Here at The Student Lodge, it’s our goal to ensure that you enjoy every second of your stay with us – whether this be for just one year, three or even more.
In order to get the best out of your stay with us, there are a few factors that you’ll need to be aware of; including the booking process, deposit information and some other general useful information. Check out our FAQs below to get all the help and advice you need to ensure that you have everything you need whilst staying with us.
Booking is a simple process here at The Student Lodge. Secure your room in three simple steps:
1. Make an application for your ideal room on the accommodation portal:
2. Once your application is accepted, you will be allocated a room in a residence hall, please log back onto the accommodation portal to accept your room offer: Upon accepting your room offer, a £99.00 deposit will be taken for the booking.
3. Submit your and your guarantor’s supporting documents to The Management Team within 2 weeks’ request.
What is the Deposit taken for? The Student Lodge takes a deposit primarily to reserve your room and confirm your booking, however it’s also held as part of a security deposit.
Your deposit is held by the Deposit Protection Service (DPS) which is a Government Scheme set up to protect Tenants. The Deposit is returned to you at the end of your stay with us.
You should expect an email from the DPS to confirm that your deposit has been received by them and then they will issue you with a unique Deposit ID and a Repayment ID.
Please Note: This information is extremely important as in order to receive your deposit at the end of your stay it will be required.
Who returns my deposit?
At the end of your stay, The Student Lodge usually conducts a final inspection. You will be issued with a check out report via email within a reasonable timeframe.
After this step, we are then required to inform the DPS to return the Deposit to you, subject to any charges we have agreed with yourself. This is paid to your nominated bank account, this is where your unique deposit ID and repayment ID will be required.
Once we have informed the DPS you should expect an email from them within 28 calendar days requiring you to login to their website to claim your deposit. (We can’t do this for you). This information is extremely important, please retain all email communication from DPS in order to receive your deposit at the end of your stay.
After this step is taken it may take up to another further 10 calendar days for the DPS to repay this deposit to you, this may be longer for international transfers.
Please follow the link for a more detailed explanation of the DPS Scheme.
At the time when you are offered a room, you are able to view your payment plan, this is transparent and tailored to students’ needs.
Booking Fee
There is NO booking fee.
When do I pay?
We offer the options of paying monthly, termly or upfront. If you pay for your entire stay upfront, you will receive a discount of £200.
What if I’m late with my payment?
Maybe your student finance hasn’t come through yet, or maybe you are just struggling to make ends meet this month. The Student Lodge aims to work with all our students and find a suitable solution, if you tell us up-front about any issues we can usually help. If you are unable to make payments on time, you may incur late payment fees, so it is always recommended that you contact us in advance to discuss any issue so that we can help you.
What is Council Tax?
The Council Tax is set by local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales to pay for local services that they provide, such as rubbish collection, the police and the fire brigade.
As a student do I have to pay Council Tax?
Most students do not have to pay Council Tax, but some do. Therefore, it is worth taking time to check that you qualify for exemption. Guidance on whether or not you are exempt from Council Tax can be found by visiting the following link here.
Please be aware that not all courses qualify for Council Tax exemption and you should check with your University or College.
Will The Student Lodge charge me Council Tax?
The Student Lodge will not charge Council Tax to any student who is exempt. However, if you do not qualify for exemption status, then The Student Lodge will pass on the appropriate clause as raised by the council. It is very important that you check your status before you sign a Contract with us. It is your responsibility to provide us with a copy of your Council Tax Exemption Certificate.
How do I apply for a Council Tax Exemption Certificate?
Usually, the Admissions Office at your University/College/Institution will provide you with a Council Tax Exemption Certificate. The Student Lodge requires a copy of this 7 days following your enrollment on your course.
What happens if my course does not qualify for Council Tax Exemption?
You should check with your University/College/Institute of Study prior to applying for a Contract that your course is exempt from paying Council Tax. We are unable to accommodate you if you are not exempt.
I am an international student, does Council Tax affect me?
If you are in attendance at a University/College/Institution in the UK on a full time course, then you are usually exempt from paying council tax.
However, not all courses qualify for the exemption and you should seek guidance from your University/College/Institution and refer to the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) by clicking here
In some cases, where there are shorter course for international students (Erasmus Students or Students on the Socrates Scheme) the Institution where you are studying can provide a letter of exemption which is also accepted by the Local Council. Please check with your Institution.
TV Licence
All the TVs we provided are 32-inch, they come with Freeview and USB slots so that you can play your own content.
It is the responsibility of The Student Lodge to place the TV on the wall for you, however, it is the responsibility of the Tenant to pay for their own TV License.
Please click here for more information and to pay for your TV License.
Internet
Here at The Student Lodge, we believe that the internet is the gateway to the future. It not only aids us in our day to day lives but enables us to develop ourselves and expand our knowledge.
We have allocated enough bandwidth for all our tenants to work efficiently in the comfort of your rooms and communal areas. Students are allowed to use the internet for general browsing and university work as and when required.
The Student Lodge forbids any downloading of copyrighted material or using our connections for anything illicit in nature.
We also reserve the right to monitor and restrict access should we believe that someone is abusing the network.
The Student Lodge provides laundry facilities, the location of these facilities depends on your building.
We currently provide access to the following:
Washing machines
Tumble dryers
The laundry facilities at each of our sites are managed by Circuit.
You can monitor the laundry facilities in some premises to see if they are in use. Please follow the link below or click here for the related sites.
This equipment is pay per use; upon moving into our accommodation you now use the app ‘Circuit Go’ in order to use all the machines.
The Student Lodge provides wired & WiFi access throughout our buildings.
1Gbps internet is available with wired connection. Internet speeds may vary but estimated at 250Mbps depending on the time of day and number of users using the service at any one time.
Actual speeds also depend on the building you are staying in.
Where possible we advise to use Ethernet for optimal speeds and reliability.
