FAQs

Below you can find the answers to frequently asked questions that students have about their accommodation. If you can't find the help you are looking for, please contact us at: graduate.accommodation@admin.ox.ac.uk or call: 01865 280923.

How do I access the internet?

Internet access is via a network router that connects to a data socket in your accommodation.

Getting connected requires your IT services Remote Access username and password. All network traffic will be logged against your username for audit purposes.

For more details about how the University processes personal data please visit the compliance website to review the privacy policy.

The network is intended primarily for academic purposes with reasonable and limited use for social and recreational purposes is acceptable for tenants. All use must be legal and meet the University regulations and policies applying to all University ICT facilities.

The people permitted to use the connection in the flat are those living in it. Ultimate responsibility for the service & activity on the connection lies with the individual whose remote access account is being used.

For details on how to get connected and common problems, please see our dedicated Internet Access page.

Did you know

By connecting to the service you agree to abide by all relevant law, rules and regulations, further information is available on the IT services, rules webpage.

I've lost my keys - what should I do?

Who do I contact about maintenance and repairs?

Report all maintenance issues to your site assistant in the first instance. Please, do not undertake or arrange repairs yourself.

If you cannot contact the site assistant, please get in touch with the Graduate Accommodation Office.

Emergency out of hours

For emergency out of hours repairs, contact Security Services on +44(0)1865 272944.

Access for repairs by University staff/contractors

The team will endeavour to give you 24 hours’ notice before any contractor or maintenance staff entering the property, except in the case of emergencies.

Contractors for maintenance and repairs will be granted access to sites from 9 am until 5 pm.

Maintenance response times

Target Maintenance Response Times:	Target Standards of Service:
Emergency Repairs – When there is a danger to property or persons, major leaks or flooding, insecure windows or doors, being locked out, complete loss of electrical supply.	3 hours
Urgent Repairs - include loss of heating or hot water (upgraded to three hours for vulnerable groups), minor plumbing leaks, blockages to appliances, sinks or drains.	24 hours
Routine reactive repairs – For example, adjusting doors, clearing/leaking guttering, minor internal repairs	21 days
Lifts - Repairs will rely on specialised staff from the lift maintenance company. The timescale for such repair can be difficult to predict and may depend on the availability of parts.	28 days

Damage to the Property

Please report any damage to your property to the site assistant as soon as possible. Damage caused by the tenant or guest(s) of the tenant may result in a charge for the cost of repairing or replacing the damaged item. The same applies to any damage to the University’s furniture or contents.

Safety first

Under no circumstances must you undertake or arrange repairs yourself.

How do I contact the University's Security Services?

The University's Security Services team are operational 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They provide crime reduction advice, and you can contact them any time should you have a security concern (please remember, in a life-threatening emergency call the emergency services by dialling 999).

Security Control Room

+44(0)1865 2 72944

security.control@admin.ox.ac.uk

Operational support

securityservices.updates@admin.ox.ac.uk

Emergency (24-hour)

+44(0)1865 2 89999

During office closure periods, they can also assist Graduate Accommodation tenants with:

Lost keys and lockouts
Emergency maintenance issues.

How do I surrender a tenancy?

For tenants wishing to surrender a tenancy, the University’s policy is to allow this as long as a replacement tenant has been found

If a replacement tenant is not found, you will remain liable for up to 3 months following your leave date, or until the end of the tenancy period, which ever is shorter.

In exceptional circumstances, we may agree to release an existing tenant before a replacement has been found.

What do I do next?

To surrender a tenancy, you will need to download and review the Surrender policy document prior to completing an intention to leave form.

If you need assistance, please contact the team on: +44(0)1865 280923 or email: accommodation@admin.ox.ac.uk

How do I pay my rent?

Following the period covered by the opening account, rent should be paid via standing order from a UK account
A standing order is an instruction to your bank to make payment of a specified amount at regular intervals. A full list of the rents for each site can be found on the rent information page.

Once you have moved in, the accounts team will be in touch via email to provide you with a standing order mandate form. This can be filled out and returned directly to your bank.

You can also contact your bank directly to arrange for a standing order to be set up. You will need to provide them with the following information:

Payment amount
Payment date (this should be the 1st of the month)
Reference number (in order to identify this payment, please use the unique property reference provided at the top of your offer of accommodation, e.g. 01CMCB069)
Payment via standing order is a stipulation of the tenancy agreement.

If you need to make alternative arrangements for payment of the rent or are having trouble making arrangements for a standing order, please contact the accounts team – estfin.income@admin.ox.ac.uk or call 01865 288468.

What are the guidelines and expectations of my tenancy?

Our mission is to provide a secure, sociable and supportive environment for graduates engaged in world class study.

What you can expect:

We will treat you fairly and equally
We will listen to your feedback, suggestions and complaints
We will provide our services in a timely manner
We will be open and transparent about our processes
We will strive to continuously improve the way we provide our service.

What we expect from you:

To adhere to the conditions set out in your tenancy agreement
To treat our staff with courtesy and respect
To show respect to your fellow residents and neighbours
To accommodate access in order to maintain the property
To keep the property clean and in good condition.

What student support services are available?

There are a number of services available to provide support to you during your studies at the University:

Counselling Service

The Oxford University Counselling Service offers free and confidential support to students. Contact the service in person at 3 Worcester Street, Oxford OX1 2BX, by phone at Tel +44(0)1865 270300, or via email at counselling@admin.ox.ac.uk to make an appointment.

Financial Aid

Information about what to do if you are experiencing financial difficulty is available on the Oxford Student, fees and funding pages.

Student Advice Service

The Student Advice Service, an advice and advocacy service available exclusively to University of Oxford students, is provided by the Oxford University Students Union (Oxford SU).

To speak to an advisor visit the Oxford SU website.

Citizens Advice Bureau

Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) provide free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities throughout the UK.

Shelter

Advice and information about housing is available from the housing and homeless charity Shelter.

Student IT services

From registration and accessing your email, to online learning and the latest software discounts, as well as links to the IT support offered by your college and department.

Oxford SU

Oxford University Student Union (Oxford SU) provides free, independent advice and information service exclusively available to Oxford University Students.

How do I make a complaint?

This procedure is to be applied to student complaints that have arisen from lettings and occupation within the properties owned and controlled by the University and used for Graduate Accommodation, managed by the Graduate Accommodation Office (the Office).

The University treats any complaints about its accommodation, the management of its accommodation or a member of the Graduate Accommodation Office very seriously. We hope to resolve these to your satisfaction as quickly as possible.

The relationship between the University, acting as a Landlord, and their tenants on the estate are governed in the first instance by the tenancy agreement and any legislation applicable to that agreement, resident’s handbook and policies. From time to time, the Office will put forward Regulations that apply to property within the estate. These documents govern the relationship between the two parties.

However, where the tenancy agreement and/or Regulations do not put forward a clear solution to the problem, we ask that you visit or contact the member of staff who delivered the service you are dissatisfied with. The member of staff will work with you to find a satisfactory resolution. We will aim to resolve your issue within five working days.

Stage 1 Early Resolution

If you are not satisfied with the resolution or the way in which your issue has been dealt with we ask that you make a complaint by visiting or contacting the Graduate Accommodation Office at: graduate.accommodation@admin.ox.ac.uk or by calling: +44(0)1865 280923.

We will not usually consider complaints that are raised more than three months after the substantive events/circumstances complained about took place/commenced. A member of our senior staff will investigate your complaint and respond to you directly, detailing any remedial action. We aim to respond fully to all complaints within 10 working days.

Stage 2 Formal stage

If you are not satisfied following the informal stage you can submit a complaint to the Proctors via the Proctors’ Office. Full information about the University’s Student Complaints Procedures and the form to use to submit a complaint are available on the Proctors’ Office website. Proctors’ Office staff are also available for informal advice.