Frequently asked questions
Halls of Residence
Is there a charge to reprint the licence if I lose it?
There will be a £1 reprint charge from September 2009 for any additional licences that are required.
Can I move within Halls of Residence during my contract?
Brookes’ students can move to any empty room in another hall if agreed with the accommodation office.
You can request a room swap by emailing hallroomswaps@brookes.ac.uk. Please note there will be a £32.50 administration charge (subject to managers discretion).
Brookes Shared Housing
(These answers solely apply to Brookes Shared Housing and not any other affiliated accommodation.)
How much do I have to pay to secure a shared house?
Tenants have to make a one off payment of £226 to secure a Brookes shared house. This payment acts as a non-refundable booking fee to secure the property. Any damage caused that is not wear and tear will be pursued at the end of your tenancy.
Am I responsible for anyone else’s rent?
Brookes Shared Housing operate with single liability agreements meaning that tenants will not be responsible for their co-tenants rents at any point during the period of tenancy.
Am I eligible for a Brookes shared house?
There are some reasons why you might not be offered a place at a Brookes shared house.
- Part time students or students who finish their course before May of the year the contract ends will not be eligible.
- Students with a debt to the university will not be able to apply until they have settled their debt.
- Students who have a conditional offer of a programme to study at Brookes cannot apply until they hold an unconditional offer from the University.
How long is my contract?
The vast majority of contracts with Brookes Shared Housing are 46 weeks long although there are a few with 50 week contracts, catering for students with longer courses. The contract length is not negotiable.
Who will I be sharing with?
If you are applying on your own for Brookes Shared Housing then you will be living with other Brookes’ students some of whom would have been living in the house previously. The Accommodation Office is allowed under the Data Protection Act to give non specific information out about individuals but we are limited as to how much we can tell you about your potential housemates.
Please note that single applications will not be accepted for completely empty houses.
Who is responsible for paying the bills
Unless otherwise stated, you will be responsible for paying the bills at the property. We advise that students put all their names on the utility bills as this is the easiest way to ensure everyone pays their share.
How much are the bills going to be?
Whilst how much you pay for utility bills depends on how much you consume we usually advise that bills will cost approximately £10-15 per person per week.
Who do I speak to if something needs to be fixed in the house?
The vast majority of Brookes shared houses have landlords who are responsible for carrying out any works at the property during your period of tenancy. If you are finding it difficult to get in touch with your landlord or have any other problems then the Accommodation Office can help to resolve these concerns.
In a few Brookes shared houses Oxford Brookes University itself will be your landlord in which case you will be informed of this at the start of your tenancy.
How do I ensure that I don’t get charged for damages?
Tenants will be given an inventory at the beginning of their tenancy which is a record of the condition of the house before they move in. If the tenant disagrees with the inventory then we ask for them to hand a signed copy of the inventory back to the Accommodation Office complete with any amendments. We will use this tenancy as a record when we inspect the house at the end of the tenancy. You will be expected to leave the property in a clean and tidy condition when you leave.
Your inventory will usually be e-mailed to you after you have arrived but if you have not received an inventory or if you have further qustions please e-mail Laura at sharedhousing@brookes.ac.uk and she will be happy to help.
Can I move within the Shared Housing Scheme during my contract?
Brookes’ students can move to any empty room in another house on the portfolio during the period of their tenancy if agreed with the accommodation office. There is a fee of £32.50 to cover the administrative costs.