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Blackfriars Hall > When and How We May Access Your Accommodation

When and How We May Access Your Accommodation

We want you to feel safe, respected, and at home in your room. This guidance and our associated policy explain when staff and contractors may need to enter your room or shared areas, what notice you will normally receive, and what happens in emergencies.  You may also like to read our policy on whom we allow into the accommodation, and on what terms.

Blackfriars follows the national Universities UK/GuildHE Accommodation Code of Practice, which sets standards for repairs, safety, and landlord access.

  1. Your Privacy

Your room is your private space.
We will always respect your privacy and only enter when it is necessary, at reasonable times, and with the right amount of notice—unless there is an emergency.

This reflects student rights under the Code and general housing law principles.

 

  1. When Staff May Enter Your Room

There are two main reasons:

 

A) Repairs or Maintenance

Sometimes things break or need checking. Examples: leaks, heating, electrics, broken fixtures.

  • Emergency repairs (e.g., a flood, active leak, electrical danger):
    Staff may enter without notice to keep you and the building safe. This is allowed under the Code and Blackfriars’ own guidance.
    Afterward, we will leave a note or email you explaining what happened.
  • Urgent repairs (not life-threatening but can’t wait):
    We will give you notice of an urgent repair visit. If we can’t reach you and waiting could cause damage or service loss, we may enter to fix the issue.
  • Non-urgent repairs (most repairs):
    You will get at least 48 hours’ written notice, and we will tell you why we need access and roughly how long it will take.

 

B) Visits Not Related to Repairs

This includes: routine room checks, health and safety inspections (beyond weekly routine checks), welfare checks, official investigations, or viewings (if your contract allows them).

 

For all non-maintenance visits, we will give:

  • At least 48 hours’ written notice
  • The reason for the visit
  • The date/time and how long the visit should take
  • Visits will be during reasonable hours

 

These standards are part of the national Code of Practice.

 

  1. When We Can Enter Without Notice

This only happens in specific situations:

 

Emergencies

We can enter immediately if there is:

  • a threat to life or safety
  • a serious leak or electrical hazard
  • a fire alarm or suspected fire
  • any situation that could seriously damage the building or put residents at risk
    These situations justify immediate access according to the Code and Blackfriars’ guidance.

 

Welfare Concerns

If staff are seriously worried about your wellbeing (for example, you haven’t been seen for a while, or there are signs of a medical emergency), they may enter your room to check you are safe.

This is allowed under Code safety and wellbeing provisions.

 

Police or Enforcement Officers

Police or authorised officers may enter without notice if they are:

  • carrying out an arrest
  • executing a lawful warrant

 

Abating a nuisance

If something in your room is causing a serious disturbance or hazard (for example, an alarm or leak affecting others), staff may enter to prevent harm.

 

  1. Communal Areas

Communal areas include kitchens, hallways, lounges, shared bathrooms, and utility spaces.

  • Staff can enter communal areas at any time to carry out routine weekly cleaning, safety checks, and inspections.
  • However, we always endeavour to attend on a previously notified schedule in advance where this is possible.  (This reflects Code requirements for maintaining safe communal spaces.)
  • The current cleaning schedule includes:
    • 16-17 St John St: cleaning schedules in common areas are Tuesdays and Thursdays (16 St John St), Wednesdays and Fridays (17 St John St)
    • 33 St Giles: Mondays and Thursdays; cleaning of En-Suites on Thursdays.
  • Routine visits of this nature also include Fire alarm testing (fire alarm sounds briefly for a few seconds) on Saturday mid-mornings; emptying of hygiene bins from common area bathrooms;  and fire safety visual inspections that are scheduled so that they coincide with the maintenance contractor’s repair visits.
  1. What to Expect When Staff or Contractors Visit

Whether it’s repairs or an inspection:

  • Staff and contractors will carry ID or wear a badged uniform and be polite and respectful.  The vast majority of our contractors will accompanied by a member of Blackfriars Hall Bursary staff when they visit.
  • They will only enter for the reason you were told about.
  • They will stay for the shortest time necessary.
  • If you are not in and entry is needed, we may use a master key, but only following proper procedures.
    These expectations follow Code guidance on professional conduct and safety.

 

  1. If You Prefer To Be Present

If you receive a 48-hour notice and would prefer to be there, please tell us as soon as possible.
If the timing doesn’t work and the visit isn’t urgent, we’ll try to rearrange within reason.

If access is for a required repair, legal obligation, or safety check and you repeatedly refuse access, the Hall may need to take further steps under your accommodation licence agreement.

 

  1. How We Communicate With You

You’ll normally get notice by email (or another channel if stated).
After an emergency entry, we will either leave a note in your room or send an email telling you:

  • when we entered
  • why
  • what we did
  • what happens next

 

  1. How to Report Repairs

If something breaks or seems unsafe, please report it quickly:

 

Reporting early helps prevent emergencies and unnecessary disruption. This aligns with Blackfriars’ own repair reporting guidance.

 

  1. If You Have Questions or Concerns

If you feel staff entered your room without proper reason or didn’t respect your privacy, you can raise this with the Bursary or use the Hall’s complaints procedure. The national Code requires universities to have a clear and fair complaints process.