Halloween Issue 2007
NEUADD BILLI$
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STUDENTS’ ANGER OVER EXTRA COSTS IN PRIVATE HALLS
he Neuadd Willis apartments appeared to many to be an ideal living spot. Located in the centre of town in an extensively refurbished, well-furnished building radiating style and sophistication, the halls certainly have many appealing characteristics. The base prices in many cases were similar to the cost of living on the Ffriddoedd Site, and as the accommodation is more luxurious than all other forms of student halls and flats, the deal was lapped up by many people looking forward to a year in upmarket lodgings. But a year after the halls first opened, we uncover why Neuadd Willis is not all it may seem. The management of Neuadd Willis were asked to comment on this article but at the time of going to press, no response had been received. Those opting for a house would usually experience average tenant- landlord relationships, based on a refundable deposit and a plain and simple contract, leaving everyone clear on where they stood. The University halls situation is also clear and
simple, and in fiscal terms, you could easily plan where you will be at the end of the year. Landlords and the Halls Office are not naïve about the type of tenant they are accommodating; students certainly aren’t the cleanest bunch, but the returns on a property let to students are very high and they are generally happy to accept minor damage in exchange for higher rental income than they would get from a family let. But within the last two years, a new type of student accommodation has emerged. A tried and tested part of many big towns and cities, but a new product for the city of Bangor, luxury apartments certainly changed many students’ perspectives when looking for housing. Neuadd Willis was different to standard accommodation in many ways. The first is its location: situated in the centre of Bangor, it was certainly ideal for reaching most key areas of the city. The second is its interior. The luxury rooms and surrounding areas are comprised of newly furnished kitchens, soft carpets and sophisticated living spaces. The en-suite
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rooms are kitted with trendy furnishings and comforting little extras. Indeed, from the outset, Neuadd Willis looks to be a students dream. But while signing your contract, moving your things in and spending your first weeks in luxury, the words ‘too good to be true’ consistently play on your mind, and ‘too good to be true’ certainly is what it is. The price appears reasonable for the quality of the accommodation, but it is only once the deal has been signed that the money starts to roll out. Neuadd Willis presents tenants with a huge, 54-item list of potential charges they can incur in their ‘welcome pack’, so nobody can claim that they haven’t been warned, but what tenants are missing is transparent cost calculations and clear guidelines on how “reasonable wear and tear” is determined. In addition to these potential charges and your rent, you will face a booking fee of £210, which covers internet provision, the rental of an IP telephony handset, insurance and administration costs.
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Sounds fair enough? Perhaps, if it wasn’t for the fact the internet connection is patchy at best, and a download limit was recently introduced, causing many students to reach their limit within a couple of days. Students claim not to have been directed to information about what the download limit is or when the next download allocation will begin. What they do know is that they have to pay additional fees if they want to continue using the internet once they have reached their limit. What about the IP telephony and the insurance? Well, the handset rental covers only the handset rental; there is an additional fee of £11.75 per month if you want to make or receive any external phone calls. And students who already have content insurance may not want or need additional insurance. The “underground” car parking facilities may sound quite attractive to students, but it comes at a cost of £200 per year. On top of this, £250 is charged for water and electricity, leaving some people with bills of up to £700 before they have even paid their first rent instalment.
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During your tenancy, if your flat exceeds its water and electricity entitlement each month you’ll end up stumping up extra cash to pay the difference, even if you personally never flush the toilet or turn on a light. If you don’t take out your kitchen rubbish you will be charged £2.50 per bag removed for you by the cleaners. And if you are not happy with the accommodation once you are in it, you will be charged £50 in administration fees to move either within or out of the accommodation. But Seren has learnt that some students were surprised to receive substantial bills from Neuadd Willis after their tenancy had ended. At the end of the academic year, just when money is tight for students, Neuadd Willis hit these students with bills in the hundreds of pounds for alleged damage to property.
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