Blackfriars Hall > Study at Blackfriars > Why Choose Blackfriars? > Accommodation at Blackfriars > Applying for accommodation: terms and conditions

Applying for accommodation: terms and conditions

These terms and conditions should be read in conjunction with the Blackfriars Hall Accommodation Licence Agreement.

1. Applying for Accommodation

1.1 Eligibility

Applications for Blackfriars accommodation are accepted on the basis that students are eligible as students who have accepted a formal offer of a place to study at Blackfriars Hall and the University of Oxford, including:

Visiting Students who will be studying at Blackfriars for either two or three terms;
Students studying towards graduate or PGCE courses;
On occasion, we may accept applications from students of other colleges through the Collegiate Accommodation Support Service.

Applications for our nomination accommodation with the University of Oxford (when available) are accepted on the basis that students meet the same eligibility criteria.

Non-eligible applicants

If, during the application verification processes, an application is found from a non-eligible student, the application will be withdrawn, and confirmation will be sent to the student by email.

1.2 When to apply

Applications to us for accommodation can be accepted after you have made a ‘firm’ acceptance of course offer with Blackfriars and the University of Oxford, by writing to: bursary@bfriars.ox.ac.uk.

1.3 Deadlines and guarantees

Visiting Students will need to have applied and accepted an offer from the Blackfriars Visiting Students Programme by 1^st August in order to be guaranteed an offer of a room in Blackfriars accommodation. Please note this is a guarantee of a room, not a specific type of room or location.

All other accommodation applications are accepted on a non-guaranteed basis, subject to availability and the status of your Admissions offer with Blackfriars and the University of Oxford. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis, and we encourage all students who wish to apply to do so as soon as reasonably possible, regardless of whether your offer has yet been marked Unconditional.

1.4 Applying with additional requirements

Students wishing to apply for accommodation based on disability, medical condition or additional support needs should contact the Disability Lead for Blackfriars, Fr Richard Finn OP (richard.finn@bfriars.ox.ac.uk), as soon as possible at the point of application.

Blackfriars’ room allocation and guarantee processes still apply for additional requirements applications. We will still try to help as much as possible for late applications, but finding available accommodation that is suitable may prove challenging. If you have a condition that requires a specific type of room, please indicate this to the Blackfriars Bursary (bursary@bfriars.ox.ac.uk) as soon as possible.

If a returning student application is approved and that student has additional support needs, they will be given the most suitable room available for their needs.

We are committed to providing a safe and happy environment for students to live in, whatever their choice of accommodation. We value diversity and inclusivity and want everyone to be treated with respect. The Bursary is available to help if you need any support with your application.

1.5 Assistance Animals

Students with a disability who utilise an approved assistance animal and who want to live in Blackfriars accommodation must advise the Disability Lead as part of their additional requirements application. We must advise applicants that no accommodation buildings at Blackfriars are currently suitable for assistance dogs, and we will endeavour with every reasonable step possible to secure suitable alternative accommodation for you.

There is currently no recognised accreditation of emotional support animals. Blackfriars therefore reserves the right to refuse access to any animal at its discretion that is not accredited. However, in exceptional circumstances and when there is clear medical evidence, consideration will be given to requests by students to bring emotional support/ therapy animals. Any approval is at Blackfriars’ sole discretion. Consideration can only be given to animals that can be appropriately, safely and hygienically kept in a student’s bedroom. For further information, please contact the Disability Lead (senior.tutor@bfriars.ox.ac.uk).

1.6 Applying for couples’ accommodation or self-contained studio accommodation

Blackfriars is not currently able to offer accommodation in its small number of rooms that would be suitable for couples or families, or for resident who require sole use of a kitchen.

1.7 Additional Preferences

When completing an application for accommodation, our ability to meet additional preferences is subject to availability and demand. Selecting these preferences, such as an en-suite room, is not a guarantee that you will be accommodated in this type of accommodation. Whilst every effort is made to allocate into a selected accommodation and room type preference, room allocations will be made taking preferences into account as a priority over selected accommodation and room type.

2. Room Allocations

2.1 Room allocation procedure

We can only make a formal accommodation offer after an applicant’s course offer changes to Unconditional. Rooms will be allocated by the Blackfriars Bursary team following our allocation policy, with every effort made to take into account applicants’ preference.

All of our accommodation is located within a few minutes’ walk of Blackfriars within Oxford city centre and is therefore oversubscribed – which means we cannot allocate everyone a place in one of their preferred accommodation options.

Allocations to postgraduates

Postgraduate allocations are completed when an applicant’s course offer changes to Unconditional. Offers are sent to the applicant’s registered email address.

Students also applying for accommodation for early arrival (e.g. pre-sessional study) should make these needs known to our team as soon as possible on application. We will endeavour to meet these needs where possible but cannot guarantee vacation residence. Additional accommodation days outside of the normal contract period will involve additional cost at our Vacation Residence rate.

2.2 Delays affecting your offer of accommodation

Delays to your offer becoming Unconditional will likely affect your chances of getting your preferred room. Delays can include things like not achieving your offer grades and going through an appeal process. Please contact us as soon as possible to inform us of any delay, otherwise your accommodation application could be withdrawn.

2.3 Offering you a room

Accommodation at Blackfriars

The date upon which you may receive an offer of Blackfriars accommodation will depend on your student type and offer guarantee status. We aim to confirm formal offers by 31 August each year.

Accepting our offer of accommodation

If you are offered accommodation, you will receive an email inviting you to review the details of our accommodation agreement and confirm your acceptance by completing our accommodation acceptance form. The email and offer will confirm the date by which you need to accept or decline your offer, normally 14 days from the date of the offer.

If you wish to secure a room in our accommodation, you must accept your offer, pay your deposit, and move into the accommodation. Keys to your accommodation will not be issued until you have completed your accommodation acceptance form and paid your deposit.

We can sometimes process room changes on request once a room has been allocated. If you are unhappy with your room allocation, please contact the Bursary team with any concerns or worries that you may have.

If your offer of accommodation does not meet your needs due to a medical condition or disability that you have not previously made us aware of, you are advised to contact us and we will endeavour to help you. We cannot guarantee that your preferred room will be available. You will be required to provide medical evidence in support of any medical conditions that impact on your choice of accommodation.

Your accommodation offer will include all the information about your contract with us. You will need to read the offer of accommodation carefully and make sure it is suitable for your needs. If ever you lose your signed accommodation acceptance form and our executed contract, we will be pleased to provide a copy to you free of charge.

If you no longer require the accommodation we offer you, please notify us as soon as possible, so we can re-allocate the room to another student.

Deposit

In order to confirm the room allocation, students are required to make a deposit payment of £250 when they accept their accommodation contract. Deposits paid to Blackfriars are protected and insured under the Deposit Protection Scheme (https://www.depositprotection.com/tenants/starting-a-tenancy/what-is-deposit-protection) Further details about deposits are given below.

Rejecting our offer of accommodation

If you reject your accommodation offer you will not be given an alternative offer and you will need to look for accommodation through the Collegiate Accommodation Support Service or the private sector.

2.4 Information about your accommodation deposit

Instructions for paying your accommodation deposit and accepting your offer will be provided by the Bursary team once you have been made an offer of a room. Deposits paid to Blackfriars are protected and insured under the Deposit Protection Scheme.

Please note that your deposit will not be returned if you choose not to take up an offer of accommodation that you previously accepted.

What charges does Blackfriars make against deposits?

Where Blackfriars makes any claim against your deposit, we will first send you a detailed statement of the intended charges. We will deduct from your deposit for the following:

Fines applied in line with your accommodation agreement with Blackfriars.
Cost of the repair or replacement of any items within your accommodation found to be damaged upon inspection, or contribution towards deep cleaning or redecoration.
Outstanding accommodation fees.

Should you wish to query these charges, you must do so within 10 working days of receiving our notificaton by emailing bursary@bfriars.ox.ac.uk with your reasons and supporting statement. Should no appeal be received within the 14 day appeal period, then the charges will be taken as accepted. If your appeal is successful, the charge/fine will be removed from your account.

When are deposits returned?

Your deposit (minus any deductions) will be returned to you within 28 days of the end of your contract provided that the following criteria have been met:

It is past the end date of your contract and you are not liable for any further accommodation fees;
We hold valid bank details; and
There are no charges or fines against your account.

If you have any charges against your account, please allow up to 8 weeks from the end of your contract for your remaining deposit to be refunded. If you are remaining in our accommodation for another year your deposit will automatically be carried forward to your new booking and any remaining deposit (minus any deductions) will be refunded.

How will my deposit be returned?

Bank Transfer: If your payment was made by bank transfer your deposit will be returned back to that bank account. You will be contacted before the end of your contract with further information on how to update your bank details.
Cash/Cheque: If your payment was made by cash or cheque your deposit will be returned to your bank account. You will be contacted before the end of your contract with further information on how to advise us of your bank details.

For all enquiries relating to your deposit please contact the Blackfriars Hall Bursary at bursary@bfriars.ox.ac.uk.

3. Our Late BuildingS Policy

Under the UUK Accommodation Code of Practice and our accommodation agreement with you, Blackfriars has a responsibility to ensure that your room is ready for occupation on the date that your accommodation agreement with us begins. If your room is not ready because of delays in construction or renovation work, we will undertake to ensure that you are provided with suitable and safe alternative accommodation as close as possible in amenity and location to your original accommodation. Normally, this will be by agreement with another college in Oxford city centre, allowing you to access your places of study, work, and social spaces.

Where construction or renovation work is being scheduled and overruns, we will contact you as soon as we are aware of delays and let you know about the contingency plans that we have put in place. We will:

inform everyone who has booked a room, in realistic terms, about the delay and/or inconvenience you are likely to experience and what support (such as alternative accommodation and related arrangements) will be put in place.
give you the option to delay your start date or take a place in alternative accommodation, either as a permanent solution or a temporary solution until the room you have booked is ready.
provide you with contact details for further help and information.
undertake any required regulatory reporting (e.g., to the Accommodation Code of Practice administration), update regulators, and act on regulatory advice received.
contact other relevant parties, including our MCR, to outline what action we are taking.
reflect any delay or temporary loss of amenity in our accommodation in our marketing material.
provide regular updates to you, for example if there is any further delay or what temporary accommodation we have secured.
notify all of our affected residents of any modification to payment arrangements, what expenses will be paid for or reimbursed, and any processes for claiming relevant expenses, such as presenting claims supported by purchase receipts.

Options to release you from your contract when our buildings are “late”

If, for any reason, our contracted accommodation is not (or is unlikely to be) ready for occupation at the start of the contracted period and we are unable either to provide you with suitable and safe alternative accommodation or agree a late start date that is acceptable to you, we will give you prompt written notice of this fact and offer to release you from your contract at no charge. You will have a notice period of seven days to accept our offer of release from contract by writing to bursary@bfriars.ox.ac.uk.

You will also have the option to cancel if, four weeks after your contracted start date:

you are continuing to be housed in temporary alternative accommodation; or
you are continuing to have to postpone your arrival date because the reserved accommodation or a reasonable permanent substitute is not available for occupation.
Notice of cancellation for the above reasons must be given by writing to bursary@bfriars.ox.ac.uk.

Payment arrangements for late buildings and alternative accommodation arrangements

If you have booked accommodation in one of our ACOP accredited buildings and the accommodation will not be ready for occupation on time, the following payment arrangements will apply:

If you are postponing your arrival, accommodation charges will not be payable until the accommodation and the common parts serving it are fit for your beneficial occupation and use.
Where we offer you alternative accommodation, we may charge an appropriate rent, but this will not be higher than the original rent.
If arranging alternative accommodation requires for you to enter into a contract with another provider, we will clearly explain this arrangement to you, release you from our existing contract while you enter into the new contract, and ensure the rent payable for the alternative accommodation is no higher than you have agreed to pay us, and no higher than the rent for similar accommodation to the alternative provided. If the alternative provider requires more rent, we agree to pay the difference.
Please note that while living in another provider’s accommodation, Blackfriars students will continue to be students of Blackfriars and the University of Oxford, and will have the same responsibilities and rights of students under the Hall’s and University’s regulations.
If the alternative accommodation does not include similar meal provision or catering facilities to the accommodation that was booked with us, we will ensure the cost to you of feeding yourself is not higher than it would have been if the contracted accommodation had been provided. (We will have discretion on how to achieve this, such as a rent reduction, or reimbursement of meal costs at specified outlets).
If you spend more than seven days in temporary accommodation without laundry facilities, Blackfriars will pay for, or reimburse you for, laundry costs that you reasonably incur while living in the alternative accommodation.
When you transfer from temporary alternative accommodation arranged by us to the accommodation you have booked with us (or to a longer-term alternative), we will either provide an appropriate service to move all your belongings or pay (or reimburse you for) your reasonable removal costs.
If you incur other reasonable additional out-of-pocket expenses as a result of being housed in alternative accommodation (for example, higher travel costs than you would have incurred if the building had been ready on time), we will let you know how to claim for these expenses (such as by presenting a claim supported by receipts) and reimburse you promptly for those expenses.
Where your booked accommodation at Blackfriars includes Wi-Fi, we will ensure you have access to similar services in your alternative accommodation at no added cost.
Where we have made reasonable adjustments for you in our accommodation due to disability, we will work with you to ensure alternative accommodation provided meets your needs and does not place you at a substantial disadvantage when compared with others who do not share your disability.
Where we are unable to meet your accommodation contract and we are liable for this, we will contact you at the earliest opportunity to explain how to make a claim against us, including eligibility, applicable deadlines, and limitations. We will share this information with the offices of the Mixed/Middle Common Room.

4. If a significant loss of services occurs in our accommodation

In some emergency situations, such as the aftermath of a fire, we may ask you to vacate your room for health and safety reasons, or you may experience some other loss of amenity in our housing on a short term or longer term basis. Where this occurs, our commitments to you are as follows:

If we have to ask you to vacate your room because of a loss of services (loss of amenity) or for reasons of health and safety, we will undertake to source suitable and safe alternative accommodation for you. Normally, this will be by agreement with another college in Oxford city centre, allowing you to access your places of study, work, and social spaces.

Where a loss of services means we have to ask you to vacate the accommodation, we will communicate with you regularly to let you know about the continuity plans that we have put in place. We will:

inform you, in realistic terms, about the loss of services or amenity and what business continuity support (such as alternative accommodation) is being put in place to provide alternative services, together with the relevant timelines.
if you have not yet moved into our accommodation when the loss of service occurs, we will give you the option to delay your start date or take a place in alternative accommodation, either as a permanent solution or a temporary solution until the room you have booked is ready; the same procedures for release of contract will apply as for late buildings.
we will nominate contacts and support staff to support you with further help, procedures, and information, as part of our business continuity planning;
contact other relevant parties, including our MCR, to outline what actions we are taking and their timelines;
undertake any required regulatory reporting (e.g., to the Accommodation Code of Practice administration), update regulators, and act on regulatory advice received;
reflect any loss of services in our marketing material, where appropriate;
provide regular updates to you – for example, timelines within which we anticipate our services will be restored, and any further delay or details about temporary or more permanent accommodation available to you;
notify all of our affected residents of any modification to payment arrangements, what expenses will be paid for or reimbursed, and any processes for claiming relevant expenses.
If you spend more than seven days in temporary accommodation without laundry facilities, Blackfriars will pay for, or reimburse you for, laundry costs that you reasonably incur while living in the alternative accommodation.
Where your booked accommodation at Blackfriars includes Wi-Fi, we will ensure you have access to similar services in your alternative accommodation at no added cost.
Where we have made reasonable adjustments for you in our accommodation due to disability, we will work with you to ensure alternative accommodation provided meets your needs and does not place you at a substantial disadvantage when compared with others who do not share your disability.
Where we are unable to meet your accommodation contract and we are liable for this, we will contact you at the earliest opportunity to explain whether and how you can make a claim against us, including eligibility, applicable deadlines, and limitations. We will share this information with the offices of the Mixed/Middle Common Room.