alex.mullr.net/blog

I’ve wanted to write this for a while, but have only really felt like doing it today, after the ten of us who are living in this house have been forced to share one tiny toilet for 24 hours (and counting). Since arriving at university last October, I’ve had a great time - but the accommodation has been a complete headache.

We're in a house of three floors. I shit you not, the lever on the the third floor loo now flushes the one on the second. Fucking hilarious!

— Alex Muller (@alexmuller) May 26, 2009

So I got here late last year, just as the weather was starting to take a turn for the worse. After a few weeks, it became obvious my radiator wasn’t working - everybody else’s in the house was fine, but mine never got hot. I reported it to the porters lodge once (as we were told to), and somebody came a few days later (when I was out, though my housemate saw them). Apparently they did nothing though (it still didn’t work), so I reported it again. Nobody came this time. It was left until I got hold of a radiator key, on the advice of my dad, and bled it myself. Full of air.

Since January, I can’t keep track of the number of things that have gone wrong. We lost power on the top floor for a day (it was a fuse, but of course health and safety meant we were told not to touch it). The doorbell didn’t work for about two weeks. The microwave was removed and we were left without one for about a week. The part I find funniest about that is that we’re not allowed our own microwaves because they might catch fire, but we were apparently running that risk with the one we were given anyway. With all these things, we report them just like we’re told to - and nothing ever gets done.

I don’t have experience with university accommodation in general, but I do know other people at York - and I know that none of them have had problems like the ones we’ve come across. Sure, Vanbrugh has its pigeons and Eden’s Court has its damp… but this has been continually going on for seven months.

To quote a college porter yesterday “the whole place is falling apart.” He’s not wrong. We’re waiting for somebody to come and fix the stupid loo. So here’s what you need to know: don’t let this put you off the university if you’re considering coming but, for your own sake, do everything you can to avoid Halifax College in your first year. It’s not worth it. I can’t be alone in thinking that it’s pretty ridiculous we’ve paid quite a bit of money for this place, and nobody seems to give a crap.

It’s midday on Thursday the 28th, and we’re back to sharing two toilets between ten people. Life is good better again!

Comments

By Michael Henley on 27 May 2009 at 21:00:

That sounds pretty bad. I have to say that I have had completely the opposite experience at Magd. The maintenance guys are great if something is broken. If we report a problem then someone will check it out that day usually and then the problem will be resolved within a day or two. That being said, if it is a request for them to look into things then it can take a little more time. Understandable I suppose given how old this place is and how much they have to do, but a tad frustrating nontheless. Hope your flush-transferral issue gets resolved quickly…

By Liz Duncalf on 25 August 2009 at 22:15:

I was a Halifaxer for 08/09, and my house seriously wasn’t that bad. Sounds like you had a bad deal. Where about where you in The Fax?

By Alex Muller on 26 August 2009 at 01:57:

Hey Liz - I was in House M, St Lawrence last year. Were you in one of the newer buildings? As I understand it, St Lawrence has a bit of a reputation for… needing work :p

By Vivan Jayant on 02 September 2009 at 18:17:

sad

By Liz Duncalf on 09 October 2009 at 23:03:

Sorry for the uber late reply - I was Ingram Court House G last year, now living near Heslington Road. The kitchen in mine was fairly bad but sounds like it wasn’t as bad as yours.

Im following you on Twitter, btw (@lizduncalf)