Sheffield Hallam Accommodation Reviews

[boyface 10]

If you come to one of the open days you can go on an accomodation tour.

[Hallamton 10]

I'd say it depends where abouts your daughter is located...City or Collegiate Campus. I'm on Collegiate and I'd reccommend picking anywhere around the Ecclesall road area...I stayed at Rosedale House and (unlike girlbass) I thought it was pretty good in comparison to other types of accommodation. It's a lot smaller than the rest (it holds about 25 students) so you get to know everyone a lot better and it's within a fairly modern complex. The landlords (John Allen) aren't great, although you'll come to realise that all student landlords are completely incompetant.

[shefftyke 10]

As mentioned by Hallamton it depends on which Campus she is located. Most of the city centre ones are new and well maintained. I'd recommend Exchange Works, Leadmill Court, Trigon, Phoenix Court etc as they are all near to the city centre which is good for getting home safe after a night out.

 

Going into halls is the best idea in the first year as that is where you make the majority of your friends. Save the private houses for later years when you have a good core of friends.

 

Ones to avoid (in my opinion) are The Forge, Central Quay, Norfolk Park, Charlotte Court and Bramall Court. The reason being that the Forge and Central Quay offer 52 week contracts and are swamped with international students. This usually means it is harder to make friends. Norfolk Park is very close to a dodgy area and is well known for robberies. Bramall Court and Charlotte Court a little out of the way and means walking home in the dark can be a frightening experience.

 

Everyone has differing opinions but I think the ones mentioned are the best for the money and peace of mind.

[802218 10]

I'm living in Leadmill Point at the minute and I love it!

There are two main gates before you can even get into your block, it's all very safe. The area (city centre) is fantastic, and there is CCTV and security/staff on the premises 24/7.

I'm applying for Archways (again, City Centre) next year, and I'd say the same thing about that too - fantastic.

 

I'd recommend looking around on an open day... I'm giving tours, so you never know, might see you there!

 

EDIT: Oh yeah, it's less than five mins from the Uni, less than 10 mins from the City Centre, ensuite rooms and the staff are lovely.

Edited May 5, 2009 by 802218
More info

[pinklilbean 10]

I lived in Pearl House (on King Street) in my first year of Uni, and it was quite a small halls of residence, but it was within a 10 minute walk of uni (if not shorter) so I could roll out of bed at 8.45, and still make it in for a 9am lecture

 

It wasn't in the most "desirable" area of Sheffield City centre, but I was happy there, lots of cheap shops nearby!

 

I know a lot of friends who were in Archways/Leadmill Point and loved it. I went round for various shin digs, and it seemed very nice!

 

A few friends were in Norfolk Park, and they enjoyed it, but I guess it's what you make of things!

 

I think nearly all the halls are en suite now as standard - which is a bonus!

 

I did look at the halls above the Cavendish to live in one Summer in between places (Cavendish House?) and they weren't (en suite) though (and the bathrooms were a bit... grubby)

 

The Trigon is a very popular modern halls of residence. I've had a look round myself, and it is as nice as some of the modern flats you see!

 

If you wanted to get a better (more up to date) opinion of halls, and student life in general, look on the Hallam website:

 

http://www.shu.ac.uk/study/open/studentled.html

 

Give them a call, they're a very helpful bunch (I used to work in the department)

 

The student led campus tours aren't accommodation specific, but it gives a good insight into student life (and you can grill the students taking you round).

 

I think they still do an optional accommodation tour, which takes you up to the Trigon, to the marketing suite. The students will also point out other near by halls of residence. Might be worth checking if they still do it though!

 

Hope that helps, if you want any other info, PM me, and I'll try to help

Edited May 5, 2009 by pinklilbean

[pinklilbean 10]

And just to mention as well, for more piece of mind about Sheffield (if you don't live here). I'm originally from a tiny little fishing village in Cornwall, and moved up to Sheffield like a little country bumpkin!

 

I've always felt safe walking around Sheffield, in the day and at night time.

 

That's not to say things do happen (I'm not completely blissfully unaware) I got burgled in my third year, a couple of weeks before my dissertation was due in, laptop, and pretty much everything else got nicked, but these things happen all over the country.

 

(Just make sure your daughter backs everything up! And insurance - don't scrimp!)

 

Apart from that incident, I've had a great time in Sheffield, and plan to stay here for some time

 

Might be worth contacting the Accommodation Services too, as I remember I got sent a (VHS!) video of Hallam Accommodation. I'm sure it'll be a dvd now (or watch this http://www.shu.ac.uk/accommodation/video.html)

 

Edit:

 

Another thing to add, I wouldn't bother getting anything like a toaster/sandwich maker/kettle etc until she's moved in (if they need to provide their own). She may well find there are 7 other toasters in the kitchen already that her flatmates have brought with them!

Edited May 5, 2009 by pinklilbean

[luciec 10]

I lived at Central Quay for a week- don't bother with there. In fact try to avoid all of the privatley owned ones as when I was a fresher I ended up at The Forge after Central Quay and although it was nice and well kept, I was living with 5 people who were in the second year so was very lucky that I had a friend who was living at Charlotte Court. I would definitley reccommend Charlotte Court/Bramall Court/Leadmill Point, and my boyfriend was at Exchange Works which again, was good, nice and friendly.

[snowaddict 10]

Thanks again everyone, thats very useful advice.

[mally350z 10]

http://www.claypenny.co.uk

[Hallamton 10]

Oh and for future reference...avoid Salis Properties like the plague. They handle accommodation across Sheffield, usually for 2nd and 3rd year students who move out of halls into a house with friends. Their service is terrible - unfriendly, unhelpful when things go wrong and unwilling to sort things out promptly!!

[sidley94 10]

does anyone know if the Trigon is any good and if it is near the collegiate campus?

[sidley94 10]

and what are the nearest accommodation to the collegiate campus?