Just to update you on what I've been doing since the two weeks of training courses in August. I have met with the University several times to once again remind them that we are putting together a piece of research detailing why we as a Guild believe that halls of residence rents should be reduced and the report will be finished very soon. I have also thrashed out what the one stop shop for housing and community (I mentioned this in an earlier blog about my plans for the year ahead) will look like. We are still in the discussion stages, have set up a
task group and will visit similar services at Cardiff and Swansea Union after Welcome Week.
It will be called the
SHAC (Student Housing Advice Centre) and will have three elements to it. There will be a business element, meaning a letting agent which will be trustworthy, charge no fees to tenants and will, initially, only advertise accredited landlords. It will also include tenancy feedback at the end of contracts and random spot-checks on houses with bad behaviour or bad practice on the part of landlords being punished by suspension from advertising in the
SHAC. This provides a clear
deterrent against unacceptable behaviour from landlords but also encourages good practice. The
SHAC will have a service element, with a specialist housing advisor to go with the existing housing clinic services, such as contract checking. It will be a place where students can go before and throughout their tenancy for advice about their rights and how to deal with their landlords. Finally the
SHAC will have an element of Community and will be the physical base of the community wardens. It will provide advice on how to live in a thriving local community and give the opportunity for students to get involved in their community through showcasing our many volunteering projects. The
SHAC will become the first port of call for students looking to rent a house and will, in time, drive up the quality of houses in
Selly Oak, while empowering students to fight for their rights as tenants.
It looks as though Queens Hospital Close will be a halls of residence again this year, although it is now owned by Liberty Living, the university has rented 200 nominated bed spaces for Birmingham freshers again for this year, Queens is a wonderful hall and many freshers though initially disappointed with their allocation will love their time at
QHC. I also visited Mason Hall this week to be shown round the site which will of course be open in three weeks time for Freshers moving in, the structure is stunning and despite some quirky features; it is a top quality halls of residence (a picture of a room at the new Mason is shown below). Tonight I go to the OSCARS with Jen, I wish it was the real thing but it is actually a University awards night at Shackleton so that should be fun and tomorrow we have our staff summer social. I can't wait for everyone to get back and the mayhem of Welcome Week to start - three weeks is too long!
