Licence agreement for students in Kingston University halls 2023/24

You're required to make payment in full for the Halls Fees unless a Recurring Card Payment (RCP) is agreed in accordance with the Financial Information at the end of this Licence Agreement.

If an RCP is not in place, or payments of Halls Fees are not made, we may begin legal proceedings to recover the debt.

If you are experiencing difficulty in the payment of Halls Fees, you are advised to notify Accommodation immediately and to seek advice from a Student Money Adviser.

The Halls Fees include all utility bills – gas, electricity, and water – and wireless internet connection.

If the booked accommodation is not ready for occupation at the start of the licence period, the University will provide suitable alternative accommodation until the Accommodation is ready.

You should occupy your room no later than 5pm on the start date of your Licence Agreement, unless you notify the Accommodation Team of a delayed arrival.

If you overstay beyond the end date of your Licence, you will have to pay for the whole flat for that period. The University may also issue an immediate Notice to Quit (NTQ).

The University is currently within a Halls Refurbishment programme at the Kingston Hill and Seething Wells Halls of Residence. The University reserves the right to under this Licence Agreement to require you to vacate your room should it be part of the refurbishment plan. Students affected will be rehoused in upgraded halls.

On rare occasions we may require you to move rooms if your room is needed for a disabled student, or if it is in the best interests of your own or others' wellbeing.

If you wish to move rooms, you must first discuss this with the Accommodation Team. Room exchanges will be considered after 1 November, unless in exceptional circumstances.

There is a £50 charge for room exchanges. Once the room exchange has been registered and approved by the Accommodation Team, this charge will be applied.

All hall rooms are let on the basis that you are a registered student at the University and that the room will be occupied by you only. Subletting, or letting anyone other than yourself to occupy your room is forbidden.

Pets are not allowed. The only animals allowed are assistance or therapy animals for students with long-term health conditions.

You cannot use the accommodation for any business purpose or as the registered office of a company.

You must not damage or change the structure or decoration, or move existing or add furniture to the room or flat. You may be charged for any damages.

You must keep your room key safe and not give it to anyone else.

If you watch any 'catch-up' TV services on devices such as a computer, laptop, mobile phone etc. you must purchase your own TV Licence.

The University has arranged some contents insurance under an Endsleigh Insurance Policy. The cover is not unlimited so it is important to find out exactly what you are covered for as you may need to extend it to protect all of your possessions both inside and outside your room. Enter policy number HH1217 on the Endsleigh Insurance website to check the policy details.

You are responsible for keeping your room or studio clean and collectively responsible with other residents in the flat for the cleaning of the communal areas, such as the kitchen.

You must not bring bicycles into the residences. These must be stored in the external bicycle sheds.

Guests must be over 18 years of age and sign in and out at Hall Reception. Out of respect for other occupants, all visitors should leave the hall site quietly.

You are allowed a maximum of two visitors at any one time. You are advised to stay with your guests at all times and remember that you are responsible for the behaviour of your guests.

Guests must not exceed reasonable frequency. As a guide, one overnight guest should not stay for more than three consecutive nights in any one week, and for a maximum of six visits per term.

We will provide the following facilities in the Hall:

• Maintenance and repair of the Hall.
• Provision of fire-fighting and fire safety equipment in the Hall.
• Adequate supply of hot water for domestic use to the wash basins, showers and baths in the Hall.
• Heat in the Hall during the term of the Licence having regard to prevailing weather conditions.
• Adequate lighting and power supplies to the Hall.
• Adequate furniture / equipment which complies with the appropriate safety standards.
• Internet connection in the room.
• Launderette facilities (either coin- or card-operated).

We will ensure that all staff and contractors requiring access to your room carry identification.

We will not interrupt your occupation of your room except when necessary for maintenance, reasons relating to your ill health, general health and safety issues, to resolve issues with your flat mates or as set out elsewhere in these terms and conditions.

In the event of any interruption to our provision of the facilities listed above we will do our best to find a temporary solution, until the problem is fixed or a more permanent solution arranged.

If your occupation of the room is interrupted for more than 12 hours, the University will endeavour to provide you with suitable alternative accommodation.

We will not be liable for any loss or interruption to your occupation of the room or provision of the facilities arising as a result of any matter beyond our control, such as extremes of weather, power cuts or a Force Majeure Event.

You must allow us to enter your room at any time to ensure compliance with all health and safety regulations and any applicable University regulations and to provide maintenance work or to conduct an inventory or welfare check.

You should treat all residents and Halls Management with consideration and respect in accordance with the Personal Conduct section of the Student Hall Guide. Inappropriate behaviour specific to the Halls will be dealt with under the Halls Conduct & Behaviour Procedure, or otherwise under the Student Disciplinary Procedure.

You must show a valid Kingston University ID card when requested by a member of University staff or Halls Management.

Once you have accepted the Licence Agreement for a room in our Halls of Residence, you will be liable to pay the Halls Fees for the duration of your Licence period.

If you wish to terminate the Licence before the end of the term and you are not withdrawing from or suspending your studies, you must notify Accommodation in writing, giving 28 days' notice. At the end of the notice period, you must clean and vacate your room and return your key to the Hall Reception by midday on the day of departure. You will remain liable for the rent under the Licence until another eligible student who is not already resident in Halls, and who is acceptable to Accommodation, can be found to accept the remainder of the contract.

Students who withdraw from or interrupt (suspend) their studies are no longer eligible to reside in University accommodation, and are required to leave their rooms in Halls. Students in this situation should notify the Accommodation Team in writing as early as possible. You will be liable for the accommodation fees until you have checked-out of the Hall (vacated and cleaned your room, removed all rubbish and returned your key to Hall Reception), or your withdrawal has been confirmed by your Student and Course Office, whichever is the latter.

Students who are resident in a Studio at 75 Penrhyn Road who move out prior to the end of their licence period, or whose course ends before the end of the licence period, will incur a Council Tax liability.

We may end the Licence at any time, prior to its end date by issuing a Notice to Quit for you to leave if you:

1. are not, or cease to be, enrolled as student at Kingston University; and / or
2. you are suspended from the University for reasons other than a tuition fee debt; and / or
3. have failed to pay the accommodation fees by the required date; and / or
4. have caused serious nuisance or other anti-social behaviour; and / or
5. have caused a serious risk to the health, safety or wellbeing of yourself or others; and/or are in serious or persistent breach of the terms of this Licence.

Students are required to engage in the Notice to Quit process by attending interviews and responding to communication from the Halls Managers and Compliance Team.

If we end your Licence you will remain liable for the full halls fees until the end of the Licence period unless the University is able to re-licence the room to another eligible student. Where we are able to re-licence the room, credit will be given and, if appropriate, a refund issued.

If you do not leave Halls after the expiry of the Notice to Quit we will commence court proceedings for possession of the room and then for a warrant for your eviction. The University will seek to recover its legal costs from you in such cases.

Notices to be sent to Accommodation must be sent to the following address:

Or sent by email from a Kingston University email address to accommodation@kingston.ac.uk

Notices to be sent to Halls Management or Hall Reception must be delivered to the Reception at the Hall of Residence site.

Any notice served by the University on you will be deemed to have been duly served if emailed to you via your Kingston University email address. You will be made aware of a notice through a message being placed on your door/under your door or in your Halls of Residence Mailbox.

This Licence shall be governed by English law and under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of England and Wales.

If any provision of this Licence is found by a Court to be invalid, the other provisions of the Licence remain in force and in full effect.

Any delay by either you or the University in enforcing any rights under this Licence is not a waiver of those rights unless agreed in writing.

The rights and obligations under this Licence are personal to the University and its subsidiaries and you and are not intended, unless expressly mentioned, to confer rights or benefits to any third party. The Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 shall not apply.

The University regards this agreement as a Licence but in the event of any Court or Tribunal finding that this document is a tenancy agreement and not a Licence, we hereby give formal notice that possession might be recovered under Ground 4 of Schedule 2 Housing Act 1988 (student letting).

Our rights to decide if you have breached this Licence will be exercised reasonably but will be made 'on the balance of probabilities' and take into account all circumstances that we reasonably deem relevant.

References to the University include its subsidiary companies, and references to University staff include subsidiary company staff (specifically KUSCO Limited staff) and any third parties involved in management of our Halls of Residence.

Your personal data will be held in our cloud-based accommodation management system, accessible only to staff of Kingston University, KUSCO Limited and any third parties involved in management of our Halls of Residence. Your personal data will be kept confidential and held in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation. The legal basis on which your personal data is processed is to enable the University and its agents to perform its contractual obligations under this Licence.

Reporting Maintenance or other Issues with the Accommodation

In the first instance, report any maintenance or fault issues to the Reception at your Hall of Residence. View your Halls site contact details.

If you feel that your concern has not been dealt with satisfactorily, ask to speak to the Hall Manager or put the problem in writing to the appropriate site email address. View your Halls site contact details.

Complaints about this Licence Agreement

Complaints about the operation of this Licence Agreement should be made to Accommodation as follows:

• In person: The Accommodation Team at the Student Life Centre, Penrhyn Road Campus
• In writing: Accommodation, Kingston University, Student Life Centre, Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE
• By email: accommodation@kingston.ac.uk

• You must take responsibility for your own and others' safety and you are expected to comply with any Health and Safety Policies and Fire Regulations that are in place.
• You must not interfere with, cover or otherwise misuse the fire fighting and safety equipment or signage installed in the Hall, Flat or Studio, or allow anyone else to do so.
• Don't prop open doors or cover detector heads as this could pose a serious danger in the event of a fire. Escape routes and fire exit doors must not be obstructed in any way.
• Only cook in the designated kitchen areas. Cooking equipment should only be stored in kitchen areas.
• Other equipment such as heaters, small refrigerators may only be brought into the accommodation with the prior written permission of Halls Management, or upon the written prior recommendation of a University Disability or Mental Health Adviser.
• You are responsible for the safety of any electrical appliances that you bring onto University premises. All equipment must be fitted with a suitable and fused plug and must carry the CE mark. All device chargers must be certified as compatible with the items being charged.
• Candles, incense sticks, hookah and shisha pipes, or similar potential burning or smouldering materials are not permitted.
• Nitrous Oxide (a.k.a. laughing gas) is a banned substance on all Kingston University premises, including halls of residence.
• Smoking, including the smoking of e-cigarettes and vaporisers, is not permitted in halls of residence. You and your guests must not use the Halls for any illegal purpose. This includes the possession or supply of prohibited drugs. Weapons or replicas, including guns, air guns and swords, are not permitted.
• You are required to ensure that you keep your room or studio in a condition that does not cause an unnecessary risk to yourselves or others. 

Breach of the above may be treated as misconduct and dealt with under the Halls Conduct and Behaviour Procedure or the Student Conduct and Behaviour Procedure which applies to all University Students. This could result in the termination of your Licence Agreement. In this case you will be liable for the Halls Fees for the room until the end of your original licence period unless the University is able to re-let your room to another eligible student

You should behave with consideration and respect and not do anything that is likely to cause a nuisance or annoyance to other residents, guests or staff in the Halls, or to the neighbours and community around the Halls.

Stereos, televisions and other noise must not be audible outside your room at any time. You should also ensure that noise created by you or your guests does not cause a disturbance to other residents. For the comfort of all residents, noise should be kept to an absolute minimum between 11pm and 7am.

Halls of Residence are private living and studying environments; they are not appropriate locations for parties, particularly those involving a large amount of people. You must not host or advertise unauthorised events within the Halls of Residence or invite excessive numbers of guests into Halls of Residence.

Anti-social or inappropriate behaviour is unacceptable, incidents specific to the Halls will be dealt with through the Halls of Residence Code of Conduct below, other misconduct will be dealt with through the Student Disciplinary Procedure. This could result in your Licence Agreement being terminated; in this case you will be liable for the Halls Fees for the room until the end of your original Licence Agreement unless the University is able to re-let your room to another eligible student.

• Parking spaces are not guaranteed and are subject to availability. You need to obtain a non-transferable parking pass and swipe card to park at University halls sites. Parking permission ends whenever this Licence ends.
• All vehicles (including bicycles) must be left in designated areas only.
• The planning permission for 75 Penrhyn Road stipulates that students in that hall are not entitled to apply for a Residents' Parking Permit from the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. By agreeing to this Licence you agree not to apply for such a permit.
• We are not liable for any loss / damage whatsoever to such property, except to the extent that any such loss or damage is caused by our negligence.

• Before you move out, you must clean and tidy your room and remove all your belongings from both your room and the communal areas, and ensure that any rubbish is disposed of in the correct bins. We will dispose of any remaining items without any liability to you or the University. You have joint responsibility for communal areas and individual responsibility for your own room.
• If you are moving-out due to interruption of your studies, or withdrawal from the University, please notify the Accommodation Team.
• You must hand-in your keys to Hall Reception by midday on the date the Licence ends. Failure to return keys will incur an Additional Charge.
• You should arrange for re-direction of post or notify change of address. Post and deliveries for residents who have left will be refused or returned to sender.