UCL students threatened after rent strikes

Students living in accommodation run by University College London (UCL) have been threatened by the university with serious repercussions after withholding rent due to allegedly ‘unliveable’ conditions in their halls.

UCL has warned the final year students that they will not be permitted to attend their graduation ceremony, receive their final results or have their degree reported unless they settle the outstanding accommodation payments.

Returning students will not be permitted to re-enrol at the university until the balance is paid off, warns the site manager of Campbell House in a letter to those taking part in the strike. Summer accommodation offers could also be withdrawn.

However, the accommodation office at UCL has reportedly claimed that this was only a ‘standard letter’ which is sent out to any student with an outstanding debt to the university, and the Head of Residential Accommodation has stated that they will not seek academic sanctions against the students.

The University College London Union Accommodation Representative David Dahlborn described the threats as “both vile and cowardly” and claimed that they “represent a mentality at UCL that the bosses would rather expel their best and brightest students than take their complaints and demands seriously”.

Up to 200 students at Campbell House and 230 at Hawkridge House have been withholding rent money on the grounds that conditions in their accommodation buildings are sub-par, and that ‘severely’ disruptive building works have been ongoing throughout the exam period.

They accuse UCL of violating the Student Accommodation Code (SAC) which sets out regulations for all halls of residence. The SAC states that “All maintenance works should be undertaken so as to minimise inconvenience to residents … endeavours should be made to avoid sensitive periods such as examinations”.

Construction work has been taking place at Hawkridge House, located in Chalk Farm, since February 2015 despite the original plan stating that the disruption would be started in September 2014 and finished by this January.

Scaffolding has been erected on all sides of the building, resulting in a lack of natural sunlight inside, and dust and drilling noise have reportedly left students unable to revise, causing stress and health issues for them.

When the rooms were advertised to students last summer there was no warning that any building work would be taking place. More than half of the residents have demanded a refund of their accommodation payments.

Residents of Campbell House in Bloomsbury have also faced disruption as the building next door is being demolished. Work has reportedly been taking place from 8am, Monday to Saturday for several months.

Students have complained of noisy drilling at over 90 decibels inside rooms causing desks and mirrors to shake. Shaniqua Hunter, a resident of Campbell House, stated “I can’t even make phone calls, watch television, study, take a nap or listen to music in my own room”.

A spokesman for UCL reportedly said that students have been offered alternative study space, while bedrooms elsewhere have been sourced for some others. UCL have yet to make an official comment on the status of the threats and compensation.