RETURNERS GUIDE
WARWICKSU.COM
PRESIDENT ISAAC LEIGH We hope you had an amazing summer! Here at the Students’ Union, we’ve been listening to your feedback from the Help Us Help You survey and have made some substantial changes for the start of the new academic year. Turn to Page 4 for a full rundown of what we’ve been up to!
Welcome back! I’m your SU President this year, responsible for representing all of you to the University, as well as to local and national government. This year I’ll be pushing for a proper Freshers’ Week free of lectures and seminars for everyone, improving the standard of bus services, and attempting to establish a Question Time event with the Vice-Chancellor so you get a more direct say in how your University is run.
Although as Returning Students many of you will already know the ropes, don’t forget that the Students’ Union is still here for you as you enter into your second, third or fourth years. It’s never too late to sign up for clubs and societies – they’re great ways to meet new people, explore recently-acquired interests or maybe try something you’ve always wanted to. It could end up changing your life!
EDUCATION OFFICER CHARLIE HINDHAUGH
We’re also an invaluable source of help about all things connected to student life – whether that’s academic study, health and wellbeing, accommodation worries or anything else that may be bothering you. If you’re living off-campus, check out pages 5-6 of this guide for more advice on housing in the local area. Read on to meet this year’s team, and we hope you have a great year!
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Hello and welcome back! My name is Charlie and I’m your Education Officer. It’s my job to represent you to the University and be the student voice on all things academic. This year I’m working on projects for more recorded lectures, better exam feedback and increasing the welfare support available to students. If you have any questions or queries then just drop me an email - or if you fancy a chat, stop by my office!
DEMOCRACY & DEV. OFFICER OLIVER RICE Hey, I’m Olly and I’m here to ensure you decide what happens in our SU. With the introduction of new SU Execs and an Assembly, student led-action will be firmly at the heart of our SU - watch out for the Autumn Elections! My top priorities for the next year are to hold buses to account, campaign to abolish Erasmus fees, provide more for cyclists and campaign for cheaper accommodation should you want to return to campus in your final year. It’s never too late to get involved, so go for it!
WARWICKSU.COM/OFFICERS
Find out what your officers are up to! Check out their blogs at WARWICKSU.COM/BLOGS
POSTGRAD OFFICER NAT PANDA Hi, I’m Nat and I’m your Postgraduate Officer. I am here to represent and support postgraduates, and to convey postgraduate issues to the University and its wider community. Postgraduate study can be challenging and intense, but it’s important to remember that there’s a lot more to being a postgrad than just academic work. The Students’ Union is here to help you make the most of your continued time at Warwick, both in your studies and outside of your academic life.
WELFARE OFFICER LUKE PILOT Hi, I’m Luke, the Welfare and Campaigns Officer. As returning students, you may encounter issues that were not a problem in your first year. Any problems with housing, immigration and sexual and mental health, the SU Advice Centre and I are here to help. I will also be encouraging and facilitating student activism on campus and in the local and international communities through collaborations with our Liberation Officers. If you have any ideas, let me know!
SOCIETIES OFFICER GEORGE CREASY Hey, I’m George and societies really have defined my time here at Warwick! I’ve written for our student newspaper, volunteered in schools with Warwick Inspire and even hitch-hiked to Poland with Warwick Jailbreak - not to mention loads of other unforgettable experiences. There are over 250 societies to join and there really is something for everyone, so get engaged and find your passion!
SPORTS OFFICER ALEX ROBERTS Welcome back! For those of you involved in sport last year, you will be fully aware of its virtues here at Warwick. For those who weren’t, it is certainly not too late to get involved and I assure you it will be a decision you won’t regret as you’ll have some unforgettable experiences and meet some amazing people. We are extremely lucky to have such a fantastic and diverse range of sports clubs, so make sure you check them out and don’t forget that I am here to help wherever I can! 3
WARWICKSU.COM
As always, there have been quite a few changes while you were away over the summer, including the introduction of a new Sabbatical Officer team. Read on for details of the other major developments here at the SU!
WEBSITE & COMMUNICATIONS In addition to the ticketing changes brought in for the Sports Ball in Term 3 last year, we’ve given our entire website a revamp. It’s now hopefully cleaner, much easier to navigate and should enable you to find what you want, when you want it! We’ve also taken onboard the information we gained from last year’s Help Us Help You survey and will be putting this into practice with regard to how we communicate with you – what you’re interested in, what your biggest concerns are and how we address these. Make sure you check out the All-Member Email each week to find out everything that’s going on, and follow the Sabb team on Snapchat via ‘warwicksu’!
DEMOCRACY We’ve introduced two new groups to increase engagement and transparency in SU democracy. SU Execs will be selected in the Autumn Elections, and are groups which aim to bring student action right into the heart of the SU’s decision-making processes. SU Assembly will be made up of representation groups and will oversee everything we do here – keep an eye on DDO Oliver Rice’s blog over the coming months for more info!
NEW STAFF Those of you who make regular trips to SUHQ will notice that we have a new Reception Supervisor, Gill Goodwin, along with a new BUCS Co-ordinator in the Student Activities Office (still being recruited at the time of writing). In order to help give better support to your extra-curricular activities, we’ve also taken on a new Societies Co-ordinator, who will be in place for the start of the new academic year.
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Ellie
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WARWICKSU.COM/HOUSING
Moving into new accommodation can be exciting – however, not getting everything organised now may mean you experience problems later on with your property, household or neighbours!
RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES HOW THE LAW PROTECTS TENANTS YOUR RIGHTS
The right to ‘quiet enjoyment’. Your landlord or their representatives cannot enter the property without your permission – so, no random inspections!
You cannot be evicted unless proper legal procedures have been followed – i.e. the landlord goes to court.
Landlords can be subject to legal action if they break contract terms or don’t respect your rights.
Safe and inhabitable properties must meet certain standards, so you must be given a Gas Safety Certificate.
Repairs which are the landlord’s responsibility must be carried out promptly.
The landlord’s name and address must be given to you, even if renting via an agency.
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YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
Your deposit must be protected in an accredited protection scheme, and full details must be given to you within 30 days of payment. Failure to do so means you have a legal claim against your landlord of up to 3 times the value of your deposit.
Pay your rent on time. If you’re having problems, talk to your landlord or the SU Advice Centre. Maintain the property to its standard when you moved in. It’s better to stay up to date with cleaning and chores rather than trying to recover the condition at the tenancy’s end. Inform your landlord if something gets damaged. You’re also responsible for damage caused by your visitors! Look after the property - keep it well-aired and heated to avoid condensation or mould. Be a friendly, considerate neighbour.
Inform your landloard/agent if the property is empty for long periods.
If not on an all-inclusive contract, pay your utility bills.
PLEASE NOTE: If your landlord is not complying with their responsibilities, do not withhold rent as this can cause legal problems – consult the SU Advice Centre: 02476 572824 | advice@warwicksu.com
When moving in, you should have the contractual parts of your accommodation:
Contract/tenancy agreement
Deposit Protection Certificate and other prescribed information (for details see: warwicksu.com/deposits)
MOVING IN
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If there is an inventory, check its accuracy. If not, produce your own and agree it with the landlord/agent. Take photos of each room, particularly any preexisting damage.
Check everything works – you don’t want to find the heating system faulty during a cold spell! Test all smoke detectors and check there’s a valid Gas Safety Certificate.
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Noon
Savings from textbooks to travel 5% off
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Report any problems or damage to your landlord/agent. If not resolved promptly, contact the SU Advice Centre.
Take utility meter-readings and notify the companies of new tenants. Ideally, all tenants should have their name on the bills – if you have to nominate a single person, everyone should provide written confirmation of responsibility, and provide a non-term time address.
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Full-time students don’t pay Council Tax, but make sure your local council knows your student status.
Take the time to meet your neighbours – it can help in the long run!
Get a TV licence. If on a joint contract, you only need one licence; if paying individual rent, you each need your own.
Get your student discount card today 7 nus.org.uk/extra Details correct at time of printing (July 2015)
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