A complete guide to living in Lancaster University Accommodation
We hope that you will enjoy your time in our accommodation. Take advantage of the facilities on offer and make the most of it! Please take the time to read through this handbook as it contains information that you will find useful during your stay, as well as what you should expect from us and what we expect of you.
The Agreement you accept is a legal contract between you and the University which lays out your obligations and the University’s obligations, so be sure to read the Terms and Conditions as well to fully understand your obligations.
We aim to provide you with a great collegiate experience and conform to both local and national standards.
Our accommodation is approved by the Universities UK Code of Practice, which aims to ensure that students enjoy good quality accommodation. The Code ensures that residents benefit from adherence to clear policies and procedures relating to health and safety, maintenance, the environment, contractual responsibilities, support services, antisocial behaviour and complaints. For more details see thesac.org.uk/the-code.
Lancaster University’s accommodation team have previously won the ‘Best Customer Service’ award at the National Student Housing Awards, as well as an outstanding achievement award from the University itself. Our accommodation was named ‘Best University Halls’ eight times in the annual National Student Housing Survey, which has now been superseded by the Global Student Living Index.
The University's own approval scheme sets the standard for property management and provision in the city, whether managed by us or the private sector. When you come to look for student accommodation throughout your time be sure to choose approved through Lancaster University Homes, and see our website for full details and the property list.
Our Accommodation Managers are responsible for the day-to-day management of the accommodation and are locally based in the colleges themselves. They can help you before you arrive and throughout your stay, with any aspects of the accommodation or life within it. You can find their email addresses and phone numbers on our contact details page.
Our accommodation is fully furnished but you will need to bring your own bedding, towels, cutlery, crockery, saucepans and toiletries. Toilet rolls are not provided in ensuite rooms, though there will be one there when you arrive. More details can be found on our accommodation site.
All study bedrooms are furnished with carpet and curtains or blinds. They contain a bed, desk and chair, shelving, wardrobe and waste bin. Most rooms have some storage space under the bed and above the wardrobe. Many of our single beds are now longer than average, at 2100mm, so make sure any fitted sheets you buy are big enough. All students are advised to use a mattress protector, as any stains would require the mattress to be replaced (which would be recharged to the occupant).
All communal kitchens contain fridges and freezers, but storage space is relatively limited so plan your shopping accordingly. There’s a cooker, microwave, kettle, iron and ironing board provided, and most kitchens have a toaster. We also provide you with a vacuum cleaner, plus a dustpan, brush, mop and bucket.
Please avoid sticking anything to walls, ceilings, windows or in corridors, and use white tac or pins as appropriate. Remember, you will be charged for making good any marks and damage to paintwork or furnishings.
Security is normally provided 24 hours a day during term-time by our team of College Porters, and overnight at Chancellor's Wharf. Cover may be reduced during vacations. In an emergency if you can't get hold of the Porter in your own College you can call the main Security Reception, on 01524 594541.
All mail is delivered to the Porters’ Lodge in your college. The Porter will hold any registered mail and parcels, and when your parcel is ready for collection you will receive an email to your university email address that will contain a QR code. You should present this email, along with the QR code to the porter when you go to collect your mail. Please use your full name as it is registered with the University rather than any aliases, and your full term-time address once you get here. Remember to check your mailbox and separate pigeon hole regularly as any uncollected mail is returned after ten days.
If you receive anything suspicious in appearance you should report it to the Porter, who will treat it as a security issue and deal with it accordingly. Please don’t arrange for any food shopping to be delivered to the Porters’ Lodge, either from supermarkets or online retailers. During vacations and other days when there is no portering cover, mail must be addressed to, and collected from the Security Reception (except Graduate College and Chancellor’s Wharf). Please check what arrangements are in place for vacations with your college.
Your accommodation fee includes insurance of your belongings up to £10,000, computers up to £2,500 and bicycles up to £400. You can view a full policy schedule, arrange additional cover if you choose, or make a claim on the Cover4Students website. Section 21 of the Terms and Conditions has more.
There are a wide variety of events on campus through the year, as well as numerous bars and eateries that cater to most tastes. Residents, non-resident students and their friends alike are welcome to get involved. Take a look at the Campus and Community pages for details of what's on offer and links to social channels.
Our accommodation is heated from 6.00am to 11.00pm in most areas, though not normally in the summer months when the ambient temperature is higher. See section 17.4 and 17.5 of the Terms and Conditions for more details.
Washing machines and dryers are not permitted in the accommodation (except in some campus flats), but there are seven 24-hour launderettes across campus and one at Chancellors Wharf. See section 17.9 of the Terms and Conditions for more.
If you require assistance with any of the appliances in your accommodation you can ask the Porter for help, or find manuals on the Facilities website.
You can read our Snow & Ice Policy in the Grounds section of the Facilities website.
You can normally collect your keys from 10.00am on the day your contract begins, and we’ll invite you by email to complete an online inventory for your room and any communal areas that you have access to soon after. Let us know about anything that’s missing or damaged so that we can fix anything that needs fixing and protect your deposit from any deductions when you leave. If you don’t complete the relevant inventories we will assume everything is okay.
For security reasons you should remove any key identification tags on arrival and re-attach it only when you leave. For security reasons you are not permitted to have copies of your keys made. If you lose them the Porter will let you in but you must contact your Accommodation Manager within two days to arrange for a new set. There is a charge for this, and for lost/damaged key fobs, which is considerably higher if we consider it necessary to replace your lock as well.
If you have an urgent problem at night or during the weekend, are taken ill or involved in an accident, contact your Porter, or Security direct on 01524 594541. The emergency services can be called by dialling 999.
If an emergency repair is required (and if you can’t access a computer), let your Porter know.
You can connect to the internet and IT network in your accommodation via eduroam Wi-Fi, or via the high-speed wired network using an ethernet cable.
Details of all the IT services available can be found in the Digital and IT section of ASK in your Portal.
Our accommodation with shared facilities enjoys a cleaning service on weekdays. Take a look at what's included with your accommodation, as well as reading about what we expect of you here.
Our technicians proactively look after the buildings and respond to any faults you may report through the year. You can find out how to report something and read about our planned maintenance programme here.
Life on campus has many advantages and our college communities should be a comfortable home for everyone. Be aware that everyone is different though and follow these basic principles to make for a harmonious experience.
Going to university is a challenging and exciting experience but some people will need to drawn on our support network for different reasons during the course of a year. Find out about health services, campus safety and student support here.
The University has an Emergency management Plan which covers a range of unforeseeable scenarios, from power outages and loss of mains water, to fires and terrorist activity. Here's what you can expect and how we will communicate with you.
We will email you an invoice shortly before you arrive and you can monitor your payments in the online payment portal. Accommodation Fees are payable termly in advance, and late payment without a valid reason agreed by your Accommodation Manager in advance will incur penalty charges.
Your contract is binding in its entirety even if you choose to leave early. Release from it may be possible if you withdraw or intercalate, or if you find a replacement that is acceptable to us. If you have other grounds you wish to be considered, talk to your Accommodation Manager about putting a case together.
Note that returning your keys does not mean the Agreement has ended.
Full details about your accommodation fees - including the due dates - can be found on your Agreement Summary, and in sections 7, 29-32, and Schedule Two of the Terms and Conditions. More information about contract releases can be found in sections 7.2, 7.3, 27 & 28.
Note that we are unable to offer accommodation to returning students in debt to the University.
Everyone's safety is of paramount importance to us, and our accommodation is built to a high safety specification. You have a number of responsibilities yourself as a resident, from cooking safely and keeping corridors clear, to not bringing dangerous items inside and taking each alarm activation seriously. Do familiarise yourself with all the information on our fire safety page.
Fire safetyThe University is committed to reducing its carbon footprint with a variety of initiatives that range from running our own wind turbine to energy saving contests between different accommodation blocks.
We encourage you to think about how your actions impact on the environment, and to save energy wherever you can.
Our kitchens are equipped with recycling bins that make it easy for residents to sort their rubbish in to streams that can be recycled. See our sustainability pages for more details.
Most colleges have secure bike storage for resident students - see your Accommodation Manager for access. There are further bike racks all over campus. For details about cycling in the area, the frequent bus services and car parking, take a look at our travel pages. Note that electric scooters and skateboards are not permitted on campus.
Travel
When you leave the accommodation you will need to leave it clean and tidy - as you found it - in order to protect your deposit. Be sure to clean and vacuum your room (including ensuite bathroom if you have one), and leave any communal areas clean and tidy.
You will normally need to have moved out, locked your room and returned the keys to the Porters’ Lodge by 10.00am on the last day of your contract. See section 15 of the Terms and Conditions for more.
Note that if you choose to leave early, you are still jointly responsible for any communal areas until the end of the contract.
Once you have gone, your room and communal areas will be checked by our team of inspectors. Where they find damage or loss not disclosed on your inventory, or if extra cleaning is required or rubbish left in your room or in communal areas, deductions will be made before your deposit is refunded. Any missing keys, tags and fobs, or lock changes required, will also be charged back to you.
Outside the period of your agreement, the University cannot provide storage space for your belongings. We recommend that you make appropriate arrangements for your belongings with a reputable storage company well in advance of the vacations. Any items left in rooms or shared areas after the contract has ended will be disposed of.
When you vacate the accommodation you will need to take all of your personal belongings with you, including those from the kitchen. Make sure that you take any rubbish and unwanted items to the relevant bin store or recycling point.
Green Lancaster operate a 'Don't ditch it, donate it' campaign where containers are delivered to campus and you can deposit anything useable - such as pots and pans, bedding and books - for somebody else to benefit from. Look out for communications about that towards the end of term.
Some rooms are available for students who wish to stay on campus during the summer vacation. The regulations covering vacation accommodation are the same as those for your normal room.
The minimum term for each booking is seven nights and you will need to pay for the booking before it commences, and bring the receipt to collect the keys.
We are unable to offer accommodation to students that are in debt to the University, have breached their obligations, or have been involved in disciplinary incidents.
See section 15 of the Terms and Conditions.
