Inside This Issue

Halloween Issue 2007 NEUADD BILLI$ STUDENTS’ ANGER OVER EXTRA COSTS IN PRIVATE HALLS he Neuadd Willis apartments ap- simple, and in scal terms, you could easily rooms are kitted with trendy furnishings Sounds fair enough? Perhaps, if it wasn’t peared to many to be an ideal living plan where you will be at the end of the year. and comforting little extras. Indeed, from for the fact the internet connection is patchy During your tenancy, if your at exceeds spot. Located in the centre of town in Landlords and the Halls O ce are not naïve the outset, Neuadd Willis looks to be a stu- at best, and a download limit was recently its water and electricity entitlement each Tan extensively refurbished, well-furnished about the type of tenant they are accommo- dents dream. introduced, causing many students to reach month you’ll end up stumping up extra cash building radiating style and sophistication, dating; students certainly aren’t the cleanest But while signing your contract, moving their limit within a couple of days. Students to pay the di erence, even if you personally the halls certainly have many appealing bunch, but the returns on a property let to your things in and spending your rst weeks claim not to have been directed to informa- never ush the toilet or turn on a light. If characteristics. students are very high and they are generally in luxury, the words ‘too good to be true’ tion about what the download limit is or you don’t take out your kitchen rubbish you e base prices in many cases were simi- happy to accept minor damage in exchange consistently play on your mind, and ‘too when the next download allocation will be- will be charged £2.50 per bag removed for lar to the cost of living on the Ffriddoedd for higher rental income than they would good to be true’ certainly is what it is. gin. What they do know is that they have to you by the cleaners. And if you are not hap- Site, and as the accommodation is more lux- get from a family let. e price appears reasonable for the pay additional fees if they want to continue py with the accommodation once you are in urious than all other forms of student halls But within the last two years, a new type quality of the accommodation, but it is only using the internet once they have reached it, you will be charged £50 in administration and ats, the deal was lapped up by many of student accommodation has emerged. A once the deal has been signed that the mon- their limit. fees to move either within or out of the ac- people looking forward to a year in upmar- tried and tested part of many big towns and ey starts to roll out. What about the IP telephony and the in- commodation. ket lodgings. But a year a er the halls rst cities, but a new product for the city of Ban- Neuadd Willis presents tenants with a surance? Well, the handset rental covers only But Seren has learnt that some students opened, we uncover why Neuadd Willis is gor, luxury apartments certainly changed huge, 54-item list of potential charges they the handset rental; there is an additional fee were surprised to receive substantial bills not all it may seem. many students’ perspectives when looking can incur in their ‘welcome pack’, so nobody of £11.75 per month if you want to make or from Neuadd Willis a er their tenancy had e management of Neuadd Willis were for housing. can claim that they haven’t been warned, but receive any external phone calls. And stu- ended. At the end of the academic year, just asked to comment on this article but at the Neuadd Willis was di erent to standard what tenants are missing is transparent cost dents who already have content insurance when money is tight for students, Neuadd time of going to press, no response had been accommodation in many ways. e rst is calculations and clear guidelines on how may not want or need additional insurance. Willis hit these students with bills in the received. its location: situated in the centre of Bangor, “reasonable wear and tear” is determined. e “underground” car parking facilities hundreds of pounds for alleged damage to ose opting for a house would usu- it was certainly ideal for reaching most key In addition to these potential charges may sound quite attractive to students, but it property. ally experience average tenant- landlord areas of the city. and your rent, you will face a booking fee comes at a cost of £200 per year. relationships, based on a refundable deposit e second is its interior. e luxury of £210, which covers internet provision, the On top of this, £250 is charged for wa- and a plain and simple contract, leaving rooms and surrounding areas are comprised rental of an IP telephony handset, insurance ter and electricity, leaving some people with everyone clear on where they stood. e of newly furnished kitchens, so carpets and administration costs. bills of up to £700 before they have even CONTINUED ON University halls situation is also clear and and sophisticated living spaces. e en-suite paid their rst rent instalment. PAGE 5 STEREOPHONICS Inside WIN!! WIN!! WE ARE HARD-FI This WIN!!SCIENTISTS ONE-YEAR PASSES SEREN PINT STAR TICKETS GLASS Issue ON FRIDAYS INTERVIEWS 2 Seren - Halloween Issue 2007 Contributors North Wales’ Supplement University Bands EDITORIAL is month’s issue of Star, the Seren sup- Attractions plement (only the second, since the idea compilation In the centre pages, we have included a was relaunched) features stunning original e cover CD in the previous issue Editor: Jack Peat elcome once again to all read- guide to North Wales’ Attractions. Bangor proved to be a big success. In light of this, we ers in this, our second issue of work from the Photography Society on the is located in the centre of some of the most front page. is is going to be a continuing have decided to make a compilation CD of the year. Halloween is upon us beautiful scenery in the UK. In this light, we University bands. e CD will feature on the Stephen Davies Walready, o en signalling a change in student theme throughout the year with the Star have decided to produce a guide to some of issue released just a er Easter, and should mentality, shi ing from the ‘play hard, work supplement showcasing their work. As well Willow Manuel the most scenic spots and best attractions. as this, we have provided an entertainment feature most (if not all) bands at Bangor little’ ethic to the ‘I’ve got deadlines’ thought. Days out in North Wales can be a really fun University. It will take the form of either a Katy Sandford e few weeks of staring at the computer guide, which includes tickets to be won for thing to do, whether with a group of friends, We Are Scientists and Alan Fletcher (aka compilation album, or a live lounge album. Iain Dalton screen wondering whether it will write itself a romantic trip or just somewhere to clear If you are in, or know of anybody who is in if you stare hard enough are imminent, but Dr Karl Kennedy), as well as TEN, YEAR your head, North Wales certainly provides LONG PASSES to Friday nights at Amser/ a band at this University, please contact us Zoe Dean as always, we are here to keep you lightly the answers. For more information look on on the email address below. As well as be- entertained and hopefully well informed as Time nightclub. With so many chances to Nathan Lee the web for their sites which will provide you win you’d be crazy to miss out. ing featured on the CD, the bands will have University life really starts to kick in. with everything you will need to know. a chance to record their tracks live in the Spencer George 25 years newly revamped Storm studio, and feature at Bethan Williams In this issue we are both rec- our SIN night in Academi bar in April. ognising the past and writing the Sophie de L’Orme future. As our 25th anniversary is Contributors Bianca Murray approaching, we start the rst of My apologies also go out to all the con- ve issues that will count down to tributors not mentioned on the list in the last Tabitha McGuinness the Silver Anniversary issue, due issue. is was a technical fault, and all e ort Rachel Eales to be published at the end of the will be made to make sure that this doesn’t academic year. e prestigious is- happen again. Once again thankyou to eve- Rebecca E Hussey sue will commemorate the life and ryone involved in this issue. Bryn Young-Roberts times of Bangor University’s Seren newspaper, highlighting the suc- Enjoy the issue! Rachel Bellian cess of the past 25 years. e rst Loran Perkins issues, printed in black and white on A4 paper certainly emphasise Jack Peat Sophie Shanahan how far the paper has come since Katrina Hanford then. We are certainly not the nished article however, and is- editor@seren. John Jackson sues such as this show how much Ralph Dutton more can be done, and how much further we can be pushed. We have bangor.ac.uk Ian Davies interviews from Stereophonics and David Horn Hard Fi, which is certainly an un- precedented change.

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