Housing AU T U M N E D I T I O N 2 0 1 7
House hunt with Unipol from 20th January 2018 www.unipol.org.uk/LeedsHH Christmas Party Ideas Unipol Interview Progressive Rock Band Koyo See page 4-5
See page 14-15
www.facebook.com/ unipolleeds
@Unipol_Leeds
S P O N S O R E D BY
2
AUTUMN 2017
Contents FEATURES 03
What to do this November and December
04-05
Unipol meet KOYO
06
It's time to plan your house hunting
07
What is the Unipol Code?
08-09
News from the Housing Team
10
What's all the fuss about Rate Your Landlord?
11
News from the Students' Unions
12-13
Agony Amy
14-15
Plan your Christmas party food
16
Meet the sponsor of the magazine
We're pleased to announce that Unipol will be sponsoring Leeds Beckett HockeyClub this year! Look out for them at Unipol stalls at upcoming house hunting fairs and around your halls in November!
This magazine is produced by Unipol Student Homes. It is for guidance only and is no substitute for the diverse legislation covers. Unipol Student Homes is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales, No. 3401440, Registered Charity number No. 1063492. VAT Registration No. 698 8456 49. Unipol Student Homes accepts no liability whatsoever in respect of the advertisements prepared by Unipol Student Homes based on the contents on Accommodation Details Forms and in no circumstances (whether caused by negligence or otherwise) will Unipol Student Homes be liable for any consequential or indirect damage or loss of rent or loss of profit suffered or incurred by you or any third party howsoever caused. Š Copyright 2017 Unipol Student Homes
04 11 12
14
10
CONTENTS
AUTUMN 2017
3
EVENTS
What to Do This November and December It's starting to feel like Christmas... That means it is time to go and see the Leeds Light Switch On to help get you in the Christmas spirit! Wrap up warm and enjoy the beautiful lights with live music and entertainment, which is all free. Location: Victoria Gardens on the Headrow (Thursday 9th November, 6:45pm).
Leeds Christkindelmarkt - 'a little piece of Germany in the heart of Leeds City centre' . There are over 40 wooden chalet stalls to experience a variety of authentic German foods and seasonal gifts that will tantalize all the senses. You can experience sweet delights such as berliner, gingerbread, and candied fruits and warm yourself up with some delicious mulled wine on a chilly winter evening. Location: Millennium Square (10th November - 17th December).
Etsy Made Local A great chance to find some handcrafted Christmas goods and beautiful local crafts at the Etsy Made Local Christmas Market. Entry is free. Location: Leeds City Museum (Cookridge Street) 2nd December3rd December, 11am-4pm. Culture Corner 31st Leeds International Film Festival (1st-16th November) If you feel a little bit intimidated on where to start, check out our 5 recommendations for easy introductions to the International Film Festival for a younger audience. 1. Call Me By Your Name 2. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri 3. Battle of the Sexes 4. Beast 5. Thelma Check out our blog for more information on our film recommendations and the free Meet the Makers events which are about finding out what goes on behind the screen.
Remember, remember the fifth of November of gunpowder treason and plot. Head a little bit further out of Hyde Park to the expansive Roundhay Park to join 70,000 people from around Leeds who gather to watch some beautiful fireworks (Friday 3rd November, 7:30pm). Alternatively, stay close to home with the bonfire and fireworks at Woodhouse Moor (Friday 3rd November, 7:30pm).
Skeletons: Our Buried Bones Check out the unique, free exhibition, Skeletons: Our Buried Bones at Leeds City Museum. This exhibition offers a unique opportunity to see into the lives of 12 individuals from Yorkshire and London based on the scientific analysis of their bones which shows us how they lived, and the health issues they faced. The exhibition does contain human remains. More information on our blog. Location: Leeds City Museum (22 September 2017 - 7 January 2018).
Stay Active this Winter Get Out, Get Active is a fantastic programme of activity giving you the opportunity to explore the amazing countryside right on your doorstep. We have walks running every weekend to amazing places in the Yorkshire Dales, lake district and peak district. They also do running, pilates, yoga activities every week, and climbing, cycling, kayaking and rowing trips throughout the semester. Find out more here: https://sport.leeds.ac.uk/sport/get-out-get-active/
4
AUTUMN 2017
MUSIC
w e i v r e t Unipol In e v i s s e r g o r P h wit O Y O K d n a B k c Ro After the recent release of their debut album and performance at Leeds Festival, band members Huw Edwards and Jacob Price discuss how their music has evolved and provide advice for artists looking to start a band. So the band was formed in Leeds in 2015. Where did you all meet and what made you decide to start a band together? J -Me and Huw both moved to Leeds to study music and locked ourselves away writing and recording in my room. Originally we intended to just release music as a duo but we got carried away adding layers and instruments and realised we wanted to put a band together. H -I went to LCM and worked at Belgrave and Jake went to Leeds Beckett, so we didn’t have to look very far for other members! We had an opportunity to go out and ask our favourite musicians in Leeds. Luckily everyone said yes! Since then, this band has constantly been evolving into something all five of us are heavily invested in.
I’m sure you get this all the time but what does KOYO mean and where did it come from? J - It’s a Japanese phrase that describes how the colour of the leaves change in autumn before falling from the trees. To be completely honest it just felt right. H - It works well as a metaphor for the progressive, changing state of our music. Once we saw my brother’s logo we never looked back.
kind of went in that direction. We just make the music we want to make. We’re excited to see where it takes us next. J - After finishing the first album we needed another guitarist to help us pull it off live. Since then Seb has become a full time member and has filled a void we didn’t realise needed filling. It’s become grittier, dirtier and noisier and you can expect the new stuff to continue heading in that direction. There’s a mix of five personalities now rather than four.
Since you started out in 2015, how has your music evolved? Has the genre changed at all?
You played at Leeds Festival in August. How was that!
H - Yeah it’s evolving all the time. We just let the music take us where it wants to go. We never sat down and said ‘we want to be a prog band’ or ‘we want to be a psych band’. It just
H - It was awesome. We felt at home on a festival stage. The style of our music lends itself to a bigger stage. It was our first festival and the first time we’d all been out in a tour van together
AUTUMN 2017
5
MUSIC
as well. We came home itching to get back out there and do it again. J - It was great being able to hang out and watch other bands. We even managed to catch Queens Of The Stone Age’s secret set at Reading the night before we played. We all woke up that morning feeling pretty inspired and ready to smash it!
the vibe of it. The way the music twists and turns just like the twisted, schizophrenic musings in the lyrics. Tom really nailed the groove on that one as well.
without someone taking care of the music then everything else is pointless! And lastly, keep moving forward and try not to get too precious about things because it’ll slow you down.
J - Mine has to be Jouska. I feel like it’s one of those hidden gems on an album that takes longer to grow on you but once it does it becomes your favourite.
What are your plans for the future?
What inspires your music and who are your influences?
Aside from music, what do you like doing together as a band?
H - I think part of the reason we’re a progressive band is because we’re inspired by so many different things, individually and as a group. We grew up on rock music, then came to Leeds and got into electronic music, hip hop, funk, jazz fusion. We always knew we were going to be a rock band at heart though.
J - Going and watching other bands with a cheeky pint at venues like the Brudenell.
J - We’ve started working on new songs for the next album and the process this time around has been pretty different. We’re going back to our roots a little bit and want to create something rawer that sounds like five guys playing together in a room.
H - Work hard, practice a lot, write a lot, and rehearse a lot…don’t just go out and talk about being in a band, stay in sometimes and actually do it! Try to get involved in what’s going on around you. We’ve always benefitted from getting involved with other creatives in Leeds who can support us (not just musicians but photographers, artists, filmmakers). Use everything to your advantage. But first of all, focus on the music, make your vision clear but trust others with the responsibility to take care of other things, because
Personally, my favourite song is ‘what is mine’. I love the nostalgic, relaxing vibe! What is the bands favourite song and why? H - We all have different favourites. Mine’s probably Jettisoned. I just love
H - Try not to talk about the band! Is there any advice you would give to musicians looking to get into the industry?
J - We want to play the album live to as many people in as many places as possible! We’ve just come back from a tour of the UK and are itching to get back on the road, we will be announcing some European shows soon. We’ve recorded and filmed a live session at RAK Studios in London so keep an eye out for that. During all of this we’re working on the second album. As you were Leeds students yourself what tips do you have for any students that are starting house hunting in January 2018? J - Get a house with a basement and live next door to your friends so you can start a band and rehearse all the time! H - Don’t rush but don’t leave it until July! If you haven’t already listened to KOYO’s new album, you can check it out here: www.koyoband.com
6
AUTUMN 2017
HOUSE HUNTING
Plan your House Hunting with Unipol November
December
20th January 2018 Launch of house hunting
CODE DROP IN STALLS AT: Leeds Beckett Headingley Campus 7th November Leeds Beckett City Campus 14th November LUU 21st November
EARLY NOVEMBER 2017 Your House Hunting Guide is available
January
JANUARY 2018 House Hunting magazine published
LOTS OF ADVICE ON HOUSE HUNTING
MONDAY 1ST NOVEMBER, TUESDAY 8TH -9TH NOVEMBER 2017 6 - 8PM Door Knocking - House Hunting Campaign at Leeds Beckett Residences
TUESDAY 14TH NOVEMBER 2017 Meet the House Hunting Experts Leeds Beckett Rose Bowl 12noon - 2pm
THURSDAY 1ST FEBRUARY 2018 Housing Fair
TUESDAY 7TH AND TUESDAY 28TH NOVEMBER 2017 12 noon - 2pm House Hunting advice stand at Headingley Campus Students' Union.
26TH OCTOBER - 14TH NOVEMBER 6-8PM Door Knocking in Halls - We're coming around to your hall to talk to you about house hunting
LATE JANUARY 2018 LUU House Hunting Fair
THURSDAY 1ST NOVEMBER, TUESDAY 21ST NOVEMBER AND TUESDAY 23RD NOVEMBER house hunting experts at LUU
THURSDAY 7TH DECEMBER AT 3-4PM Essential House Hunting tips - talk
THURSDAY 16TH NOVEMBER 2017 - 12NOON TO 2PM House Hunting Campaign stand in the café bar
16TH JANUARY AND 1ST FEBRUARY 2018 NOON - 2.00PM House Hunting Campaign stand in the café bar
15 NOVEMBER AT 1PM AND 28 NOVEMBER AT 4.30PM. Essential House Hunting tips - Talks
THURSDAY 16TH NOVEMBER 2017 11.30 - 1.30 house hunting stall in the cafe
t Studmen ts n e Com
onal Joy Haggard/ Internati d gra t Pos on/ ati Communic How many houses did you look at before signing to your current house? 5 houses What do you look for in a house/ flat? Bigger kitchen and parking space and a bath
What would you do differently on your next house hunt or what improvements or features would you like for your next house? I would start my house hunt on time
HOUSE HUNTING WORKSHOP ON TUESDAY 5TH DECEMBER 2017
Lewis Girvin/ Sports The How many houses did you look at before signing to your current house? 5-6 What do you look for in a house/ flat? Multiple bathrooms, bigger kitchens and no damp or mould
rapy/ 2nd year
What would you do differently on your next house hunt or what improvements or features would you like for your next house? Get a review or feedback of landlord, house and services from previous tenants
AUTUMN 2017
7
THE CODE
The Unipol Codes: Here for you every step of the way! Unipol runs several national and local housing accreditation schemes (called the Codes), covering thousands of student properties: Unipol Codes for shared student housing in Leeds, Bradford & Nottingham
National Codes for halls (run by universities and private providers)
THE CODES
Firstly, DON’T PANIC! Let your landlord know about the issue as soon as possible & write to them (email is fine!) We can give you advice on how best to approach them. There is a formal complaints procedure & tribunal to deal with serious matters.
The Codes ensure students are provided with a better standard of housing. The Codes are there every step of the way, and from signing up and moving in, offering help during your tenancy to ensuring you are supported when you move out and making sure you get your deposits back in a timely manner.
What if things go wrong?
What are they?
Find out more at: unipol.org.uk/the-code/how-tocomplain
How are standards checked?
Am I covered?
Landlords/agents voluntarily join the Unipol Codes and declare that their properties meet our standards.
You can check whether your landlord is accredited on the Unipol website or by asking your landlord.
We inspect at least 1 in 5 of Code Landlords’ properties and a wide sample of student halls.
For large developments, check the National Code website at: nationalcode.org
WANT ACCESS TO THE LARGEST DATABASE OF ACCREDITED PROPERTIES IN LEEDS BEFORE ANYONE ELSE? Excited about choosing your next home? We’ve got your back. The Unipol Code has been designed specifically to help you be sure that you’ll be living in a property that’s safe, secure and well managed. And if you have any difficulties with the property Unipol can help you out.
Join our priority mailing list: www.unipol.org.uk/LeedsHH
Make your first choice in January
“Unipol are a great company. Very pleased with the staff - friendly, and easy to talk to with any problems with the house. Would 100% stay with again.� - Tenant 2016/17
Unipol have
500 properties for you to choose from, ranging from studio flats to selfcontained properties to shared houses to large city centre developments!
0113 205 3424 lettings@unipol.org.uk 155/157 Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS23ED
“I am so happy I decided to move into a Unipol property. As a student you hear nightmare stories about Landlords and student housing. Unipol have provided me with an amazing housing experience and made me feel comfortable at the New York Street residency.” - Tenant 2016/17
More About Us
83% tenants satisfied with their stay in Unipol housing!
■■ We are a unique nonprofit making charitable company. ■■ All Unipol properties include personal possessions insurance. ■■ Tenants are valued customers and encouraged to provide feedback to ensure we continue to meet the expectations and demands of students. ■■ Safety, security and location being the high priorities. ■■ Housing Management Officers ensure you are content in your home. ■■ A 24hr repair reporting system to ensure repairs are dealt with swiftly.
www.unipolhousing.org.uk
10
AUTUMN 2017
RATE YOUR LANDLORD
So what’s all the fuss about
Rate Your Landlord? R
ate Your Landlord is your voice. This is how you tell other students (and your landlord) what you really think. Rate Your Landlord is not just for saying you’ve had a bad experience it is just as important to use it to say that things have gone well and you would recommend your landlord to other students. As George Bissett, Leeds University Union’s Community Officer says “Rate Your Landlord is an incredible concept, but it’s only as good as its users. That’s you! (hopefully). The idea behind the site is that students can submit quick and easy reviews of their landlord, rating them out of five on various areas. All the reviews are then available for other students to see before deciding who to rent with. Signing for a property is a massive commitment which is why seeing what others thought of your prospective landlord is invaluable. Just think about how useful Amazon reviews are before buying a product online: first-hand experience from someone just like you. It’s far more reliable than anything the seller will tell you. It’s the exact same principle with your future home, but you’re putting a hell of a lot more money down on it. But as I said, the site is only as useful as its users. If no one submits a review, there’s no information. We could ask the landlords to review
themselves, but then everyone would be a 5/5 (unless someone failed to grasp the concept completely). So help other students like yourself find the greatest landlords – while avoiding the not so great ones. It genuinely only takes two minutes and really does a whole lot of good: what’s not to love!?”
USEFUL LINKS Rate Your Landlord Awards 2017: Want to find out who the winners are this year? Check out: www.rateyourlandlord.org.uk/awards/ Start Rating: www.rateyourlandlord.org.uk/rate/ Having problems and not sure what to do? www.rateyourlandlord.org.uk/advice/further-advice/
E L T T O B A N I E G MESSA AUTUMN 2017
E
11
NEWS FROM THE SUs
very student house seems to include a collection of empty glass jars and bottles that look like they could pass for a piece of modern art. The reason? There’s no easy way to recycle glass in many places in Leeds. So you put a bottle on the side, telling yourself that you’ll take it to the bottle bank another time. Then one bottle becomes two. Which becomes three: and before you know it you’re drowning in a glass ocean of your own creation. That’s why this year I’m heading up Leeds University Union’s very own small-scale kerbside glass collection. Everyone knows that glass recycling provisions in Leeds’ student areas aren’t amazing, so we’re taking action! So if you live in Hyde Park, and your street is chosen as part of our collection, keep your eyes peeled. We’ll be coming round soon to help clear
away those post-party glass bottles. But sadly, we can’t do this every month! And after we’ve finished, the issue of glass recycling will still remain. So take a minute to think about what you can do to help: take one bottle on your walk to uni every morning and drop it in a bottle bank on the way; nominate a glass collector every month; maybe even team up with other houses on your street to run your own neighbourhood glass collection? Recycling one glass bottle saves enough energy to power a TV for one and a half hours, and over a ton of natural resources are saved for every ton of glass recycled. A little effort on our part can make a world of difference. George Bissett
Support Zero Tolerance Hey Students! ome of you may know me from last year as this is my second year elected into this position! For those who are new, welcome and those who are returning, I hope you had a fabulous summer. I thought I’d give you a little low down on what I am doing this year and I thought it might be handy for me to introduce your new Exec team. This year I am working on zero-tolerance towards sexual harassment and violence, I have teamed up with Leeds Rhinos to promote the campaign. We have many sports teams getting on board so why don’t you sign the pledge and help create a safer environment for all students by showing solidarity!? www.leedsbeckettsu.co.uk//studentvoice/campaigns/zerotol erance/pledge Mental health policy and Light Up Beckett Park are follow on projects from some of my work I was doing last year. The policy will have every staff member at the SU trained in basic mental health and frontline staff will receive further in depth training. I want to create a stigma free
campus for all.
S
Lights in Beckett park Lights in Beckett park is a campaign to get lighting in the park outside the Headingley campus. Some students unfortunately are attacked in this park after being in the library or training with sports teams. I believe no student should feel unsafe in their community and shouldn’t be targeted. To finish up, here is a photo of the new exec team! Please contact us by social media, email or come in and say hi at the SU offices, Portland building, level 1. We are a super friendly bunch and want to hear from you. Peace out, Kelly-anne VP Welfare and Community
A GONY A MY
12
AUTUMN 2017
Student life can be really difficult at times; balancing workloads, making new friends and budgeting. Most of what you are experiencing is brand new and takes time to get your head around.
Hi!
DEAR AMY
Unipol Hub officer Amy Lloyd answers questions and offers advice to help students with any housing related issues.
Sleeping with the enemy : I moved into a student property in July and when I viewed the house everything looked great. Since September we have experienced issues with mould and I am really unhappy about it. The mould is in the bedrooms and we are worried it could cause us health problems. Surely the landlord should resolve this?
Q
Bathroom Bitterness : There are six of us living in one property and we have 2 bathrooms. The downstairs bathroom has a broken toilet seat (which we did break), but we contacted the landlord 2 days ago and it has still not been fixed. The other bathroom is fine but having 6 people use one bathroom is becoming inconvenient.
Q
Amy’s Autumn Advice
Amy Says: Your landlord should be made aware of the problem as they can take steps to eradicate it however, a lot of students experience mould in their student houses and it is largely down to tenant behaviour. Mould is caused by too much moisture and not enough ventilation. If you are worried about the mould then some top tips include: don’t dry your clothes on radiators; crack open windows and open interior doors to create a through draught; and keep the heating on low throughout the day in the colder months. Amy Says: This would be classed as a Priority 2 repair and the landlord is given 5 working days to rectify this issue. Please be mindful that the landlord will aim to carry out any repairs as soon as possible but is entitled to this time frame to complete a repair. If the landlord fails to carry out the repair within 5 working days then you can raise this with Unipol, providing you landlord is Code accredited.
This Month I’m Excited About… Money is one of the biggest worries amongst students and it really doesn’t have to be overly complicated. Figure out what your incomings and outgoings are and work out how much needs to be kept aside for rent, bills and essentials. Once you have the money put to one-side, you can decide how to spend the rest. It’s a great idea to create a spread sheet to keep on top of your spending. If you are really struggling to keep up with payments, your bank may allow you to create an over draft or alternatively part time work is an option.
ADVICE
AMY’S Guest Writer
AUTUMN 2017
13
ADVICE
#Don’t Let Yet
#Don’t Let Yet Hi everyone, I’m Nina, I moved to Leeds three years ago when I got my place at Leeds Beckett. I’m now in my second year studying History - I love it! I’m writing about a really important project, the Don’t Let Yet campaign. The aim is to make sure that you guys don’t let too early, rushing into signing a contract that might not be right for you. Many properties start coming available as early as November, and while it might seem like the early bird catches the worm, it may not always be the case. When I first moved, I didn’t have much time to sort out accommodation, resulting in me renting a teeny tiny mezzanine flat in Hyde Park. It was small and in a busy part of Hyde Park, which wasn’t right for me. So, by the time November came around as soon as I could I was looking for my next flat – anywhere with an actual bedroom would do! These are some great things to keep in mind when looking for a place; n
Location – How are the amenities and
n n
how close to your campus is it? Do you like the feel of the area? Flat Mates – Make sure whoever you’re moving in with you get along with and trust. Have a Question? – If there’s anything you don’t understand, Unipol and your SU are there to help, no matter how daft the question might sound
Heres’s a few more things to keep in mind to help in your house hunting; n
The full list of Unipol accredited properties will be released in January n Rate Your Landlord is a great website full of student reviews of their experiences with landlords (www.rateyourlandlord.org.uk) n Keep an eye out around October and November for Unipol staff in your accommodations. They’ll be door knocking with loads of useful info Thanks for reading and good luck house hunting! #Don’tLetYet
BY Nina Whitfield
14
AUTUMN 2017
LIFESTYLE
s a m t s i Chr Party
don’t mas party but y? Follow st ri Ch a w ro and mone Want to th too much time want to spend p recipes bellow which are spirit! our quick, chea get everyone in the festive to guaranteed
Rice Crispy Tree
What you will need: •Rice Krispies •White Chocolate •Icing sugar •Piping bags •Rolos •Green Food Colouring •Chocolate Dots
Strawberry Santa What you will need: •Spray Cream, •Strawberry’s •Chocolate Drops
Melt the white chocolate then add the Green Food Colouring.
Put the Rice Krispy mix into piping bags and put in the fridge for half an hour
Mix the Rice Krispies into the chocolate cut the bag Take out of the fridge and trees out. to get the Rice Krispy g for tinsel Decorate the tree with icin bles. Place a bau for Dots and Chocolate a pot. Rolo under the tree for
Slice the top off the strawberry and then slice the bottom off the strawberry
Squirt cream on the larger cut surface of the strawberry, then put the top of the strawberry onto the cream
Squirt a bit of cream onto the pointed edge of the strawberry
To decorate use mi lk chocolate drops for eyes and white chocolate drops for the buttons
AUTUMN 2017
15
LIFESTYLE
S E H C I W D N A S S A M T S I R H C What you will need: •Bread •Choice of sandwich filling
Toast two slices of bread then cut out a star on both slices
Spread fillin g onto the full star
Cut out a circle on one of the toasted stars
Sandwich the two stars togeth er and sprinkle anoth er dry filling on top (such as chop ped tomatoes)
iP zza stocking recipe Make the doug h mix (look at th e back of the piz za base mix packaging).
Once the doug h has been mad e, roll out onto a floured surfa ce and cut out stocking shap es.
Place the dough shapes onto a baking tray and cover in tomato puree.
Sprinkle cheese at the top of each stocking and bak e in the oven for 8 minutes at 180C .
What you will need: •Mozzarella • Tomato puree • Pizza Base Mix