Freshers forced to share rooms after university accepts too many students

Hundreds of freshers were shocked to learn they will have to share their bedroom for the first term of the year, after the university failed to accurately predict the number of students coming to the university.

An email sent to affected first-years informed them: “Some of our students will have to share our larger rooms for the first few weeks of term.

“The many [sic] students in temporary shares will be able to move on to single rooms within a couple of weeks.

“In the past few years everyone has moved within 6 weeks but it may take a little longer than that this year.”

A copy of the email sent to hundreds of freshers

The Tab understands affected students will find bunk beds in their bedroom, instead of a single bed as originally advertised.

Should they have any concerns about sharing a room, students are told they can defer their application and take a gap year. Anyone who chooses to do this is promised their first choice of accommodation next year.

When asked about the lack of available rooms for first-years, Head of Accommodation Services, Pru Archer, told The Tab: “The university uses a variable system that predicts the number of students coming to the university”.

She went on to admit that the system was uncertain, but insisted that the lack of available accommodation was “nobody’s fault”.

Instead, the university has said the problem has been caused by more students than usual either confirming insurance choices at Bristol or being accepted after their initial A-Level grades were revised. 

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Cecilia Stewart Wilson, was one of the hundreds of freshers to be emailed and told they’d have to share their room. This is despite Cecilia initially believing she’d have a private single room in Churchill.

She said: “I’m shocked. Nobody told me about this when I applied. If two women are sharing the same room, how are they supposed to have any personal space, or any time alone?

“If we’re sharing the same set of keys to the same room, how do I know that my roommate isn’t a thief? In fact, how does my roommate know I’m not a thief?!”

The university’s over-recruitment has caused some freshers to panic. One Bristol-based letting agent said they had “over forty telephone calls from parents trying to find accommodation in Fishponds”, with some even “crying down the phone”.

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However, Pru Archer told us that Bristol guarantees accommodation to every new student.

“No student will be forced into the private sector.”

When asked about the accommodation shortfall, Tom Phipps, the new Student Living Officer for UBU, wrote on his official blog: “The university has made us aware that they have over recruited first-year undergraduate students.

“There is extra pressure on providing accommodation for these students.”

To tackle the problem, UBU have announced plans to help by setting up a forum “to listen to the views of [affected] students and represent their views to the university”.

Max Townsend, a second year student, told The Tab he was relieved not to have experienced such an ordeal when he arrived at university.

“It’s totally wrong. I hate the idea that the university is trying to get as much money as possible and downgrading the experience for those who deserve it.

“The same thing happened with Park Life. I went a few months back and it was completely over-crowded because they’d over-sold the tickets. It ruined everyone else’s experience.”

However, it’s not all bad news for the approximately 170 students that will be forced to share. In return for putting up with the inconvenience, students will only have to pay 25 per cent of their usual rent, and will all have full access to catered facilities.

Have you been affected by the lack of available rooms? Contact [email protected] to tell us your story.