 2 years?! I was in there last year and I think the cost was about £5450 for the year, so how it can be north of £6100 next year is incredible

I've noticed that all my expenses have increased over the last two years. It now costs more to buy onions than it did in 2006-7, and petrol costs more too.

On top of inflation, you've got the increased gas and electricity bills, increased food costs, increased costs for refuse removal, recycling etc etc etc.
Seeing as all this works out as an increase of just £11 per week, that's not unacceptable.

[What?]

How can the University justify a £700 odd increase in price for New Hall in just 2 years?! I was in there last year and I think the cost was about £5450 for the year, so how it can be north of £6100 next year is incredible

I've noticed that all my expenses have increased over the last two years. It now costs more to buy onions than it did in 2006-7, and petrol costs more too.

On top of inflation, you've got the increased gas and electricity bills, increased food costs, increased costs for refuse removal, recycling etc etc etc.
Seeing as all this works out as an increase of just £11 per week, that's not unacceptable.

I appreciate this. But it seems somewhat above inflation - over 6% pa increase - at a time when people will be in less of a position to afford it. From my time in New Hall I think there should be personal energy meters and if your usage is extreme you should be billed - folk would just leave lights, televisions and computers on because they weren't paying for energy. Now I'm in a flat paying for power it has changed the way I live and would certainly do the same in halls.

It would probably stop someone I know hanging their ironing in the bathroom and putting the shower on full heat for 3 hours to let the creases fall out because the iron and board was *so* far away at the other end of the corridor.

[eagle]

My energy bills have doubled in the last three years. That's more than 6%.
I agree with the concept of energy meters, though I think that would be even more costly to implement. The University and Students' Association are running the annual energy competition - the hall that reduces their energy bill by the greatest percentage wins something like a thousand pounds. Is that not incentive enough?

[What?]

In my experience, again using New Hall as the example, nobody knows much or cares for the energy competition. On the one occasion I talked to friends about it the consensus was that due to individual rooms and individual showers New Hall didn't stand much of a chance. Whether this was the case or not I have no idea, but it certainly wasn't an incentive last year.

[Jono]

My energy bills have doubled in the last three years. That's more than 6%.
I agree with the concept of energy meters, though I think that would be even more costly to implement. The University and Students' Association are running the annual energy competition - the hall that reduces their energy bill by the greatest percentage wins something like a thousand pounds. Is that not incentive enough?

Spead around a hall of around 800(?) people, all paying top-tier rent, £1,000 is about as much incentive as a boiled sweet!

[eagle]

Boiled sweets for everyone then!

[Hennessy]

What about University managed accomodation, is that included?

[careba2010]

Good to see the silly queue season has started already, huge queue outside Pagan Osborne this morning.

[What?]

I walked past Pagan Osbourne at 8.30 last night and was close to being stabbed by somebody wrestling a popup tent. I chuckled and felt grateful for my continuing rent next year.

Really though, don't these people have exams to be studying for?

[starsandsparkles]

Really though, don't these people have exams to be studying for?

Yes, but "these people" also don't want to be homeless for the next academic year either.