Graduate Accommodation Tenant Handbook 2018/2019 - University ...
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Graduate Accommodation
Tenant Handbook
2018/2019
COPYRIGHT © The University of Oxford 2018
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form
or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the permission of the University
1 VAT Number GB 125 5067 30
WELCOME
We are pleased to offer you a place in
University graduate accommodation. We hope that
you enjoy your stay in your new home. This handbook
will provide you with some useful information regard-
ing your stay and tell you:
What you need to know before coming to Oxford
What to do on arrival
Essential information about living in University
accommodation
What you can expect from the service provided by
the Graduate Accommodation Office
What other services at the University are available
to assist and support you
There is further information on our website at:
www.admin.ox.ac.uk/graduateaccommodation
Or you can call us using the details on page 4.
Please visit our website at the address below to find
the locations of our Graduate Accommodation
properties: www.admin.ox.ac.uk/
graduateaccommodation/graduate/properties
The Graduate Accommodation Office is signed up to the Universities UK Accommodation Code of Practice.
Further details can be found here:
www.thesac.org.uk
2
Contact Details
Graduate Accommodation Office - contact us for all tenancy enquiries and any maintenance issues if you are
unable to contact your Caretaker.
Address: 4 Worcester Street, Oxford, OX1 2BX T: 01865 280923
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm E: graduate.accommodation@admin.ox.ac.uk
Caretakers - your first port of call should you need to report a maintenance problem. Working hours: Monday-
Thursday 8.30am to 4:45pm, Friday 9am to 4pm.
Alan Bullock Close, Court Place Gardens, and 32A Jack Straws Lane
Stephen Fraser ABC 13:45– 15:45 Monday to Thurs- T: 01865 724397 M: 07795963424
day, until 16:00 on Fridays
CPG– On site Mon, Weds and Fri 9:00-12:15 E: stephen.fraser@admin.ox.ac.uk
JSL– On site Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:00-12:15
Castle Mill
T: 01865 (2) 86021 M: 07739823361
Malcolm Lafford (Blocks A,B,C and H)
E: malcolm.lafford@admin.ox.ac.uk
T: 01865 (2) 86027 M: 07912998916
Steve Merry (Blocks D, E, F and Gatehouse 1)
E: stephen.merry@admin.ox.ac.uk
T: 01865 (2) 86023 M: 07740543955
Paul Fenwick (Blocks G-L and Gatehouses 2 and 3)
E: paul.fenwick@admin.ox.ac.uk
Cavalier Court and 6 St. John Street
M: 07766 384 889
Charlotte Hill
E: charlotte.hill@admin.ox.ac.uk
Summertown House
T: 01865 (2) 13663 M: 07771914010
Chris Shelton
E: chris.shelton@admin.ox.ac.uk
25 Wellington Square, 49 Banbury Road, Walton Street & 38/40 Woodstock Road
T: 01865 (2) 70221 M: 07766654702
Derrick Bloomfield
E: derrick.bloomfield@admin.ox.ac.uk
Others:
Security Services: T: 01865 272944
Able to assist should you have any Security concerns, you can also Emergency only: 01865 289999
contact them to report an emergency E: security.control@admin.ox.ac.uk
maintenance problem (for example, a major leak)
outside of your caretaker’s working hours W: www.admin.ox.ac.uk/ouss
Estates Finance (for queries regarding rent
E: accounts.graduateaccommodation@admin.ox.ac.uk
payments and utility bills)
Telephone: 01865 288463
Student Representative (OUSU VP Graduates) Email: vpgraduates@ousu.ox.ac.uk
3
CONTENTS Rules and Policies
Guests
Noise
14-15
14
Moving In 5-6 14
Parking 14
Signing your Tenancy Agreement 5
Pets 14
Collecting keys 5
Pictures and wall hangings
Inventory 6 15
Smoking
What to bring 6 15
Snow and ice
15
Surrender of tenancy
Maintenance and repairs 7-8
Local Amenities 16-17
Who to contact 7 Shops, banks, dry cleaners and laun- 16
Access 7 drettes
Target Standards of Service 7 Dentists, doctors and hospitals 17
Damage 7 Public transport 17
Condensation 8
Legionella Control 8
Student Support 18
Living in Graduate Counselling Service 18
Accommodation 9-13 Financial Aid 18
Study bedrooms 9
Student Advice Service 18
Studios, flats and houses 9
Rent and bills 9
Bikes 10 Emergencies, safety
Cleaning 10 and security 19-21
Communal areas 10 Security Services 19
Laundry 11 Lost keys 19
Post 12 Sexual Violence Response App 19
Telephone 12 Fire Safety 20
Television 12 Fire Prevention 21
Waste/recycling 12
Connecting to the internet 13 Breach of Tenancy
Agreement 22
Breach of tenancy 22
Fines for breach of tenancy 22
Moving Out 23-25
The checkout process 23-24
Leaving before or after 31 July 23
Leaving on 31 July 24
Charges for cleaning/damage 25
Return of deposit 25
4
MOVING IN
Step 1
Signing Your Tenancy
Agreement
Once you have paid your opening account in full,
the Graduate Accommodation Office team will Step 2
arrange an appointment for you to sign your tenan-
cy agreement at their offices at 4 Worcester Collecting Your Keys
Street.
You need to make an appointment with your
A sample Tenancy Agreement can be found on the Caretaker in order to collect keys/fobs for your
Graduate Accommodation Office website. property, giving at least 2 working days’ notice.
Please arrange this by emailing us at:
graduate.accommodation@admin.ox.ac.uk
You will need to sign this agreement before you
Please be aware that you cannot collect your keys
can collect your keys and move in.
before your Tenancy start date.
The Graduate Accommodation Office is open Arriving during working hours
Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, except on Bank
If you are arriving during working hours
Holidays (7 May & 28 May 2018), the period be-
(Monday – Friday, 9am to 5pm), arrangements
tween Christmas and New Year (24 December
will be made for you to collect your keys from
2018—2 January 2019), and over the Easter
the Caretaker at your accommodation.
weekend (18 April —22 April 2019).
Arriving out of working hours
In addition to the normal opening hours, there will
be a number of weekends leading up to the start of If you are arriving outside working hours or
Michaelmas term when the Graduate Accommoda- outside the scheduled open weekends, please let
tion Office will be open to allow you to check in. the Graduate Accommodation Office know at
Please see our website homepage for details. least 48 hours in advance, and we will try our
best to make alternative arrangements for
checking in.
Tenancy term
We ask all residents to sign a fixed-term
student tenancy agreement which is valid
until the end date specified in that
agreement.
The tenancy agreement will usually end at
12 noon on 31 July 2019.
For information about what to do if you
wish to leave earlier than your tenancy
end date, please see page 15
5
5
Step 3
Completing the Inventory
If you collect your keys during working
hours, where possible the Caretaker will:
Take you to your accommodation;
Take meter readings (where applicable) shortly
before you arrive – you will be able to verify It is important that you make sure all contents,
this with your Caretaker should you wish; any damage to contents, and the condition of the
Review the condition of the accommodation and accommodation is noted accurately on
the inventory with you, and make any necessary your inventory.
amendments before you both sign it;
The condition of your accommodation at the end
Give you a copy of the signed inventory for your
of your tenancy will be taken into account when
records – please make sure you keep it in a safe
calculating the amount of your deposit to be
place ready for the end of the tenancy.
refunded.
If you collect your keys outside of working
hours, the Caretaker will:
Leave an inventory in your accommodation for What do I need to bring?
you to sign or leave a note to go to the office to
allow them to introduce themselves. Please re- Bedding and linen including sheets, pillows,
duvet or blankets, towels and tea towels
turn this inventory to your caretaker at your
Cooking equipment including saucepans,
earliest convenience and they will give you a
cooking utensils, plates, glasses, mugs and
copy for your records; cutlery
Take meter readings (where applicable) prior to Cleaning materials and toiletries
your arrival;
Desk lamp
Make an appointment to verify your meter read-
ings (if applicable) with you, review the invento-
The electricity supply in the UK is 240 volts
ry with you and make any necessary amend- alternating at a frequency of 50 Hertz. You will
ments before you both sign it. need to check if your electrical items work at
this voltage and, if not, bring a
transformer. Plugs may also be dif-
ferent so you may need to purchase
an adapter plug.
Luggage
Unfortunately, we are unable to accept luggage
in advance of your arrival, as there is no storage
facility on any of our sites.
6
MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS
Who to contact
Please report all maintenance issues to your Caretaker in the first
instance.
If you are unable to contact your Caretaker, please get in
touch with the Graduate Accommodation Office. Our of-
fice opening hours are Monday-Friday, 09:00-17:00.
For out-of-hours repairs that cannot wait until the next
working day (for example major leaks or blocked toilets),
please contact Security Services – 01865 272944
Under no circumstances must you undertake or
arrange repairs yourself.
Target Standards of Service
Emergency Repairs
When there is serious danger to property or persons,
3 hours
for example major leaks, insecure windows or doors,
or complete loss of electrical supply.
Urgent Repairs
For example, loss of heating or hot water (may be up-
24 hours
graded to 3 hours for vulnerable groups), blockages to
appliances or sinks.
Routine reactive repairs – For example,
21 days
adjusting doors, leaking guttering.
Lifts—Repair to lift works will rely on the use of
specialised staff from the lift maintenance company.
28 days
The timescale for such repair can be difficult to predict
and may be dependent on the availability of parts.
If access is to your Damage to the Property
Please report any damage in your property to your
accommodation is required
Caretaker as soon as possible.
for repairs, you will be given Damage caused by the tenant or a guest or guests of
at least 24 hours’ notice the tenant may result in a charge for the costs of
(except in the case of repairing or replacing the damaged item.
The same applies to any damage to the University’s
emergencies).
furniture or contents.
7
7
Condensation
It is possible that condensation may build up in your accommodation, particularly on
windows and exterior walls. This can lead to damp and mould, so it is important to take
some preventative measures:
Ventilate - ensure that you regularly ventilate your accommodation to allow
dryer air to flow in from the outside and replace damp air inside;
If it is safe and secure to do so, leave the bedroom window ajar when sleeping;
Open the window when cooking/washing up;
Open windows for around half an hour per day;
If your window has trickle vents, ensure that these are open;
Avoid drying clothing on radiators inside—make use of the tumble dryers
provided in the laundry rooms;
Keep lids on pans when cooking to reduce the release of moisture into the air,
and only cook in the designated kitchen area;
If your bathroom has an extractor fan, keep it running for at least 20 minutes
after a shower;
Adjust your heating to ensure that your accommodation is adequately heated.
If you need any further advice, please contact your Caretaker who will be able to help.
Legionella Control
Legionella is a disease caused by bacteria that can be found in natural water sources.
Infection is transmitted by inhalation of bacterium in aerosol form.
In accordance with current legislation and good practice, we are required to carry out
water testing in your room or flat to monitor the quality of the water. Regular access
will be required to your accommodation to complete this. We will always give you no-
tice when this is going to happen.
8 8
LIVING IN GRADUATE
ACCOMMODATION
All properties are furnished. Types of accommodation
Your inventory will describe Study bedrooms
what constitutes the landlord’s furniture. Items of
furniture on the inventory should not be removed Single occupancy
from your accommodation. Shared kitchen and bathroom (unless ensuite)
Due to fire regulations, tenants are asked not to Utilities included in rent
bring any additional items of furniture into the prop-
erty. We recommend that all your personal belong- Self catering
ings are insured using contents insurance. Unfortu- Responsible for cleaning own room and ensuite
nately, there are no extra storage facilities available.
A note on shared kitchens
Rent
You will be allocated cupboard and shelving
Following the period covered by the opening account,
space to store food and personal belongings
rent should be paid via standing order from a UK bank
account. A standing order is an agreement between Please keep all of your personal items in your
yourself and your bank to make a payment to a third allocated area
party (in this case, the University) on a regular agreed Communal kitchens are visited by a cleaner at
date. This payment should be set up to go out on the least two times per week
first of the month and should include your unique
Kitchens are equipped with electric cookers,
property reference (provided in your offer letter). The fridge/freezers, microwaves and kettles
finance team will be in touch with instructions explain-
ing how this payment can be set up. Studios, flats & houses
Where rent is payable for days which do not form a full Self catering
calendar month, the rent payable for those days shall Fitted kitchens and bathrooms
be calculated on an annual daily basis.
Tenants responsible for cleaning including
For example, if your rent for a full calendar month is kitchens and bathrooms
£500, and your tenancy terminates on the 15th day of
Electricity not included in rent (tenants
the month, 15 days rent would be due. This would be
invoiced quarterly)
calculated as follows:
Court Place Gardens houses and Walton Street
(£500 x 12) ÷ 365 = £16.44 (daily rate). £16.44 x 15 maisonettes only - gas not included in rent
days = £246.58. (tenants invoiced quarterly)
Utility Bills
Tenants living in studios, flats or houses are billed quarterly on usage for electricity. Tenants living in
Court Place Gardens and Walton Street maisonettes are also billed for gas usage. These bills are sent as
paper invoices to the accommodation and can be paid via BACS, the online shop or by card over the
phone.
If you have any queries about bills or payment of rent, please contact the
9 9 finance team directly at: accounts.graduateaccommodation@admin.ox.ac.uk
Access
All tenants will be provided with a key or fob to access the main entrance of the accommodation, and a
key or fob to access individual rooms or flats. Caretakers have spare keys in the event of loss or damage.
These can be issued at an additional cost. Please see page 18 for details.
Bicycles Communal Areas
Secure bicycle storage is available at all Graduate Areas where residents and guests can meet
Accommodation sites. Please store your bicycle in communally
the storage shelters provided and make sure that
the shelter is locked. Do not store bicycles in hall- Castle Mill
ways, corridors, common areas or in the accom- Block A
modation itself. Gatehouse 1 (includes child’s play area)
Tenants are required to provide their own locks Gatehouse 2
and chains for securing bicycles. Gatehouse 3 (includes table tennis table)
Please contact Security Services to enquire about Summertown House
the cycle registration scheme, discounted D-locks
Mansion House
and anti-crime tips for bicycles (see page 3). Castle
Mill have their own bike registration scheme so Court Place Gardens
please speak to your Caretaker. Mansion House (includes table tennis table)
The University does not take any responsibility for 32a Jack Straws Lane
any damage or theft which may take place and Kitchen/Dining area
bicycles are not covered by any University
insurance policy. We recommend that you include Cleaning
your bicycle in your contents insurance cover,
Each tenant is responsible for cleaning
which you will need to arrange for all of your be-
within their flat, room or house.
longings.
At the start of your tenancy you are
charged a £40 Sparkle Clean fee. The
Sparkle Clean is intended to ensure
that all accommodation is brought up to the
same standard for new tenants. It is important
that your accommodation is cleaned throughout
your stay to avoid cleaning charges at the end of
your tenancy.
For those in accommodation with shared kitch-
en facilities, cleaners will attend the communal
Pool Bikes kitchens a minimum of twice a week. Tenants
In conjunction with Cycle Land, there are free to should nonetheless ensure that they keep the
use pool bikes available for booking at Castle Mill kitchen clean and tidy between visits for the
and Summertown House. More details can be benefit of other residents.
found here: Please note that Oxford is a hard water area,
Castle Mill - http://www.cycle.land/castlemill/ which can result in a build-up of lime scale
how-it-works/ which requires cleaning with appropriate prod-
ucts. Further advice is available from your
Summertown House - http://www.cycle.land/ Caretaker.
summertownhouse/
10Laundries
Circuit Laundry Laundry View
Circuit Laundry provide and maintain the laundry The ‘Laundry View’ service is available at Alan
facilities at the following sites: Bullock Close, Summertown House, Court
Place Gardens and Castle Mill - https://
www.circuit.co.uk/i-want-to-do-my-laundry/
Alan Bullock Close, laundry-view/
Court Place Gardens,
Summertown House,
Castle Mill,
132/133 and 140 Walton Street
The cost of a wash across all sites is £2.10 and the
price of a dry is £1.00 This service allows you to view live infor-
mation about the usage status of the machines,
so that you can check that a machine is free
For more information about
before leaving your accommodation. It also
Circuit, please see their website:
shows usage statistics for the previous 2
https://www.circuit.co.uk/ weeks, so that you are able to identify times
that the laundry is less busy, and can plan your
visit accordingly
If you experience any maintenance issues with the Circuit laundries, please contact
Circuit by telephone on:
0800 0924068 or 01422 820026
or by filling out an online fault report form, available here:
https://www.circuit.co.uk/machine-faults-and-breakdowns/
Graduate Accommodation - provided
Laundry
Laundry facilities at 38-40 Woodstock Road, 134-138 Walton Street
Maisonettes, 139, 143, 146 and 148 Walton Street, Cavalier House
and 32A Jack Straws Lane are managed and maintained directly by the
Graduate Accommodation Office.
If you experience any maintenance issues with these machines, please contact:
graduate.accommodation@admin.ox.ac.uk / 01865 280923
11 11Waste &
Recycling Television
If you watch, stream or record live
Bin stores are provided at each accommodation television in your property (whether
site. through a television or via the internet), or you
watch programmes using BBC iPlayer, you must
Please note that residents are required to
recycle where recycling bins are provided. acquire a TV licence. For more information on how
to obtain a licence, please visit
Blue bins www.tvlicensing.co.uk, call the general enquiry
line on 08705 763763 or visit a Post Office. Please
Recyclable materials such as paper, card, glass
note that students are not permitted to install sat-
bottles and jars, aerosols, foils, tins and cans, car-
ellite dishes or external aerials on University prop-
tons and plastic bottles.
erty or arrange cable television connections.
Green bins
The common room at Summertown House Man-
Non-recyclable waste that will be sent straight to
sion is covered by a television licence.
landfill.
Red bins Post
Food waste only (currently only available only at There is no University internal mail
Castle Mill, Summertown House and Alan Bullock delivery to any of our sites.
Postal arrangements are as follows:
Close).
Alan Bullock Close
An interior food caddy is provided for each
communal kitchen and self-contained flat. Larger Mail delivered to flats
external red food waste bins are positioned Castle Mill
throughout the site. Only food waste should be Mail delivered to flats or main cluster door
placed in the food bins.
Cavalier House
Waste from rooms should be taken directly to the
external bin store rather than being placed in Mail delivered to individual boxes (large letter
communal kitchen bins or bins in other areas. size only)
Court Place Gardens
British Heart Foundation bins can be found at
Castle Mill, Summertown House and Alan Mail delivered to houses
Bullock Close. These are used to collect Walton St, Banbury Rd & Woodstock Rd, 6 St
donations of any unwanted items, such as clothing John Street
or electrical items, which are then sold on to raise
Mail delivered to houses
funds for the charity. They are unable to accept
bedding. Summertown House
For advice on disposing of unwanted items, such Mail delivered to flats or main cluster door
as rice cookers, kettles or pots and pans, please 25 Wellington Square, 32A Jack Straw’s Lane
contact your Caretaker.
Mail delivered to central mail box and distributed
Telephone
Telephone lines are not provided at any Please note parcel deliveries cannot be
of our sites except in the units at Castle accepted as there is no one on site authorised to
Mill and Summertown House that are designed take delivery. Tenants should enquire with their
specifically for disabled tenants. college or department as to whether they can
accept parcels on their behalf.
12Reporting problems with your Internet
Connecting to the
Connection
Internet Step 1: Re-set your router using the instructions provided.
Step 2: If the reset does not fix the problem, please report
All accommodation has internet access it either to your Caretaker or the Graduate Accommoda-
tion Office.
provided, with the exception of the Court
When reporting your connection problem, please provide
Place Gardens Houses, where residents need to
the following information:
arrange their own connection.
Your OXFORD Single Sign On (SSO) username:
At sites where internet is provided, you will Contact email & Telephone number:
find a router in your accommodation that can Site / Building / Room:
be connected using the instructions provided. How you are connecting: wireless/wired?
Please note that an active Single Sign On ac- Are there 4 leds lit green on your router?
count is required for access to the internet. Have you setup your Remote Access account password?
This will then be passed to the IT Systems Administrator,
Wireless Connection FAQs who will try to assist you as soon as possible.
Who can use the connection The only people permitted to use the connection in the flat are those
in my flat? living in it. Ultimate responsibility for the service and all activity on the
connection lies with the named tenant.
What can I use the service The network is intended primarily for academic purposes but the rea-
for? sonable and limited use of the network for social and recreational pur-
poses is acceptable for tenants. All use must meet the University
regulations and policies which apply to all University ICT
facilities. For details, see: www.it.ox.ac.uk/oxford/rules
Can I turn off the router Yes. It is fine to turn the router off if you do not want to use it for a
overnight/whilst I am out? period of time. Simply press the ON/OFF button.
What if I have more than The router has a built in switch with 3 yellow ports capable of
one wired device? connecting 3 wired devices. If you need to connect more devices, you
are advised to purchase a 100Mbit switch.
Where can I get more Network cables (sometimes labelled as UTP, cat 5 or cat5e) are
network cables from? available from IT Services on Banbury Road, or local retailers.
Can I use my own router or You can use your own router provided it is compatible, however, we
wireless hardware? cannot provide helpdesk support for 3rd party routers. Unfortunately,
wireless hardware such as repeaters or wireless base stations are not
allowed as they contravene the Oxford University regulations.
Can I use the WPS button? At the moment, no. Please do not use this button on the back. Pressing
the button for more than 3 seconds will reset the device to factory
defaults and you will lose all network connectivity.
I am due to leave my When leaving your accommodation, simply reset the router by holding
accommodation, what in the reset button for 10 seconds with a paper clip until all of the lights
should I do? come on. This will wipe your logon credentials from the device.
13
13RULES AND POLICIES
Guests
Study bedrooms and studios: Overnight guests may stay for a maximum of three nights in any week.
Flats and houses: Short term guests may stay for up to 3 nights without requiring permission from the
Graduate Accommodation Office.
A longer term guest with a stay of up to 3 months will require permission in advance from the Graduate
Accommodation Office.
A family member may be able to stay for the entire term if permission is granted by the Graduate
Accommodation Office. If you require a family member to live with you, please let us know as soon as
possible.
When seeking permission from the Graduate
Accommodation Office you will need to provide
the following information:
Full name/s of visitors;
Relationship to tenant;
Passport number/s;
Arrival and departure date/s;
Proof of identification for the guest.
If permission is granted for a longer term guest, this permission relates only to the guest named in your
application and this permission cannot be used interchangeably for other guests.
Please note that a guest is only permitted to stay if you are present in your property. Resi-
dents are not permitted to sublet their room or flat, or accept payment from any guests in
respect of their stay at your property.
Noise Pets
We ask you to be considerate of other residents. We have a no pet policy, unless a pet is
Noise levels should be kept to a minimum at all required in relation to a registered
times, especially between 10.00 pm and 7.00 am. health concern, disability or other exceptional
circumstances. Full details of the policy, along
Please note that at Cavalier House no noise should with a form to apply for a pet licence, can be
be made that can be heard outside of the property found on the Graduate Accommodation website.
after 10.00 pm.
Parking
Limited parking is available to residents at the following sites (permits required):
• Alan Bullock Close, Court Place Gardens and Summertown House
No parking is available at:
Castle Mill, Cavalier House, Wellington Square, Walton Street, 40 Woodstock Road and 49
Banbury Road, 6 St John Street or 32a Jack Straws Lane.
Where parking is available, parking permits can be obtained from the site Caretaker and are issued ac-
cording to the parking policy, full details can be found on the Graduate Accommodation website.
14Smoking
Smoking of any substance is not permitted in your accommodation or anywhere on
our sites except in designated smoking areas.
This includes cigarettes, e-cigarettes, pipes (including shisha and Hookah water pipes),
cigars and herbal cigarettes.
Where you or your guests are identified as smoking in your accommodation or out of a window at your
accommodation, you will be required to pay a charge of £50.00. This is also a breach of your tenancy
agreement.
For advice on the location of designated smoking areas, please contact your Caretaker.
Pictures and other wall hangings
To prevent damage, we ask that you do not use blue tac, sellotape, drawing pins or
any other fixings on any walls or doors.
Rails and pin boards are provided in your accommodation.
Snow and ice
If weather temperatures are due to drop to 0ºC or below, Caretakers will aim to
grit pathways within the grounds of the student residences where required, for
example, steps, sloped areas and footpaths outside the immediate vicinity of
student residences.
Caretakers will also review the conditions during the day and supplement the
laying of grit if problems present themselves (weekdays only).
For out-of-hours (in particular during the Christmas closed period), Security Services will contact the
gritting contractor to arrange gritting and snow clearance as per the priority clearance routes.
Surrender of tenancy
Tenancy agreements are usually offered on a fixed-term basis until 31 July. You will be liable for the
rent and other outgoings for the entire length of this agreement.
Should you wish to apply to leave your tenancy early, you will need to fill out an Intention to Leave
form, available on our website here: http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/graduateaccommodation/
current%20tenants/surrenderingtenancy/
Unless you have exceptional extenuating circumstances, the University will agree to an early surrender
only where a replacement tenant is found. The replacement tenant must be a student of the University
of Oxford.
Any tenant wishing to apply to surrender their tenancy agreement early must give the University 28
days advanced notice of the date that they wish to surrender.
Where a replacement tenant is not found, the tenant will be held liable for the rent for a maximum of
3 months following their preferred surrender date.
There is an administration fee of £75 to complete the surrender of tenancy.
For full details of the Surrender Policy, please see our website here: http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/
15 15 graduateaccommodation/current%20tenants/policies/LOCAL
Grocery shops
AMENITIES Town Centre
Pharmacies Tesco, Magdalen St, Oxford, OX1 3AD &
159-161 Cowley Rd, Oxford, OX4 1UT
Boots Pharmacy
6-8 Cornmarket Street, Sainsbury’s, Westgate Shopping Centre, 21 West-
Oxford gate Link Bridge, Oxford, OX1 1NZ
Rowlands Pharmacy
Nearest to Castle Mill/Walton St/
1 Henley Avenue, Oxford OX4 4DH
49 Banbury Rd
Lloyds Pharmacy
116 Walton Street, Oxford, OX2 6AJ Londis, 81 Walton St, Oxford, OX2 6EA
Dry Cleaners Co-op, 42 Walton St, Oxford, OX2 6AD
Lung Wah Chong, 41-42 Hythe Bridge St, Oxford,
Excel Drycleaners
OX1 2EP
Oxfam House, 274 Banbury
Rd, Oxford OX2 7DY Tel: 01865 511 773 Aldi, Botley Rd Retail Park, Oxford, OX2 0HA
Convenience store 929, 75 Banbury Rd, Oxford,
Elite OX2 6PE
27 New Inn Hall St, Oxford, OX1 2DH
Tel: 01865 204 116 Waitrose, 110-120 Botley Rd, Oxford, OX2 0HH
Wash & Sew Nearest to Alan Bullock Close
42 St Clement’s St, Oxford, OX4 1AG Tel: Cost Cutter, 7-9 Old Marston Rd, Oxford, OX4 1JE
01865 790 888
Tesco, 159-161 Cowley Rd, Oxford, OX4 1UT
Laundrettes Sainsbury’s, Waynflete Building, 1-8 St. Clements
A1 St, Oxford, OX4 1DS
37 South Parade, Summertown, Oxford OX2
7JN. 01865 515590 Nearest to Court Place Gardens
Coinwash Sainsbury’s, Heyford Hill, Oxford, OX4 4XR
127 Cowley Road (opposite the end of James The Co-operative Food, 74 Rose Hill, Oxford
Street), Oxford OX4 1HU.
OX4 4HS
Laundrette
121 Botley Road, Oxford OX2 0HD Nearest to Summertown House
Summertown Shops - includes Tesco Express,
Banks Sainsbury’s, Co-operative and Marks & Spencer -
Barclays Bank Banbury Rd, OX2 7HN
54 Cornmarket St, Oxford, OX1 3HB
Tel: 0845 755 5555 Department Stores
Co-op Bank For bedding, pots, pans, cutlery and crockery, etc.:
13 New Road, Oxford, OX1 1LG
Boswells, 1-4 Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3AG
Tel: 01865 244010
M&S, 13-18 Queen Street, Oxford, OX1 1AB
Natwest Bank
32 Cornmarket St, Oxford, OX1 3ES Debenhams, Magdalen Street, Oxford, OX1 3AA
Tel: 0345 788 8444 Argos, New Inn Hall Street, Oxford, OX1 2RP
16Hospital Public Transport
The nearest hospital with an Accident and Emergen- A number of local public transport facilities
cy department is the John Radcliffe Hospital, operate close to our accommodation. Numerous
Headley Way, Headington Oxford, OX3 9DU. bus services operate around the city and Oxford
Tel: 01865 741166. railway station operates mainline train services to
and from London, Reading and Manchester. Please
Doctors see the below links for further information:
28 Beaumont Street, Oxford OX1 2NP, Bus services: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/
Tel: 01865 311811 www.28beaumontstreet.co.uk public-site/timetables-and-bus-services
King Edward Street Medical Practice, 9 King Train services: www.nationalrail.co.uk
Edward St, Oxford, OX1 4JA, Tel: 01865 242657 Journey planning: www.traveline.info
www.kingedwardstreetsurgery.co.uk
Bicycle Routes
The Manor Surgery, Osler Road, Headington,
There are numerous dedicated cycle
Oxford OX3 9BP, Tel: 01865 762535
routes within Oxford. Cycle maps can be found on
www.manorsurgeryoxford.co.uk
the Oxfordshire County Council website:
Bury Knowle Health Centre, 207 London Road, www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/content/cycle-map
Headington, Oxford OX3 9JA, Tel: 01865 761651
The Sustrans website contains useful information
www.buryknowle.org
on the national cycling network:
Jericho Health Centre, New Radcliffe House, www.sustrans.org.uk/ Tel: 0117 926 8893.
Walton Street, Oxford, Walton Street, Oxford,
OX2 6NW, Tel: 01865 429993 Taxi Services
www.gpjerichotwo.co.uk ABC Radio Taxis— 01865 242 424
001 Taxis— 01865 240 000
St. Clements Surgery, St Clements Street, 39
Temple Street, Oxford, OX4 1JS, Tel: 01865 Royal Cars—01865 777 333
248550 www.nhs.uk/Services/GP/Overview Park and Ride
Dentists There are a number of park and
ride schemes which operate in
You can find a comprehensive list of
Oxford. For more information, please see the
local NHS dentists by visiting:
Oxfordshire County Council website:
www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/Dentists/
www.oxford.gov .uk/PageRender/decTS/
LocationSearch
ParkandRideLocations.htm
St John’s Dental Practice, 25 St.John St, Oxford,
Further information on the locations of
OX1 2LH. Tel: 01865 515967
departments and colleges, as well as transport
www.stjohndentalpractice.co.uk
within the city of Oxford, can be found in the
Temple Street Dental Practice, 26 Temple St, following link: www.ox.ac.uk/visitors_friends/
Oxford, OX4 1JS. Tel: 01865 922111 maps_and_directions/index.html
www.templedental.co.uk
Iffley Dental, 2 Rose Hill, Iffley, OX4 4HS,
Tel: 01865 777648.
Westbridge Dental Practice, 127 Pound Way,
Templars Square, Oxford, OX4 3XH,
Tel: 01865 771729.
Davies and Davies Dental Practice,
27 Oakthorpe Road, Oxford, OX2 7BD
17 17
Tel: 01865 515755.STUDENT SUPPORT
Counselling Service Contact details
The Oxford University Counselling In person 3 Worcester Street, Oxford, OX1 2BX
Service offers free and confidential
support to students. Telephone 01865 270300
Email counselling@admin.ox.ac.uk
Website www.ox.ac.uk/students/welfare/counselling
Financial Aid
Information about what to do if you are
experiencing financial difficulty, is
available online:
www.ox.ac.uk/students/fees-funding/
assistance/hardship
The Student Advice Service are also able to
provide tailored advice and offer assistance .
Contact details
Student Advice 4 Worcester Street, Oxford, OX1 2BX
Service In person Opening hours: Mondays 10am-12pm and
Wednesdays 12pm-2pm
The Student Advice Service is an
advice and advocacy service provided Telephone 01865 288466
by the Oxford University Students
Union and is available exclusively to
Email advice@ousu.org
University of Oxford students.
Website www.ousu.org/advice/student-advice-service
18EMERGENCIES, SAFETY
AND SECURITY
Oxford University Security Lost Keys and Lockouts
Services are operational 24 hours a day, Replacement keys/fobs/access cards are charged
365 days a year. at £20.00. If you lock yourself out of your
They are available to help with out-of-hours property in normal working hours please contact
(between 4.30pm - 8.30am Monday to Friday your Caretaker.
and weekends) emergencies such as: Out of normal working hours, please call Security
Out of hours maintenance (emergency Services on 01865 272944 but please note that you
only) will be charged £25.00 per call out. If you are
locked out due to a lost key, the £20.00
Security issues
replacement charge will also be due.
If you are locked out of your accommoda-
tion (please note that there will be a £25.00
charge for attending lock-outs)
Security Services contact information
Please remember, in a life-threatening emergency call
the emergency services by dialling 999
Emergency telephone 01865 289999
General enquiries 01865 272944
Website www.admin.ox.ac.uk/ouss
Sexual Violence
First Response App
We would like to draw your attention to an ex-
cellent resource which has been developed by the
Oxford Student Campaign “It Happens Here”
with funding from the University’s IT Innovation
Challenges. The First Response App provides
survivors of sexual violence and friends of
survivors with information about optional ways
Securing your property to respond, essential knowledge about support
resources, critical contact details, and answers to
For tips on securing your property and other
frequently asked questions. Information on
safety tips, please read the information on the
downloading the app and how to view it online
Security Services website
can be found here: www.firstresponseoxford.org
19
19 18Fire Safety
Each property has a fire alarm
Fire Alarm
system. Smoke detectors are very sensitive so please be Testing
careful when cooking. Smoke, fire and heat detection
systems are programmed to a higher level of sensitivity Fire alarms are test-
between 10pm and 7am and particular care must be taken ed weekly. Please check with your
if any cooking is carried out at this time. Caretaker for the test times and
You must not cover any smoke alarm or tamper with dates.
it in any way.
Fire doors must be kept shut at all times.
Fire blankets are provided in each kitchen.
Fire notices are provided in all properties.
In the event of a fire being discovered, tenants should The University takes any misuse or
immediately activate the fire alarm system by tampering with any fire safety
breaking the glass on one of the emergency call equipment, or any deliberate false
points. alarms, very seriously as this could
If the fire alarm sounds, please leave your property endanger you and others.
immediately and assemble at the Fire Assembly Point,
as advised in the fire safety notice in your property.
If you are in the room where the fire is, tell all of Any of these could result in costs
those with you in the accommodation about the fire arising from this misuse being
and leave straight away, and close the door behind charged to you.
you. Do not attempt to put out the fire.
Tenants should not attempt to gather any personal
Any such actions would also con-
belongings prior to evacuating the building.
stitute a breach of your tenancy
Do not use the lift. agreement.
When the fire alarm is activated the main doors will
open to allow emergency services to gain access.
In order to comply with Fire Safety Regulations,
personal belongings should not be left in corridors.
20Fire Prevention
For your own safety and others please:
ensure the correct amps and plugs do not leave cooking unattended;
are used for electrical equipment; do not heat up large amounts of oil;
keep cookers, ovens and grill pans do not smoke within the buildings;
clean;
do not use candles or incense sticks;
do not place hot pans on work sur-
do not overload plug sockets – most
faces, unless on heatproof stands
(damage to unprotected work surfaces UK plug sockets are 240v;
can be costly to repair and may result in do not store items in gas or electric
charges to the tenant); meter cupboards.
You can avoid overloading sockets Check regularly for the following
and risk of fire by following this sim- danger signs:
ple advice: A smell of hot plastic or burning near an
appliance or socket;
When using an extension lead check the current
rating of the extension lead before plugging appli- Sparks or smoke coming from a plug or
ances into it. Most extension leads are rated at 13A, appliance;
but some are rated at only 10A or less - the rating Blackness or scorch marks around a socket
should be clearly marked on the back or underside or plug, or on an appliance;
of the extension lead; Damaged or frayed leads;
Never overload an extension lead by plugging in Coloured wire inside leads showing at the
appliances that together will exceed the maximum plug or anywhere else;
current rating stated for the extension lead. This Melted plastic on appliance casings or leads;
could cause the plug in the wall socket to overheat; Fuses that blow or circuit-breakers that op-
erate for no obvious reason.
only use one socket extension lead per socket
and never plug an extension lead into another ex-
For an indication of the current ratings of
tension lead;
commonly-used domestic appliances, please
Use a multi-way bar extension lead rather than see the following website:
a block adaptor. www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/guides-and-
advice/electrical-items/amps-and-watts
21
21BREACH OF TENANCY
AGREEMENT
If the University has reason to believe that you are in breach of your Tenancy Agreement, then we
reserve the right to take any of the following steps that may be appropriate in the circumstances:
Warning from your Caretaker - this would be The University takes all health and safety
the usual procedure for a minor, breaches such as covering or tampering with
non-persistent breach of the Tenancy smoke alarms seriously, particularly where
Agreement. We hope that in most cases an these could endanger life. Any charges made
informal warning from the Caretaker will for call outs resulting from such breaches will
usually be sufficient to address the issue. be charged to the tenants in breach.
Formal warning from the Graduate
Further legal action - where appropriate, we
Accommodation Office - this takes the form
of a formal letter or email setting out the may pass your file to our Legal Services de-
alleged breach of tenancy and confirming the partment and ask them to consider whether
steps that should be taken to remedy this. taking court proceedings with a view to evic-
tion would be appropriate. This option is usu-
Communication with your College - where ally only used for serious or persistent breach-
appropriate, we may contact your College es of the Tenancy Agreement, or where there
to let them know that you have breached is any concern for the health and safety of
your Tenancy Agreement and/or to let yourself or any other individual.
them know that further action may need to
be taken.
A breach could potentially affect the granting of a new Tenancy Agreement. This is set out in our
‘qualifying criteria’ policy, which is available to view on our website:
http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/graduateaccommodation/policies
The following charges represent the University’s
proper and reasonable administrative costs in
managing breaches of the no smoking policy and
call-outs relating to heat/ smoke detectors and fire Should you need any support through any
alarms. This list is not exhaustive. disciplinary proceedings the OUSU’s Student
Advice Service; advice@ousu.ox.ac.uk
Description Charge would be happy to help.
Attending to heat or smoke detectors which
£50
have been tampered with or removed
If you are unhappy with any action taken
under this procedure, please refer to our
Breach of the No Smoking requirement £50 complaints procedure which is available on
the Graduate Accommodation website.
Attending fire alarm call outs due to the fault of
£50
the tenant
22The Check-Out Form
MOVING OUT During your check-out appointment you will
need to complete a Check-Out Form, which
In accordance with your Tenancy Agreement we
provides us with a forwarding email and postal
ask all tenants to check out by 12 noon on the
address, and your debit card details. This will
day of departure. If you think you will be unable
enable us to contact you about the return of
to meet this deadline, please contact us to discuss
your deposit, and to return any money owed
whether alternative arrangements can be made.
to you, subject to additional charges.
The end date is set out in your Tenancy
Agreement and you should vacate your accommo- Any damage or cleaning charges will be stated
dation on this date. on the form. A list of standard charges can be
found in the table below. You and your
If you wish to vacate your accommodation earlier,
Caretaker will both sign the form. You will be
you are free to do so but please be aware that you
given a copy for your records. Your Caretaker
will be liable for any rent due until the end of your
will return the other copies to our Finance
tenancy.
team for processing.
Please note, there are two checking out procedures. One for tenants leaving
before or after 31 July, and one for those leaving on the day of 31 July
Leaving before 31 July, or after 31 July
Please contact your Caretaker to arrange a check During the check-out appointment your
out appointment on the day of your departure. To Caretaker will:
help us ensure the process goes as smoothly as
possible, we ask that these arrangements are made Check the state of your accommodation against
at least 10 days before your departure. the inventory (provided to you at the start of
your tenancy and which should have been
Appointments are arranged on a first-come-first-
counter-signed by you at the time) and ensure
served basis, so if you require an appointment at a
the accommodation has been left clean, tidy and
particular time or on a particular day we suggest
free of damage. If you have misplaced your copy
that you contact your Caretaker to arrange this as
of your inventory and wish to review it prior to
early as possible.
your appointment, please contact your Caretak-
To ensure that the check-out process runs er in advance;
smoothly and efficiently for all tenants on the day
Tell you if any additional cleaning is required,
you check out please ensure that:
and how much you will be charged over and
you are on time for your appointment; above the Sparkle Clean that is carried out in
your accommodation is completely clear of preparation for the next tenant moving in;
your personal belongings;
Record any damage to your accommodation on
your accommodation is clean and ready for a
the Check-Out Form (see below). You may be
new tenant to move into.
charged for damage.
Although we try to ensure all appointments keep to schedule, delays can occur due to factors beyond our
control (including tenants being late for their appointments). If you have travel plans on the day of your
appointment (such as a booked flight), we recommend you leave plenty of time between your
23 appointment and the time you need to leave Oxford, to allow for any such delays.
23Leaving on 31 July - Key Drop Shortly after you vacate the property
your Caretaker will:
If you are vacating your accommodation on 31 July
you do not need to make an appointment with your Check the state of your property against the
Caretaker and there will be a key drop facility on inventory which was provided to you at the
site. This approach may also be used on any other commencement of your tenancy (which should
day when large numbers of other students are also have been counter-signed by you at the time),
vacating. We will notify you if these alternative to check that the accommodation has been left
check out arrangements are in operation on your clean, tidy and free of damage. If you would
chosen check out day. like to see a copy of your inventory, please con-
tact your Caretaker.
Before you vacate the accommodation you will need
to fill out a Financial Information Form, which Complete a Check Out Form recording any
our Finance team will send you, with the following: damage to the accommodation which is not
Your forwarding address; listed on the inventory and any cleaning re-
Your forwarding email address; quired that is over above the Sparkle Clean that
is always carried out in preparation for the next
Card details where any money that may be
tenant moving in.
owing to you should be refunded (including
your deposit where relevant).
Copies of the Check Out Form can be
Please drop all keys for your accommodation into
obtained from the Graduate Accommodation
the Key Drop Boxes provided before you vacate the
Office. Simply email or call us (see p3 for con-
property. If you are unclear on the exact location of
the Key Drop Box for your site, please contact your tact details).
Caretaker.
Nominating someone to Clearing and cleaning your
check out on your behalf accommodation
We appreciate that it may be difficult for you to Please ensure the accommodation is returned
arrange a check out appointment during normal clean and ready for a new tenant to move into.
working hours. If this is the case and you are unable Tenants in single study bedrooms who use a
to make your check out appointment, you can shared kitchen need to ensure that their allotted
nominate someone else to do this on your behalf. kitchen cupboard and fridge/freezer shelf are
Simply email us with the following: clear and clean.
Your name and accommodation address Please do not leave items in your room or flat
Your forwarding address for future tenants to use. Please either take your
Your forwarding email address belongings with you, arrange to hand them to
another student in person before you go or
The name and contact details of your nominee
dispose of them responsibly. Please refer to
Confirmation that the nominee is authorised to your Caretaker for advice.
complete the Check Out Form on your behalf
(including signing this to agree that any damage
has occurred or that a cleaning charge may be At the start of your tenancy you are charged a
required). £40 Sparkle Clean fee. This is to bring all
accommodation up to the same standard for
Please note that your nominated representative new tenants. You are still expected to clean
cannot provide any financial information on your your accommodation to a high standard before
behalf. The Estates Finance team will email you vacating. A checklist will be provided towards
directly to request the necessary information. the end of your tenancy, and if you have any
queries, please ask your caretaker.
24Things to remember Standard Charges for
Furniture, electrical items or medical supplies Cleaning or Damage
cannot be disposed of in the University’s bins.
If you need help finding a method of disposal, Description Charge
please speak to your Caretaker. £16 to £164
General cleaning
If you abandon or discard any of your depending on area
possessions in your accommodation or on the £95 to £160
Carpet/vinyl clean
Graduate Housing site, we will deal with depending on area
these in accordance with clause 13 of your Rubbish clearance £2.52 per bag
tenancy agreement.
Please return all parking permits to your Smoke contamination £200-£300
Caretaker as they will not be valid once you
Repainting of one wall £134.40
have vacated your accommodation.
£150 to £400
Any mail received by the Caretaker on site Replacement furniture
depending on item
after you have vacated will be returned to
Damage to door/
sender. We recommend that you arrange for £15 to £300
replacement
your mail to be redirected. For information
on how to do this, please visit: Damage to lock £50 to £150
www.royalmail.com/personal/receiving-
mail/redirection Damage to window £50 to £300
We can provide references for a future Replacement Wi-Fi
£20
Landlord or Letting Agency. You must email Router
the Graduate Accommodation Office and
provide your permission for us to release
information about your tenancy to a third
party.
We may need to show your flat to prospective
tenants within the last two months of your
Tenancy Agreement. We will notify you of
the date and time of any such appointment 24
hours in advance, as set out in the agreement.
Return of your deposit
Your deposit will be returned to you, minus any deductions (for unpaid rent, utilities and any other
charges including additional cleaning or damage), using the card details you have provided us with in ac-
cordance with the terms of your Tenancy Agreement.
We aim to make this payment within four weeks of the end of your tenancy. You will be sent a copy of
your closing account detailing the return of your deposit (and overpaid rent if applicable) minus any final
charges.
Any alternative arrangements for repayment need to be agreed with the Estates Finance team prior to
your check-out.
If you wish to raise a query in relation to your closing account please contact the Estates
Finance team at: accounts.graduateaccommodation@admin.ox.ac.uk
25
25We hope you enjoy your stay in
Oxford University Graduate Accommodation
Graduate Accommodation Office, 4 Worcester Street, Oxford, OX1 2BX
Tel: 01865 280923 Email: graduate.accommodation@admin.ox.ac.uk
www.admin.ox.ac.uk/graduateaccommodation
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