Student Update: Accommodation fees

Please be aware that this information was shared with students by email and correct at the time of sending. For the latest Covid-19 guidance, please visit our coronavirus webpages: www.wlv.ac.uk/coronavirus. If you are a student who has a query or needs support, please log a helpcall with ASK@WLV in e:Vision (www.wlv.ac.uk/evision).

I hope that you are all safe and well.  Today's update is on accommodation and accommodation fees during this lockdown.   

Who can return to term-time accommodation 

Government guidance is that students, other than those on health, social care and teacher training courses where on campus teaching is permitted to resume, should remain where they are wherever possible, and start their term online, as facilitated by their university or college until at least mid-February. Exceptionally, there may be students who need to return to their term-time accommodation because, for example, they do not have access to appropriate alternative accommodation, facilities or study space, or who need to return for health or safety reasons.  

Wherever possible, students should remain where they are and should not travel to access their university facilities until the resumption of their face-to-face teaching. Students should avoid returning to university to collect any of their belongings which they may have left at their university accommodation over the winter break. However, students can travel back to collect any medical equipment or items required for online learning if it essential. 

University owned accommodation

The University will not charge rent for students unable to use rooms in its University accommodation for the duration of the current period of lockdown (from 1 January until 14 February at the earliest). Students who have already returned to their rooms or remained in halls over Christmas will receive a 25% discount for the duration of the current period of lockdown. 
 
The changes are being introduced retrospectively from 1 January for the initial period of lockdown announced by the Government (until 14 February) but will be extended to cover any extension of the current restrictions. Direct debit payments due this week will still go out as we need to calculate the appropriate credit or discount for each payee.    

If you have vacated but left belongings in your room and haven't handed in your keys, the University will not be charging you rent during this period due to the lockdown arrangements currently in place. Once you are allowed to travel, we will be back in touch to confirm the timeline and booking to empty your room or return to accommodation to live. 

Other accommodation 

The University of Wolverhampton is strongly encouraging private providers to review what support they can offer to students who have been unable to return to their accommodation. 

Staying safe in accommodation 

We expect our students to abide by social distancing guidelines whilst living in accommodation. In University accommodation, a household is the people with whom you share a corridor and kitchen area.  

In line with the current lockdown restrictions, students should not bring other students, friends or family into their accommodation. Parties and overnight guests in accommodation are also not permitted. You can access the full Government guidance here.  

Face coverings must be worn in all communal areas of your accommodation block, this includes the stairwells, and when entering and exiting your household and the building.  
 
Please be mindful that some staff and students are exempt from wearing a face covering due to a disability. This includes hidden disabilities, such as anxiety and autism. There is no requirement for people to prove that they are exempt from wearing a face covering, and students can choose to communicate their exemption in their way. Please be sensitive to this. 
 
Everyone must understand that face coverings do not replace good hand hygiene and other safety precautions. This includes effective hand washing, the use of hand sanitisers where soap and water are not readily available, and social distancing. 

Students should only come on to campus when they have to, for example, if you do not have access to appropriate studying space, or you need to return for health reasons.  If you are accessing the campus, you must have your University student ID card with you at all times.  

Failure to comply with these measures may result in you being excluded from the campus.  

Stay up to date with the latest information  

Please keep checking your University emails and reading these updates. We are committed to keeping students up to date. We do this by email, on our social media channels (Instagram, Twitter and Facebook) and the University Student News web page.     

If you have any questions about University accommodation and rent fees, please contact the Accommodation Services team.  

Visit our dedicated Covid-19 webpages for information on how you can stay safe and help protect our University community during the pandemic.     

Thank you, and stay safe.    

Professor Julia Clarke    

Deputy Vice-Chancellor