2015-16 Handbook Accommodation UNIVERSITY OF WEST LONDON ACCOMMODATION HANDBOOK 2015-16 2 Contents Student Welfare – Accommodation 4 Residential Student Accommodation 6 Paragon Hall of Residence – Brentford 6 Student Village – Ealing 12 Local amenities 14 Important Information 15 Franchise students 16 Tenancy 17 Deadline checklist 19 Deposit and rent 20 Berkshire Nurses 22 General information 24 Private rented accommodation 26 Useful addresses and contacts 27 3 Student Welfare – Accommodation The Student Welfare Team will support you in How to contact us many ways during your time at the University Student Welfare of West London, including helping you with University of West London your accommodation needs. This handbook St Mary’s Road provides accommodation information for Ealing prospective and existing University of West London W5 5RF London students. We hope it will answer any questions that you may have about +44 (0)20 8231 2335 accommodation. [email protected] Before completing your online application uwl.ac.uk/accommodation form for accommodation, please read this handbook and save a copy for future This handbook is available in alternative reference. If you have further queries after formats upon request. reading the handbook please feel free to contact the Student Welfare Team. We hope you find your accommodation satisfactory and we wish you all the best with your studies. 4 Student Welfare – Accommodation 7 Ealing To M1 2 Walpole 3 Park 1 Lammas 4 Park South 5 Acton RD LE EDA AIR RD Y LE AM BR Gunnersbury Park BOSTON MANOR O CCU (PICCADILLY LINE) PATI ON L Little ANE W 8 IN B D Ealing OS M I TO L N L M A R N O O A R D R O A D 6 To Central London To South West BRENTFORD and Wales STATION B 4 5 2 A3 002 1 Ealing site 3 Ealing Studios 5 Bramley Road Surgery 7 Villiers House 2 Walpole House 4 Vestry Hall 6 Brentford site 8 Student Village Housing Shuttle bus stop 5 Residential Student Accommodation Paragon Hall of Residence – Brentford This award-winning building was opened in Standards include recommendations on, September 2006 and provides purpose built for example, rent liability, repairs and student accommodation. Paragon Notting maintenance, cleaning of communal areas, Hill Student Lets is the trading name for deposits and complaints resolution. Touareg Trust, who manage Paragon. The Trust is a subsidiary of Notting Hill Housing For further information, please see Trust and provides accommodation for www.anuk.org.uk/LargeCode/ students. Touareg Trust has adopted the largercodeprivate.pdf Accreditation Network UK (ANUK) National Code of Standards for Larger Developments. The site consists of four blocks of The Code establishes a set of specific accommodation arranged as single study standards and recommendations with bedrooms in cluster flats and studios. particular relevance to larger residential student developments and by signing up to the Code, Touareg has agreed to comply with the recommendations. 6 Residential Student Accommodation Location For students studying at other sites/ Paragon is located one and a half miles south franchised institutions, the distance and of the Ealing site (St Mary’s Road). There are approximate travelling times from Paragon excellent bus and rail services nearby giving are as follows: quick and easy access to central London. In • Tech Music Schools, Acton 4 miles addition, the University offers a free regular (30 minutes via London Underground or shuttle bus service linking the Paragon and bus) Ealing sites, with drop off points at South Ealing and Ealing Broadway stations. • Courtyard, central London 12 The site has excellent transport links: miles (50 – 60 minutes via London Underground) Tube Boston Manor (Piccadilly line) – • Kingston College 9 miles (45 – 60 minutes via 65 bus/40 minutes approximately 15 minutes’ walk from the train) Brentford site on Boston Manor Road. • Met Film School 2 miles Train (15 minutes by bus from Ealing Broadway) Brentford station – approximately five minutes’ walk from the Brentford site with a 30 minute journey into central London The Local Authority and the University are ending at Waterloo station. committed to reducing the impact of cars on the environment. We hope that where Bus possible most students will make use of the public transport system (buses, tubes, trains) • E2 to Greenford and the enhancement of our cycling facilities and Local Authority cycling routes. • E8 to Ealing Broadway • 65 to the Ealing site, Richmond and Parking Kingston Except for a few registered disabled students, there is no car parking available on site for • H91 Hounslow West to Hammersmith students, or their visitors/guests. All cars • Free University of West London shuttle parked without permission will be clamped bus service circulating regularly between or towed away. the Brentford site, where Paragon is also located, and the Ealing site. 7 Residential Student Accommodation Your living accommodation Facilities The 810 single study bedrooms have en- suite toilet and shower facilities organised Study bedrooms in cluster flats of approximately eight study • single bed with mattress bedrooms. There is a communal fitted • bedside cabinet kitchen/dining room. • study worktop and chair There are also 29 studios, each with a fitted • internet connection (router supplied) integral kitchen area and en-suite toilet and • wardrobe with hanging space, shelf shower facilities. All rooms are accessible by and mirror wheelchairs, served by lifts. • carpet All rooms in Paragon are non-smoking. • en-suite toilet and shower. All rooms are fitted to the highest standard and Communal fitted kitchen/dining area, including have wi-fi broadband internet access included. individual lockable storage cupboards. Studios The studios have similar facilities as outlined in the study bedrooms with an integral kitchen area, and are wheelchair accessible, including the en-suite toilet and shower. 8 Residential Student Accommodation Communal facilities On-site support The main entrance to Paragon and each Common room block is accessed using an access control The common room, known as ‘The Hub’ has system by using fobs or swipe cards. Flats a large screen television, pool tables, table and study bedrooms are accessed via keys. football and vending machines. Paragon Notting Hill Housing Student Lets has a customer service team located in Landscaped gardens a central management suite behind the There is a roof garden above the common reception desk. Paragon reception area is room and seating in the central courtyard. staffed 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Laundry Licence Agreement There is a pay launderette on site, located Your Licence Agreement will apply to the behind the Common Room. It is operated 2015-2016 academic year only. If you are on behalf of Paragon Notting Hill Student joining in September at the start of the Lets by Circuit Laundry who regularly visits academic year, you will have the choice of to check and maintain the machines. The a 44 week license, which are limited and machines are swipe-card operated and these subject to availability (September – July), or a can be purchased from the vending machine 52 week (September – September) licence. in reception. They cost £5 to purchase and they will receive a £3 credit for their first use. If you apply for Paragon during the academic These cards can then be conveniently topped year, rooms are subject to availability, so up online by way of a Paypal Account. please contact the Accommodation Service for further details. Shops A convenience store/mini supermarket is If you wish to continue to live at Paragon, you situated next to the site, which has a free will be required to re-apply when your current cash withdrawal machine, and larger ones Licence Agreement ends (see page 11, under are within walking distance. ‘Licence Agreement’). Refectory/Library Services These facilities are available in the academic block. 9 Residential Student Accommodation Rent Apply The rent is payable in three instalments. If you wish to apply for accommodation The first instalment will be due no later than at Paragon, please go to 2 September 2015. The second and third instalments will be payable at the beginning uwl.ac.uk/accommodation of subsequent terms (January and April). You should ensure that you have sufficient Please ensure you read the Guidance Notes funds for your rent before you enter into the thoroughly before completing your form. Licence Agreement. You will not be permitted Payment is required when you have been to move in until you have made your first rent sent an offer of accommodation. payment. Please note that rent is charged from Saturday; if you move in mid-week, you will be charged from the previous Saturday. We will notify you by e-mail of the arrangements regarding rent, including instalment deadline dates and payment details. All monies (deposit and rent) are payable to Touareg Trust. The rental charges are as follows: Study Bedroom £142.99 per week inclusive of bills (heating, hot and cold water, light, power and internet connection). Studio £193.82 per week inclusive of bills (heating, hot and cold water, light, power and internet connection). Please remember that until you have paid the deposit and first rent instalment, you will not be able to take up your room in Paragon. This also applies to returning students. 10 Residential Student Accommodation Applying online Licence Agreement To be able to apply for Paragon You will receive the following documents by Accommodation you must have accepted e-mail or post: your place on the course with UWL being • Paragon accommodation offer letter your first choice university. Once your with deposit/rent payment form application is an unconditional firm (U/F) or • Paragon Student Accommodation conditional firm (C/F) you will be eligible to Licence Agreement proceed your application for accommodation at Paragon. The online application is open to • Residents’ Handbook.