Hi,

I am in the process of writing an article for Steel Press (Sheffield University newspaper) about Victoria Halls. It aims to highlight some of the 'surprises' that await tenants (eg the room/flat inspections, high electricity bills).

I was wondering if anyone had any stories or information they could give me for this piece?

Also, would anyone like to give me a quotation about the topic?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Kzyr

I used to live in victoria halls 3 years ago if that's any use to you?

The room inspections that have now twice been cancelled this year on the day that they were supposed to be carried out and then we're informed that they will take place the following week. So we literally spend half our weekends cleaning, as if postgraduate students don't have anything better to do.

I also have another good one but it would identify who i am to any of the staff if they read this so I'll PM you!

And yes our electricity bills are currently totalling almost 100 pounds a month and that seems pretty extortionate for a flat of 4 with only 1 television etc.? I have copies of all the bills if they would be useful.

Oh and telephone rates from the landline installed in the flat - these are more expensive than my mobile phone to call other landlines. I can get hold of the exact rates for you as well. Its something like 12p peak to other landlines and 6p off peak.

twiglet,

any details would be great.


We had exactly the same situation with the cleaning last week. I had an exam at 9 o clock that monday morning.


Since this is my 2nd message, I'm not able to user the PM system (need 5 posts). I'll just do them now.

Cheers

Neil

mjlacey21,

What would be interesting would be to find out how much (if any) of your deposit you got back.

What were they like with charging you for broken things/ cleaning?

Cheers

Neil

Well, if a flat gets into such a state that it takes 4 people all weekend to clean it, it must be absolutely revolting to begin with!

I think a wider focus of such an article ought to focus on University wide residences. Albeit not owned by the Uni, Victoria Hall, I believe, is to be used to accommodate more students if the University Residence Strategy goes ahead. If the problems you point out are true, then this is not in student s' interest. Perhaps a wider article about the much opposed Residence Strategy is in order, highlighting the opposition from many many residents in the affected area, and the opposition by students to the decimation of any hall community and the creation of what many have coined as a student "ghetto". Student interests are paramount, and I for one don't feel that these have been properly considered, something that the Steel Press and Union should be very concerned about.

Do we actually know whether these plans have been approved or rejected by the council's planning office as yet?

Originally posted by theflyingfish
Well, if a flat gets into such a state that it takes 4 people all weekend to clean it, it must be absolutely revolting to begin with!

No its not a state at all but the standard they require is pretty stringent. We're actually very clean but we have to do things that we wouldn't normally do several times a week like cleaning the oven and emptying out the fridge and cleaning it. You can't tell me you normally do that twice a week?? We also tend to have a lot of work to do so have books and things out but this all has to be tidied away.

And we don't have 4 people cleaning it, we have one foreign student who doesn't do anything and usually there is one other person away.

Mod: kyzr, please just do like everyone else and contribute to threads so that your post count builds up and you can then use the PM system. Until then, any posts that serve only to bump up your count will keep getting removed.

CJ444,

Thats a good point about non-university owned halls - although I haven't had any first hand experience of other places. Victoria Halls is the only private place that really gets into bed with the university - when I received my MA acceptance letter it came with a about the halls. They were also the only private ones on the University website.

And Twiglet is right, there's clean and there's Victoria Hall clean. I bet if I went round the two inspector's kitchens with a clipboard it'd be interesting.

Actually I was really commenting upon the University Halls of Residence and the new "Residence Strategy"

http://www.shef.ac.uk/newresidences/index.html

and the impact that this may have on students and residents

www.broomhillonline.org.uk (comments by residents)

Ultimately I can't comment upon the Victoria Hall situation, but it would seem to the detriment of students if the university's plans even for a short term were to direct a greater number of students to be accomodated there.

I've had a look at that proposal for privately run student halls, and will ask the paper if they have run anything on it before.

£100 a month for electricity bill is daylight robbery. I lived in 2 large 4 bed semis and if we paid £100 a quarter I'd be suprised.

Yes, but remember that EVERYTHING is electric, including the heating and hot water.

Also remember the peculier student habit of leaving all the windows open whilst the heating is on at full blast.

We don't have any windows open because the heaters are so rubbish we have to keep every bit of heat we have in. Our last bill was close to £90 and considering that month we were away 2 weeks of it for chirstmas and there was no heating on, no-one cooking or having showers....... where did all that electricity go????

Well you have meters that you can read in VH IIRC.

Perhaps you have a fault on some equipment or the meter is misreading? It would be worth checking. If you have extra fan heaters they gobble power.

VH will be buying electricity from a supplier and they will be paying around 80% of the normal domestic rate as they buy in bulk. The 20% usually goes on heating / lighting the landlords areas.

They are at liberty to charge you whatever they like however. Were you not given any indication of likely charges at the beginning of the year? VH is currently quite cheap on the room rate, but it is made up in other areas.

You pays your money....

Sorry to resurrect this thread but I'm getting increasingly concerned about our electricity bills. For January we've had another one for almost £100, again half the period we weren't here because it was the christmas period and all of the heating was turned off etc. I mentioned it to the office but they've said the meter must be working and it would be illegal for them to make a profit on electricity so they're not inflating the charges.

Apparently one other flat has average bills of around £13??? If so how can this be right? At this rate we're going to be landed with an additional bill for several hundred pounds each at the end of the contract, when we've already paid £600 for ten months. Anyone know what we can do??? (other than cut down, although obviously this doesn't seem to make any difference). I do wonder if they're siphoning off our electricity for the office and the gate because we're above there!

If you have had the meter tested it rather sounds like someone in your flat has got some equipment that is sucking you dry!

I really doubt that it is the management suite. VH has been open a few years now and any problems will be ironed out by now.

It's not 'illegal' to sell you electricity at a higher rate though.

If you can't find anything that jumps out at you try getting the Uni accommodation services office involved.

Originally posted by Tony

If you can't find anything that jumps out at you try getting the Uni accommodation services office involved.

That's a really simple but good idead I hadn't even thought about it. I'll try e-mailing or take a little trip up there next week once I've got all my deadlines out the way, cheers.

(Its definitely not any equipment, as I said we're 4 girls, very quiet, no constant stereos, only the one occasionally used communal TV, we have computers but they wouldb't account for it, I think the high bills when we were away point at something constat, just got to find out what it is.....)

It's a long shot, and I'm not wanting to make any especially blokey point... but is anyone leaving on 1 of 4 sets of tongues / straighteners / etc? Just a thought.

Haha no I wish but being postgrads we don't have a lot of time to go out so we don't spend a lot of time sitting in front of the time preening in front of the mirror. I suppose we all use hairdryers a lot but still again, its something all other female flats do and their bills are still half of ours.

Have you noticed one of your flatmates wearing a welding mask recently ?

Them pesky welders AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by kyzr
Hi,

I am in the process of writing an article for Steel Press (Sheffield University newspaper) about Victoria Halls. It aims to highlight some of the 'surprises' that await tenants (eg the room/flat inspections, high electricity bills).

I was wondering if anyone had any stories or information they could give me for this piece?

Also, would anyone like to give me a quotation about the topic?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Kzyr

I'm all new at this Forum so Hi everyone!!
I used to live at Vic Halls last year & our electricity bills seemed quite high at the beginning.

We reported it at Reception & they read the meters daily for one week, then they said for us to be more aware of switching computers, heaters and the immersion heater off when they weren't needed, for a second week.
The difference was pretty big.

As for inspections - they were a pain in the backside, but they were fair. We had a couple of reinspections but no hassle. Anything else you want to know?

I am currently living in Victoria Halls and I have honestly got to say that the bad far outweighs the good. OK so it is en suite, 5 mins away from the union, 1 minute away from west street but that's all there is.

THE BAD:

1) £1.50 to use the wasing machines each time and another £1.50 for the dryer.
2) Very rude staff
3)My flat received a £112 for JANUARY when most of us were not even back from Christmas break!!! The staff still have not explained why it is this much!
4) the caretakes let themselves into the flat with no pior announcement
5) When I moved in i found certan lightbulbs missing and the water pipes were loosened so that the water constantly dripped - not a big deal at first but seeing as the water bil is combined with the electricity bill, it is pretty obvious that Victoria Hall is ... edited.

Debs

Ah so you're the people with the £112 bill! When I went to ask about ours they said 'well its not the highest someone else had one for £112' but apparently its a 5 bed? They're doinng the thing someone else mentioned with us now, monitoring the meter daily.

As for the inspections, no they're not a pain I was expecting to get them. What is a pain is when they're cancelled with no notice so you still do your epic clean the day before, only to be told you have to do it again the following week. Which somehow always managed to fall in a week when I had an exam last term.

i was thinking of moving into VH next year.

thanks for the heads up...


and remember people....hang low and keep the fat frying.

whatever that means.

Bob

Isn't it funny that its mainly the same 2 people whingeing on and on ??? For the record I lived at Victoria hall for 3 years and never experienced any of the problems that have been exaggerated within these posts. I think its only fair to give a balanced view - yes at first the electricity seems high but .. and its a big but ... the rates are actually advertised from the electricity company within reception which correspond with the electricity statements we receive from Victoria hall each month. We checked the consumption with the staff who were helpfull enough to let us check our meter each month and yes the readings were correct - the rates charged were actually lower than received at my home address !! I guess it just takes a bit of getting used to being responsible for using the electricity sensibly and paying bills for the first time away from home. It is also worth remebering there are no other forms of bills - no gas bills, no water bills - Victoria Hall actually pay the water contrary to the inaccurate previous post. Yes - the phone call charges are slightly higher but no one forces you to ring anyone and again Victoria hall pay all your line rental and you have free voice mail, which for me is really good as friends can ring me, leave messages etc and I never receive a phone bill !! The flat inspections are a pain but I understand with all the equipment Victoria hall provides you with, why they are neccessary, they are also good if like in our first year there is someone you're sharing with who needs pulling up on the cleaning side of things !! They are fair and providing your flat is in a reasonably clean condition only take 5 minutes a month maximum. The bedrooms only get inspected once ever 3 months or so .. so i can't really see the big fuss .. makes you wonder what state the complainants live in !!!! Overall I can't fault Victoria Hall.. staff are very pleasant, charges are all highlighted in the booking information up front and in reception.... but don't take my word for it come down to see for yourself. Its a shame that its always those with very little to moan about that always make the biggest fuss !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually, I am a postgrad who has been living away from home in rented accommodation for the last 5 years. The electricity bills here are far higher than in any similar accommodation I have stayed in. Even the staff admit they seem too high.

I'm not complaining about the inspections, it's the fact that half of them have now been cancelled without any notice and are done again the next week, so in effect we have an inspection every three weeks or so.

You have no idea of the problems we have actually suffered in our flat because they haven't been written on here, but some of them are actually issues that can cause serious health problems, which in themselves were not so much the fault of the accommodation people as the three weeks it took for them to even have a look and do anything about them. So don't judge people when you don't know the whole story.

Isn't it ever so slightly obvious that your electricity bill will be higher when there is no gas to use and therefore no additional gas bill ?? and even if they are higher the problem must lie with you and your flat mates using too much electricity seeing as the hall simply pass the rate charged on to us .. so I still can't see how thats a problem of the halls making ???

and if you flat checks are cancelled and done the week after doesn't that give you more time since the previous one ???? It doesn't bother most of the people I have known over the 3 years here - but I suppose that maybe they keep their flat in a better state than yours must be in - so its not such a big deal to them??

Seeing as you have moaned about everything else on here I doubt you would have missed an opportunity to have a genuine complaint about something that could cause 'serious health problems' Perhaps you would like to be a bit more specific now you have had time to think of something ?? - any repairs we have ever reported have been carried out more or less straight away by the very excellent caretakers - but again you probably have a reason to complain about them as well don't you ?????

Post graduate - I doubt it ...sounds to me like a typical spoilt fresher doesn't it ??????

GO HIRSTY! GO HIRSTY!
I see the debate still goes on.
I must admit Twiglet, you are still banging on about the same thing. You said before that Vic Halls were monitoring your electricity use, so shouldn't you wait til the outcome of that before you slate them anymore?

I've got a friend in L block this year and I told her about this thread, I thought perhaps that the place had gone down hill since I left.

She said that inspections have been postponed at late notice once - so where you get twice from I don't know!

Also Ngie1, I can't believe you think the staff are rude, I had a right laugh with them last year. Both caretakers and office staff bent over backwards to help us, and pulled us into line when needs be.
Perhaps thats your problem - you want to be treated like an adult - unfortunately when you make unreasoned and ridiculous accusations like 'Number 5' on your list, its obvious you are also "a typical spoilt fresher"

Originally posted by cricket


She said that inspections have been postponed at late notice once - so where you get twice from I don't know!


Right, so now I'm lying about the fact that I'm a postgraduate, and that flat inspections have been cancelled twice???

They were cancelled in October and in January, enough information for you? My point was that its not a good thing, it doesn't give more time because you've already done the cleaning for that inspection and then have to repeat it the following week.

And as for it being the same two people complaining, did it not occur to you that maybe only two people from Victoria Hall use this forum? I don't know anyone who lives here that doesn't have complaints about it, do you not think that the fact an article was written about it means the place has a bad reputation, which must have some basis in fact?

Actually I have to agree with Twiglet on this one. I lived there in my 2nd year and the cancelled inspections were a right nuisance. I'm really tidy so it's not like it was a build up of mess, but they'd make a fuss if the night before's washing up was there and insist on coming back to reinspect. If they'd actually inspected when they originally said they would we'd made an effort to ensure the flat was tidy for the inspection. I

whinge whinge whinge whinge whinge ..........................

its getting a bit boring now having to listen to someone whingeing on and on about so very little .......

at the end of the day if your flat was clean you shouldn't have to make any extra effort should you - it must be such a pain having to clean up twice a fortnight ????????

and if there is only 2 people with such trivial complaints out of 500 people living there it can't be that bad can it ???? It wouldn't surprise me if it was you and/or your co stirrer that was behind the article either !!!!!!!

I think it also booked up within a week for next year as well so obviously very popular .

Do you actually know anyone else that lives there ??? seems to me that you never come out of your flat and just spend all your time moaning on this forum !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow! I'm not a whingy type at all, you seem to be a little shouty. Would you like a bucket and spade to go with all that sand?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Twiglet
[B]Right, so now I'm lying.... that flat inspections have been cancelled twice???

If you must know, yes I think that you are lying. Like I said I know that the inspections have never been cancelled - just postponed.
My friend says that in October a letter was sent to all flats the previous week to apologise for the delay.

As for everybody having complaints about Vic Halls - have they actually voiced them to staff - maybe then the complainants wouldn't have such a one sided, blinked view.

You all sound like little children who are used to stamping their feet and getting their own way. Guess what???, I hate to break it to you but the world doesn't revolve around you!!

what a laugh this all is - new to this type of thing - didn't realise it could be so addictive - beats big brother !!

please let me in on the sand joke - must be a graduate joke - bit above my head. I don't think hirsty was on about you mjlacey21 more the twiglet who you must agree seems to have a complaint about everything.

I'm a spoilt fresher from Sheffield Uni living in Q block and i must have to say that i think the place is great - thought it was a joke when i arrived and that someone had mistakenly booked me a room with an up market travellodge - I have no complaints - i had no idea the place would be so lush - everything provided for you on tap - televisions, sky tv, free phone line rental. broadband etc etc etc and staff you can have a right laugh with .. sorry twiglet and co but i agree with the hirst mobile

you gotta be grateful for what you got or you end up with nowt .... does that mean anything ?

I responded to the author of this thread because we were asked for help with an article.

You're entitled to your opinions but this isn't the place to start persecuting people because they have different opinions to yourself. Everyone will have different experiences of their time in Victoria Hall and they should be entitled to talk about them without being insulted.

If you have nothing constructive to write then don't bother.

At last I agree with something you said, Twiglet......mjlacey should never have put that about sand!!

All I have to say is that people have the right to an opinion just as much as the public have a right to correct information about a service that is being provided.
All I have to ask is do students have to now pay £50 for a landline in the flats??

Misunderstanding I assure you - I thought you'd mentioned a mobile beach in an earlier post. My mistake.

Why don't you stop moaning and live somewhere else?

P.S. the Steel Press article was hardly hard-hitting journalism, but then none of the paper is these days. Maybe some of your "journalists" should try some decent stories that have relevance to all students, not just spoilt rich ones?

Mod: Please please, calm down... That better? ;)

Originally posted by cricket


If you must know, yes I think that you are lying. Like I said I know that the inspections have never been cancelled - just postponed.
My friend says that in October a letter was sent to all flats the previous week to apologise for the delay.


Just to preserve my integrity (I don't lie) - The letter, word for word, went as follows -

'Dear Residents, Due to unforseen circumstances, the flat inspections which were due to commence TODAY, Monday 11th October 2004 are to be undertaken next week' and then a list of dates.

Our inspection was on the Monday, so we had no notice. When I used the word 'cancelled' I meant cancelled on the day and then done the following week.

thanks for the pm mjlacey - won't let me reply - need to have a minimum number of posts or something ?

I think this thread has just about died its death - seems that there is nothing new to moan about ?

unless - what about the office staff must be some good gossip about them ???

cant complain about that -really really sorry - i always had a soft spot for the friendly security guard that would go to Spar for me when I was wasted in return for a cuppa and a dunky biscuit. I think I just aged 60 years!

Good Question ivorengine!
Like I said before, the office staff and the caretakers were wicked!
We had a right laugh with the caretakers, especially Wayne and Pete. Even so, there was a few times we got told off for being noisy after a night out but all in all they were up for a laugh.

The girls in the office were nice too. It always seemed like they were giggling about something. They did pull us up on inspections if the flat wasn't up to scratch, but we never took it personally. They just showed they can have a laugh but still get their point across!!

thats got to be Wayne - will do absolutely anything for food - we taunt him out of our window with doughnuts !!!!!!!

Are they on pieces of string?

Hiya, I just moved in VH since Jan 05 and would like to objectively pinpoint somethings for consideration.

(1) Staff attitude

the two young reception staffs are really rude regardless of you are nice to them or not. But some of the caretakers / other old staffs are very nice.

(2) Basic room setting causes higher electricity bill

- First, no on/off button for the mirror light, you need to turn on both room and mirror light each time.
- Second, the heater is installed underneath the desk and no it doesnt work really well.
- Third, the desk is not facing to the source of room light. So you have to turn on your table lamp everytime, even with your room light on.

(3) Not serious about legal document

I took over someone's room but they insisted me to sign a contract with the whole tenancy period (from Sept-Jul) coz their contract template has been used for 5 years and will not be amended under any circumstances.

Strictly speaking from legal point of view, I will be liable to the rental fee and other expenditures for the whole period. But this is not the fact. Hence I finally have to include an additional clause to protect myself.

But do you think this is a proper way to manage? I dont think so. It really seems like a joke. How could they include wrong information on a legal document (i.e. tenancy agreement) and still insisted that they were right?????

(4) Everything is expensive

Telephone call rate, washing/drying, electricity, broadband (pay 150 pounds for 125Kb service only lasting for 10 months!! i.e. 15 pounds/mth on average) .......... I cant believe it how they charge students such higher pay for everything. It seems like to make a great profit from us.


Yet, the good side is that location and security here is great. I am not sure if I will stay in VH next year but surely not my first priority.

here we go again.............

Well Manchao, If you have so many problems with the Vic Halls, what with the room layout, the fees, the staff and the tenancy I've got a question. Why move in there????

Hi Cricket and all,

I took this room as I hadnt realised all these issues beforehand. I committed to take it, then went out of town for holiday. They didnt ask me to sign anything until my coming back to take the room key. By that time, VH was the only place I could stay.

So at this point, you may understand a bit why I took it eventually. Haha... I really cant aford to stay in a hotel and keep doing house hunting again.

I am going to complain. I actually quite like the location and security here.... and also i can have my own bathroom/WC.

I pinpointed all these as I thought you might wish to cover some issues that students have faced / are now facing when living in a private student accommodation. So see if these help

Cheers...

are you really trying to say that this was the only student room left available in the whole city in January ??

Hiya, I want an ensuite room so I dont have much choice. Also, when I had 2 big luggage cases outside the management office and knew no where to go by that time, YES, this was the only choice for me at that moment.

I would say different people handle things in different way. I learnt a lesson and will do better next time.

Shall we shift our attention back to Steel Press article?

No thanks Manchao - I'm bored with it now!!!

I agree Ally - thing is you will always get some people who think they are owed the world and complain about every little thing and others who appreciate what a great place this is, make the most of things and really enjoy student life at Victoria hall.

I know which one I am !