Topic: Private student hall recommdations

[leivapool]

I know the ire from many scousers regarding the epidemic of student halls the city is now subject too but I'd appreciate any help rawkites can give please!

Daughter has a place at U of L to study Physics.  Long story short,  despite requesting self catering halls on her accommodation application she got offered catered at Carnatic.  She's gutted because she wanted to be on campus if possible,  Carnatic is a dump,  and she has special dietary requirements meaning she wont be eating any canteen food and needs to cook her own food

So,  before she drops her place at Uni we are lookng at private halls.  This isn't her preferred option as she feels that Uni halls are where you make friends,  but she's left wiht little choice as the uni room swap system is a joke!!  Has anyone got any experience of private halls,  good places,  bad places,  companies to avoid etc.   Her nightmare would be being surrounded by overly studious foreign students who went to bed early and had no social life!  I'm not saying my daughter is party queen but she'd like to be near people similar to her i.e normal first year students up for some fun and a bit of study!!

If anyone can help particularly with any of the following we'd REALLY appreciate it

We are looking at:

Europa:
http://freshstudentliving.co.uk/property/europa/

Appolo Court
http://www.derwentstudents.com/our-locations/liverpool/apollo-court/

Chatham Lodge &
Hayward

http://www.hellostudent.co.uk/student-accommodation/liverpool/

[Medellin]

Worked at the Uni for many years & from what i see Vine court & Crown place will probably be the best as they are pretty new & on the Uni campus too.

Best place for advice would be here..

http://www.liverpoolstudenthomes.org/Accommodation

[leivapool]

Worked at the Uni for many years & from what i see Vine court & Crown place will probably be the best as they are pretty new & on the Uni campus too.

Best place for advice would be here..

http://www.liverpoolstudenthomes.org/Accommodation

Cheers.  The problem is the Uni Halls have all been allocated so the only chance of a place in one is a room swap.  It seems to work that you get allocated a room you don't want and that wasn't what you requested,  and IF you accept the offer of this room you can then apply for a swap,  but you have to specify which hall you wish to swap to,  when in reality my daughter just need self catering.  The difficulty is that if she accepts the contract at catered Caranatic she is then commited to pay the years fees,  over 5K, but with absolutely no guarantee that a room in a self catered hall will be found.  Given that U Of L was her first choice and almost all their accom is self catered this is deeply frustrating!

Appreciate the link,  looks useful

[Medellin]

Aye I'm not up to speed regarding availability & how they allocate with being a contractor.
LSH have a shop on Mount Pleasant if you are local.
Good luck!

[keano7]

Cheers.  The problem is the Uni Halls have all been allocated so the only chance of a place in one is a room swap.  It seems to work that you get allocated a room you don't want and that wasn't what you requested,  and IF you accept the offer of this room you can then apply for a swap,  but you have to specify which hall you wish to swap to,  when in reality my daughter just need self catering.  The difficulty is that if she accepts the contract at catered Caranatic she is then commited to pay the years fees,  over 5K, but with absolutely no guarantee that a room in a self catered hall will be found.  Given that U Of L was her first choice and almost all their accom is self catered this is deeply frustrating!

Appreciate the link,  looks useful

There may be Facebook groups for each individual halls so it may be worth your daughter joining the groups of halls where she'd like to be and to send a message to all asking if any students would like to swap for her position - I'm sure there's probably a few students who would have wanted catered and didn't get their first choice.

[Sir Afghan]

I went to Carnatic about 10 years ago and it was boss, think you she'd be mad to go anywhere else. It was a bit of a dump back then too, but so many students in one place, especially all first years, it was great fun. And back then loads of people swerved the canteen and sorted themselves, it's not really an issue.

[Medellin]

There are major improvements & developments to the Carnatic site right now too,not sure about completion dates tho.
Been a few months since i was up there.

[leivapool]

There may be Facebook groups for each individual halls so it may be worth your daughter joining the groups of halls where she'd like to be and to send a message to all asking if any students would like to swap for her position - I'm sure there's probably a few students who would have wanted catered and didn't get their first choice.

Thanks,  will investigate.  Not sure that would work though as it seems that the Uni arranges all the swaps,  so finding a room in a hall she wanted herself is pointless .  Bit of a strange system they offer really. 

Saw another student post on the student room about the issue of swapping, as they were offered really expensive catered halls (Vine).  They told the Uni they were going private and have booked the brand new Unite place,  St Lukes,  and after they'd declined the Uni offer of accommodation the Uni miraculously found a self catering room and offered it to them.  He told them where to go!  but how can they not have  a room and then offer it AFTER you've cancelled!!

[leivapool]

I went to Carnatic about 10 years ago and it was boss, think you she'd be mad to go anywhere else. It was a bit of a dump back then too, but so many students in one place, especially all first years, it was great fun. And back then loads of people swerved the canteen and sorted themselves, it's not really an issue.

With her strict dietary needs, catered is just not an option,  and self catering for every single meal really does require a proper kitchen.  it's not like she can just get some fast food or eat out to tide her over!

Being a dump is bad but she would cope,  being catered is terrible, and the combination means a private company is likely to get our money!  but the Uni accommodation office has been less than helpful .. Plus they are charging over £5K for halls that are rubbish and food she can't eat

I do get what you mean about the social side though and it is my daughter's biggest concern.  She is very sociable and can't wait to meet other students and party!

[Pistolero]

Based on location alone it'd have to be Chatham Lodge....a stroll to uni and the student bar/cafe/ alehouse hub of Hope street

[ohweloveyerbaldyhead]

If it were me I'd just go in Carnatic and buy my own scran it's boss there had loads of mates live there.

If not I forget the names now but the one right by Lime Street station and the one off Leeds Street both have very good social scenes.

[Sir Afghan]

If it were me I'd just go in Carnatic and buy my own scran it's boss there had loads of mates live there.

If not I forget the names now but the one right by Lime Street station and the one off Leeds Street both have very good social scenes.

I've had a couple of mates in the one opposite the royal and despite not being the nicest they had big groups of mates and were always on the lash. Think they might be mostly jmu though

[leivapool]

Based on location alone it'd have to be Chatham Lodge....a stroll to uni and the student bar/cafe/ alehouse hub of Hope street

Cheers.  Visited these yesterday.  Fab location,  really good accommodation,  but very large number of  Chinese students! 

If it were me I'd just go in Carnatic and buy my own scran it's boss there had loads of mates live there.

If not I forget the names now but the one right by Lime Street station and the one off Leeds Street both have very good social scenes.

Thanks.  I think being self-catered and having a nice kitchen was a big part of leaving home as she loves to cook,  plus Carnatic looks a bit of a dump 

Went round a whole load of private halls yesterday and if anyone finds themselves in a  similar situation the best by far were the new Unite halls,  St Luke's view,  Oldham Street L1.  Brand new,  spot on location and good value,  particularly for UoL students.  Nice mix of JMU & UoL and each seperated into their own flats.  800 odd students as well so plenty of partying I'm sure!!

[scouse92]

Not sure on availability this late but grand Central (opposite Lime Street) was ideal for my first year.

[SamAteTheRedAcid]

Not sure on availability this late but grand Central (opposite Lime Street) was ideal for my first year.

I stayed there too, was alright.

I nearly burned the place down after I fell asleep while cooking sausages on the grill. I woke up my bird and asked what the fuck I should do as the kitchen was on fire, she said 'get the fucking fire blanket ya divvy' and it did the trick. So basically you can thank her for it still being there after 2004