Life in student accommodation

The UK government requires everyone who is entering the country to self-isolate (also known as being ‘in quarantine’) for 10 days. Even though you have provided a negative test for entering the country, you must follow the rules for self-isolating when you arrive in England. 
 
You can use the ‘Test to release’ scheme by paying privately for a COVID-19 test to reduce the length of time you need to self-isolate. This is optional and travellers may still choose to self-isolate for the full 10 days rather than pay for a test. If you wish to opt in, you can do this when you complete the Passenger Locator Form prior to travelling to the UK. More information or how to complete the form is provided on the UK government COVID-19 guidance website.

Please note that the previous ‘travel corridors’ (for countries with an exemption to the requirement to self-isolate) have been suspended. This means everyone travelling to the UK from overseas must self-isolate for 10 days or use the ‘Test to release’ scheme as well as have a negative COVID-19 test in the previous 3 days.

Other members of your household who do not need to self-isolate will be asked to take particular care to socially distance from anyone who is not living in your house/flat.

You do not need to arrive any earlier than usual to complete your self-isolation period.  Our flexible, blended approach to teaching will, in most cases, enable you to start or continue your studies remotely.

If you have signed up for a halls accommodation contract with our partner UPP for the academic year 2020/21 and are delayed in arriving at the University in the spring term due to circumstances beyond your control arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve set up a process so you can let us know. 

If you will be delayed by more than two weeks after the start date of your Accommodation Contract in January 2021, you must let us know by completing our Accommodation Fee Waiver Form.  We will then be able to determine if you may be entitled to a temporary halls fee waiver. Please note we will not consider waiving fees for delays within the first 14 days of the start of your contract. 

The Accommodation Fee Waiver Form will be available from 1 December. To complete the form you will have to log onto RISIS using your University of Reading username and password. The form is available from the Action page.

If you do not fill in the form, or do not provide evidence, you will not be eligible for an accommodation fee waiver and you will be charged from the start of your contract.

Please note that Kendrick Hall (operated by our partner Unite Students) has a separate accommodation policy and therefore unfortunately this arrangement will not apply.

Accepted criteria and forms of required evidence for late arrival

The following criteria, along with required evidence, are provided as a guide for circumstances when a rent fee waiver could be considered due to delayed arrival to your halls room. 

(a) Government advice in your home country or the UK that you are advised not to travel 
(evidence: upload screenshot including date from government website including date)
(b) Delay in meeting offer conditions eg exam/IELTS results due to the impacts of COVID-19
(evidence: upload screenshot including date from institution communication or website)
(c) Delay in visa processing due to the impacts of COVID-19
(evidence: upload screenshot including date from consulate which states appointment date)
(d) COVID-19 symptoms or confirmed diagnosis of the virus 
(evidence: upload screenshot including date with your doctor’s confirmation)
(e) Acting as carer 
(evidence: upload screenshot including date with a letter confirming this status)

If you have any concerns or queries, please contact the Accommodation Office at accommodationonline@reading.ac.uk

If you change your mind during the year and wish to move out of your accommodation, you will need to complete our Contract Cancellation Form. Please remember that when you accept and sign an accommodation contract, the terms are legal obligations. This means, in most cases, you are liable to pay the security deposit with your first rent instalment and other rent payments in accordance with the terms of your accommodation contract.

We recognise that some students may be affected by circumstances beyond their control this year. If you would like to move out of your halls room, please do contact us as soon as possible so we can discuss your options based on your individual situation. 

We will suspend your rent payments if you move out of your halls accommodation if the following situations occur and continue for a period of longer than 4 consecutive weeks:

• all face-to-face teaching at the University is suspended and all teaching is moved online; or
• all the facilities on the campus on which your course is taught are closed; or
• you are prevented from accessing or using your halls accommodation because of a measure implemented for the prevention or delay of the spread of coronavirus.

If you are unable to vacate your accommodation in these circumstances (for example, because of a government ban on movement) then we will consider suspending rent payments on a case-by-case basis.

If you leave halls while face-to-face teaching is still taking place and campus facilities remain open, you would be liable to continue paying rent under the terms of your contract. Please see our website for further information.

If you have yet to arrive, please refer to our Step-by-Step arrival guide. It is essential that you book your arrival slot in advance so we know when you are planning to move in.  

Please do not travel to Reading if you have any of the symptoms of coronavirus. You can always schedule a later date to arrive if you need to.

Living as part of any community brings with it responsibilities.  This is particularly important in halls where you are living in close proximity to others.  It is important to be conscious of the needs and concerns of the people you live with.

There are some essential requirements that everyone must follow:

• Follow signs
• Observe social distancing requirements in communal areas of the halls – for example in study and social spaces
• Wear a face covering where social distancing is difficult to maintain outside of your household area, including when entering and leaving the accommodation and in hall receptions (except where you are exempt from doing so) 
• Practice hand hygiene
• Take responsibility for keeping shared areas such as kitchens and bathrooms hygienic
• Do not permit anyone who does not live in your flat/household area to enter it except staff or emergency services 
• If government guidance changes and/or the University issues updated instructions, you must follow these.

Parties are not permitted in Halls. Hosting or attending a party in Halls is not permitted in line with of our normal regulations.
While England is subject to COVID-19 related restrictions, it is even more important that you do not hold gatherings in halls at this time.  If you break the rules you can be fined by the police.

If you need to self-isolate, for any reason, you should stay at your current address and not travel elsewhere. If you are living in halls, you should self-isolate there and not travel to another location. 
There are some specific requirements everyone must follow if a member of the household shows COVID-19 symptoms.

Please see our guidance on symptoms and testing and our self-isolation advice for residents. for more information.

We are making as many services as possible accessible remotely via the home at halls app and halls hotline service. Reception and parcel collection areas are equipped with Perspex screens, contactless collection and social distancing measures. Some communal areas may have a reduced maximum occupancy and different layouts to allow for social distancing. All routine cleaning services continue as long as it is safe for our staff. Any unstaffed spaces in halls are currently closed.

If we need to carry out maintenance to your room or communal area, we ask that you leave while we are working. We will sanitise the area once we have finished. 

 We understand that the current situation will affect people in different ways. You can contact the Student Welfare Team, Hall Wardens or Hall Welfare Assistants through your halls Reception, Halls Hotline, or home at halls app. The wardens and their assistants are here to help and support you in halls and are always open to a friendly chat. If you have any worries whilst living in halls, we have a wide range of support on our Essentials pages, and there is a whole team of professional student support staff across the University who are dedicated to helping you. Reading Student Union (RUSU) also have a confidential, independent advice service regarding matters of academic, financial, and housing.  

Make sure you check out the home at halls app for events and activities throughout the year – most are free and accessible even if you need to self-isolate.

For flat style accommodation, your flat is your household. 

For corridor style accommodation, there is a label on your door to tell you which household you belong to.  Labels also indicate which kitchens and bathrooms are assigned for use by your household – you must only use the facilities that have been assigned using the same label as your room door.   

The following study spaces are currently open between the hours of 9.30am – 9pm daily. 

Childs Hall 

Stenton Hall 

Mackinder Hall 

Wessex Hall – for Bridges and Wessex students 

St George’s Hall 

Wantage Hall 

St Patricks Hall 

- You must follow government social distancing guidelines when using these facilities. 
- Please be aware of the maximum occupancy for each room. If the maximum number of people are already using the room, please do not enter.  
- Face coverings are required when entering and moving about the area, but not required when seated as long as you maintain a two metre distance from other people. 
- The furniture has been arranged to allow for satisfactory social distancing. Please do not move the furniture.