Monday 18 August 2014

Home needed

(image from abdn.ac.uk)

The university seems to have miscalculated slightly and has not got enough accommodation with which to honour its guarantee that it will house all first year students in halls.

Not good.

We're 480 or so miles away, so we can't exactly pop along and look at a few flats, and the EFG hasn't conveniently got a group of 3 or 4 friends to take along to share with, so we are in a bit of a pickle here tonight.

We don't know for sure tonight that she hasn't got a place, but we haven't heard that she has, and on her FB group, those that have got accommodation know what they have, and those who have heard anything today have heard that they haven't.  She hasn't heard anything, so at this time, it seems prudent to presume the worst.

We've got the phone number to ring at 9am prepared with a list of questions.  I am also going to politely but firmly tell someone that a recently bereaved student needs a little more support than she might get in a rented flat with a group of people she doesn't know.  

I've emailed the Methodist minister there as well in case any families in the church want to offer lodgings, and we have scoured the rental websites - but you need a group of mates in order to rent a flat.....

Stressful?  Yes.  The end of the world?  No.  Hassle we didn't need?  Definitely.  Disappointed with the uni?  Unfortunately, yes.

9 comments:

rabbitquilter said...

What a shame, it was all going so well. No doubt something will turn up, but it is a worry until it does! Good luck with the phone call in the morning. Love to you all XXX

SusanM said...

Morgan, I'm thinking how to help but I'm an hour from Aberdeen and can't get in this week to check out flats. I've looked on the Student Room and it seems other people are having this problem with Aberdeen too. Google 'Student Room Aberdeen University Accommodation Full' as some students are looking for people to share flats with. I've looked on gumtree but it seems to be older students. I had this very same problem when I was a student and the uni did help me to find a bedsit. Will keep looking at local sources and let you know if I see anything. Good luck - this isn't fair!!!

veeknits19 said...

Sorry to hear this, hope you get it sorted out today. EFG needs a bit of stability at the start of her course, so far from home & in the circumstances, uni accommodation would be ideal. Best wishes, Vee xx

sweet blondie blue eyes said...

Oh dear how awful, I do hope you hear something soon, fingers crossed. Not a very good advert for the accommodation Officer at the
Uni.

Sue in Suffolk said...

very bad practice on the part of uni, they surely Knew about accomodation weeks ago.
I hope you got some help after the phone call, fingers crossed for the EFG

Kim @ Him, Him Me said...

Morgan,
We have several friends in Aberdeen, so I will email them and see if they can help or offer any help.

Scarlet said...

I hope you have had some good news today. My younger daughter started uni last year,and was issued with accommodation which we weren't sure would be covered by the uni's pledge to pay part of her 1st year accommodation as part of her bursary from them. It took a number of phone calls before it was confirmed that it was covered, and therefore she could afford to live there. As you say, this is a stressful situation that you could do without, particularly coming so soon after your bereavement. Fingers are very firmly crossed here that this is sorted out for you and EFG.

Bridget said...

You really could have done without this! I hope you manage to find something. It isn't a very good way to start Uni life, hopefully the only way is up!
Keep us all informed x

Allegra said...

Really sorry to hear that - everything crossed it gets sorted out for her with minimum hassle.