Our college communities should be a comfortable home for everyone, but different people have different tolerances. Being understanding of their needs will make everyone happier.

Everything you do will affect the people you live with in some way. Small tensions can quickly become big problems, so look out for these common causes of conflict and try to avoid them.

• Playing music, games or talking too loudly (including by phone or skype), especially after 11.00 pm - everyone has a right to expect to sleep without disturbance
• Having noisy friends over to your room
• Having friends constantly over to your kitchen/flat without consulting flatmates
• Clattering around in rooms, corridors or kitchens, and banging doors
• Leaving dirty dishes, food and rubbish lying around
• Playing ‘pranks’ on others such as hiding belongings or taking food.

Be considerate towards others!

See section 10-16 and 22-29 of the Terms and Conditions for more.

Noise

You must keep noise to a reasonable level at all times, and within the confines of your room between 11.00pm and 8.00am. Some colleges have designated quiet areas where there are tighter rules on noise. If you are disturbed by noise try to sort it out yourself if possible, but if it continues you should seek assistance from the College Porters, or Security direct. If you do this at the time they can resolve the matter as well as notify the college team to follow up.

Holding parties or noisy functions in the accommodation is not permitted without the prior permission of the College Deans.

During exam periods the University operates a ‘zero tolerance’ policy on noise disturbance.

Harassment

If you feel you are the subject of harassment or any sort of intimidation you can discuss it informally in the first instance with a member of college staff, who will offer you advice about what to do next.

Moving rooms

A room may be changed only with the permission of your Accommodation Manager, and if to a different college full approval must be obtained from both. We normally enjoy full occupancy during the early part of the year, making it difficult for us to handle room move requests. We do however find that even where students feel they would prefer to move to be with new friends or in a different college early on, they settle in fairly quickly and don’t pursue it.

The University reserves the right to move you to an alternative (equivalent) room at any time. See sections 14.4, 14.5 and 24 - 28 of the Terms & Conditions. Please note that unauthorised room moves contravene our safety procedures, which depend on us knowing who lives where. If you are an international student you will also be in breach of your visa conditions if you change rooms without permission or let somebody else live in your room. Any changes of address must be recorded with the police.

Visitors

You are welcome to have visitors to your flat, but please bear the other residents in mind - they pay to live there, while your guests do not. There are also designated guestrooms available for visitors to book in to.

Only one overnight guest in each flat is permitted at any one time – but you will need to agree it with your flatmates and then contact your Accommodation Manager with their name and address details in advance to secure permission.

One visitor may stay in your room for up to three nights in any seven day period, with the permission of the Accommodation Manager, and you must sign them in with the Porter in order that we can comply with fire regulations.

Visitors may not stay overnight where you are absent (this is a disciplinary offence), and you are responsible for them observing the rules as laid down in this handbook and the Terms and Conditions.

Under 18s

Our accommodation is for the use of students over 18 years of age (with the exception of some students that are 17 on admission but shortly to become 18). If you are having somebody under 18 to stay (for example a younger sibling) you must notify the Porter when signing them in. You may not have anyone under 16 to stay, except with the written permission of the Accommodation Manager.

Single gender areas

If you are living in single-gender accommodation you may not have visitors of the opposite gender to the flat. Please note that University staff regardless of gender will still have access though to carry out inspections, cleaning and maintenance work, for example.