Licence agreement for students in Kingston University halls 2023/24

Please note: current students already in halls of residence can view details of the current 2022/23 licence they have agreed to at Halls Licence and Guide 2022/23.

Your Halls Licence is your legally-binding housing agreement. We have split it into two parts for you:

  • Halls Licence Agreement – this covers all key information you need to be aware of prior to moving in, such as your address, the cost of your room, how you pay for it, the guest policy and much more.
  • Student Halls Guide – this covers all the dos and don'ts regarding behaviour whilst living in Kingston University halls of residence and what we expect from you as a resident.

Make sure you read these in detail and truly understand the obligations and rights you have whilst living at University.

We are confident that we will succeed in creating a safe and harmonious student living environment for everyone to enjoy, if all our student residents adhere to these guidelines.

Halls Licence

Parties to the Agreement and the Accommodation

The Licence Agreement is made between yourself and Kingston University to occupy the room you have been allocated.

Main Terms of the Licence Agreement

1. Period of Your Licence Agreement

This section of your licence will cover the dates of your Halls Licence Agreement. The period will vary dependent on your course and level of study. You will likely be placed on a 40-week licence, a 43-week licence or a 50-week licence. Please consult your completed licence for full details.

2. The Halls Fees

This section of your licence will outline the total cost of your room for the entire length of your licence, and the weekly rent of your room. Please consult your completed licence for full details.

3. Cancellation of the Licence Agreement

3.1: You have the right to cancel your contract with the University within 14 days of accepting it, provided that this is at least 14 days prior to the move-in date. This must be done in writing (including email) to the Kingston University Accommodation Team (accommodation@kingston.ac.uk).

3.2: If you fail to take up occupation within 14 days of the licence start date, and you have not cancelled this licence agreement in accordance with clause 3.1, or notified us that you will be arriving late, the University reserves the right to cancel the licence. You will be charged for the full duration of the licence period until a suitable replacement student is found to take over the licence.

3.3: Once you move into the accommodation, your right to cancel does not apply, as services and accommodation have been provided. You will be liable for the halls fees for the entire period of the licence agreement, unless clause 3.4 applies.

3.4: If you move into the accommodation but you do not subsequently enrol as a student with the University within 14 days, your licence to occupy will terminate with immediate effect. You must leave the accommodation or we will commence legal proceedings for your eviction. You will be liable for rent for the period of occupation and all costs incurred by the University if this action is necessary.

Terms and Conditions

4. Payment of the Halls Fees

4.1: You are required to make an advanced payment of £200 and set up a Recurring Card Payment instruction (RCP) at the point of booking your room. The RCP provides authorisation for the University to request payment by card and is a mandatory requirement in order for you to pay your halls fee by instalment in accordance with the Financial Information at the end of this Licence Agreement. Should the booking fee and RCP not be set up at the point of booking or payment for the full cost of your annual licence not have been received by the University within 5 days of your booking, your reservation will be cancelled.

4.2: If a RCP is not in place or dishonoured by the card issuer, or payments of Halls Fees are not made, we may begin legal proceedings for recovery of the debt and / or to end the Licence. The University uses the services of external agencies to pursue the outstanding debt as part of its debt recovery procedures which may result in a County Court Judgment (‘CCJ') being registered against you in the amount of the debt, plus costs, plus interest. If the University takes action to end your Licence, we will seek to recover our legal costs from you.

4.3: If you are experiencing difficulty in the payment of Halls Fees you are advised to notify The Kingston University Accommodation Team via accommodation@kingston.ac.uk immediately and to seek advice from a Student Money Adviser via studentfunding@kingston.ac.uk. Liability to pay halls fees when due is not affected by non-arrival of student loans or other sources of funding.

4.4: The halls fees include all utility bills (gas, electricity and water) and wireless internet connection.

4.5: The obligation to pay the Licence Fee applies irrespective of your individual course dates (which may start later or finish earlier than the Period of Residence) and irrespective of when or if you actually move into the Accommodation.

4.6: If someone other than you pays all or part of the Licence Fee to us directly (e.g. a sponsor or parent) this will not reduce or affect your responsibilities under the Agreement or result in any kind of rights or benefit to that other party. Please see section 14.4 below

5. Moving in and moving out 

5.1: If the booked Accommodation is not ready for occupation at the start of the Licence period then the University will endeavour to provide suitable alternative accommodation until the Accommodation is ready. Where the alternative accommodation is more expensive than the booked Accommodation, the University will be responsible for the additional cost. You will be charged only for the cost of the booked Accommodation for this period.

5.2: You should occupy your room no later than 6pm on the start date of your Licence Agreement. If you will be arriving later, you must inform your Hall Reception or Kingston University Accommodation team in advance. If you do not inform us of your late arrival, we may cancel the Licence or we may not be able to check you in until the next working day. You remain liable for Halls Fees from the start date of the licence.

5.3: You must complete and sign bedroom and kitchen Inventory Forms within 48 hours of moving-in and return it to the Halls Management Team.

5.4: If you overstay beyond the Licence End Date you will be liable to pay Hall Fees for each day you overstay. The University may also issue an immediate Notice to Quit and if you do not leave Halls, we will commence court proceedings for possession of your room and then a warrant for eviction. The University will seek to recover its legal costs from you in such cases. In addition, if for any reason you become or cause us to become liable for council tax for the Accommodation then you will pay such council tax (or reimburse us for any sums we pay within fourteen days of written demand). If you fail to vacate a property after being issued with an NTQ, the University reserves the right to claim damages for each day of overstay calculated with reference to the halls licence fee.

5.5: If you are permitted early arrival into your hall room then the terms and conditions of this Halls Licence Agreement 2023/24 and Student Halls guide shall apply to this additional period of occupation.

5.6: More information on moving out is in the Student Halls Guide.

6. Room moves and exchanges

6.1: On rare occasions we may require you to move rooms, for example if your room is needed for a disabled student, or if it is in the best interests of your own or others' wellbeing. In this case, if the halls fees for the other room are less than the fees payable for the original room, the University will refund you the difference if you have already paid your full fee or reduce the remaining amount payable.

6.2: If you do not agree to move to another room under section 6.1 you may end this Licence by informing The Kingston University Accommodation Team in writing within fourteen days of us asking you to move. In this case, you will not be liable to pay any further accommodation fees from the date you return your keys to your Hall Reception.

6.3: If you wish to move rooms within university halls, you must first discuss this with The Kingston University Accommodation Team. These room moves will only be considered after 01 November and only in exceptional circumstances. Any room move will require the prior agreement of the University. You may not move rooms without such prior agreement. Unauthorised room moves may lead to action being taken by the University to end your Licence and to recoup any costs incurred.

6.4: Room moves from 75 Penrhyn Road studio flats to another Halls Site are not permitted by The Kingston University Accommodation Team. If you wish to move from 75 Penrhyn Road to another site, you must find a student resident to have a room exchange with.

6.5: You may exchange your room in Halls with another eligible student who has an alternative room in Halls with a similar licence end date. It is your responsibility to find someone with whom to exchange. All room exchanges must be registered with and approved by the Kingston University Accommodation Team before the exchange takes place. No exchanges will take place before 1 November in any academic year.

7. Use of accommodation

7.1: All Hall rooms are let on the basis that you are a registered student with the required enrolment status at the University and that the room will be occupied by you only. We may end your Licence at any time for reasons outlined in section 12.

7.2: All accommodation is allocated on a mixed sex/gender basis, with the exception of a limited number of single-sex flats. If you are residing in a single-sex flat, please be aware that guests and contractor/maintenance staff of the opposite sex are also permitted to visit the flat.

7.3: Subletting, or allowing someone other than you to occupy a room is strictly forbidden. We may interpret a frequent guest or someone else who has possession of your room key as potential subletting and reserve the right to request identification verification.

7.4: Pets are not allowed. The only circumstances in which animals may be allowed in Halls of Residence are assistance or emotional support/ therapy animals for disabled students or those with long term health conditions which have been approved at least 28 days in advance of your Licence Start Date by the University under the Procedure for Keeping Assistance Animals in Kingston University Accommodation. Further details of the approval process are available via accommodation@kingston.ac.uk. Please note: approval is only granted in exceptional circumstances and when there is clear medical evidence. The University therefore reserves the right to refuse access to any animal at its discretion. Failure to obtain agreement under this procedure will result in a request for the immediate removal of the animal.

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

7.6: You must not damage or change the structure or decoration of the Accommodation. You may be charged for any damages.

7.7: You must keep your room keys safe and not give them to anyone else. If you lose your keys, the locks to the room and other parts of the flat will need to be replaced. New keys will have to be issued to residents in that flat. You will be charged for these costs (see Student Halls Guide Additional Charges)

7.8: If you watch or record television programmes in your own room or studio as they are being broadcast you must purchase your own TV Licence. This includes watching "catch-up" TV services on devices such as a computer, laptop, mobile phone, DVD/video recorder or anything else.

7.9: 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 cover to protect all of your possessions both inside and outside your room. Review policy number HH1217 at www.endsleigh.co.uk/reviewcover. You are responsible for the insurance and safe keeping of your personal property. 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).

7.10: 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. If you do not keep your room or studio and flat clean we will implement additional cleaning and you may be charged (see Student Halls Guide Additional Charges).

7.11: 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 (see Student Halls Guide Additional Charges) The only additional furniture that is permitted is any that is recommended as a reasonable adjustment for a disabled student or student with a long-term health condition.

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

8. Guests

8.1: 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 must stay with your guests at all times and you are responsible for the behaviour of your guests (see Student Halls Guide – Guests section for more detail)

8.2: 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. If the frequency or length of your guest's stay is it's deemed unreasonable, you risk breaching 7.3 of this halls licence agreement.

8.3: A resident must not have more than 2 guests at any one time. For residents residing in Designated Quiet flats this is limited to one guest at a time.

8.4: You must not give your room keys to guests, or share them with anyone other than authorised staff.

8.5: In single-sex accommodation, only visitors of the same sex are permitted to stay overnight. All other visitors must leave the Accommodation by 11pm.

9. Our responsibilities

9.1: We will provide the following services and 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

9.2: We will ensure that all staff and contractors requiring access to your room carry identification. If you are not present when staff attend they will leave a Calling Card to let you know they have attended to your room and the reason for their attendance.

9.3: 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.

9.4: 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. For example, this could include provision of alternative shower facilities or the provision of electric heaters.

9.5: If your occupation of the room is interrupted for more than twelve hours, the University will endeavor to provide you with suitable alternative accommodation. Where the alternative accommodation is more expensive than your booked accommodation, the University will be responsible for the additional cost.

9.6: 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. A Force Majeure Event includes acts / events / omissions / accidents beyond the control of either you or the University and includes (but is not limited to) Acts of God, fire, flood, earthquake, windstorm or other natural disaster, war, terrorist attack, civil war, riots, nuclear / chemical / biological contamination, pandemic, mandatory compliance with any law, or strikes / industrial action.

10. Your responsibilities

10.1: You must follow the Health and Safety information in the Student Halls Guide and report the following:

  • Any fire or accident resulting in injury to any person or any damage to the Hall immediately to Halls Management;
  • Any damage, need for repair or failure of services within 24 hours of becoming aware of it either to Halls Management or via the Kingston University App

10.2: 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. Once you have requested works to be completed in your room, we will need to access it. Should you not be in your room when we call, we will enter using our signed out pass keys and leave a card to show we have attended. We will take the request for works as permission to enter the room. Our staff all carry ID cards and wear uniform.

10.3: You should treat all residents and Halls Management with consideration and respect in accordance with the Personal Conduct section of the Student Halls Guide. Inappropriate behaviour in Halls may be dealt with under the University's Halls Conduct and Behaviour Procedure and/or the Student Conduct and Behaviour Procedure.

10.4: You should assist Halls Management in its administration of the Halls when requested.

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

10.6: Rooms in ‘Show-flats' are designated to be available for up to 10 Open Days in the 2023/24 academic year. These Open Days are an important part of the recruitment cycle. If you have booked a show-flat room, it is a condition of the booking that you allow Open Day visitors into your flat for each of these open days. In return for this each resident of the flat will receive a rent credit of £30 Per Open Day. At each event at least one study bedroom will need to be shown and the student in this room will receive a rent credit of £60 per Open Day to compensate for any disruption (this is instead of, not in addition to the £30 credit). A volunteer will be sought from within the flat, but if this is not possible, Halls Management or the University will designate a room to be used. You will be notified in advance of the specified date that your room will need to be accessible, and it is expected that the room and flat will be clean, tidy, and presentable.

11. Leaving Halls early 

11.1: Once you have accepted the Licence Agreement for a room in our Halls of Residence, you will be liable to pay the Halls Fees in section 2 for the duration of your full Licence period.

11.2: If you wish to terminate the Licence before the end of your licence period and you are not withdrawing from your course or suspending your studies, then you must notify The Kingston University Accommodation Team in writing, giving a minimum of 14 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 full rent under the Licence until another eligible student who is not already resident in Halls, and who is acceptable to The Kingston University Accommodation Team, can be found to accept the remainder of the contract. An eligible student is classified as a current full-time Kingston University student with no outstanding debit owed to the university and no disciplinary record with the university. The ultimate responsibility for finding a replacement is with you. The university will take reasonable steps to find a replacement as quickly as possible but during off-peak periods it may not be possible to find a replacement to take over your contract.

11.3: If you wish to terminate your Licence early on medical grounds, the University must be satisfied (in its reasonable discretion) that the reasons given by you and any evidence you provide in support of this is acceptable to release you from future obligations under the Licence. You must provide medical evidence in writing to The Kingston University Accommodation Team. The evidence will need to be from a registered medical practitioner (including evidence of ongoing treatment/hospital visits etc) which demonstrates the negative impact of hall living on your health, should you continue to reside in university halls. If moving to a different hall will resolve your issue, then please indicate this in your request. The University will notify you whether your application to move to alternative University accommodation or to terminate your Licence has been successful. If your application to terminate your Licence is successful, you will remain 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). Full details of how to request a release from your Licence early for compassionate or medical reasons are available at https://link.kingston.ac.uk/Halls under "Early release from Halls Licence".

11.4: Students who withdraw from or interrupt (suspend) their studies and will not be returning that academic year are no longer eligible to reside in university accommodation. Students in this situation should notify The Kingston University Accommodation Team in writing as early as possible with the proof of course withdrawal/interruption of studies and the date of departure from hall. You will be required to leave the hall room within 5 working days from the date of withdrawal/ interruption of studies. 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.

11.5: Council Tax liability. If You have a Licence for a Studio flat at 75 Penrhyn Road You will be liable for Council Tax at the relevant rate set by the Council (currently £1600.00 p.a.). If You move in after the Licence Start Date or move out before the Licence End Date You will be charged for the period the property is vacant. You will also be liable for Council Tax for the period between when your course ends and the Licence End Date (if later).

12. University action to end your Licence

12.1: 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
  6. are in serious or persistent breach of the terms of this Licence

12.2: Students are required to engage in the University's processes and procedures by attending interviews and responding to communication from the Halls Managers and/or University. Failure to attend interviews may result in a decision being made in the student's absence.

12.3: If we end your Licence under section 12.1 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.

12.4: 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 a warrant for your eviction. The University will seek to recover its legal costs from you in such cases.

13. Notices

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

Kingston University – Accommodation
Student Life Centre
John Galsworthy Building
Penrhyn Road
Kingston upon Thames KT1 2EE

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

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

13.3: 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 as well as your personal email address (if applicable). 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.

14. Jurisdiction and other legal things

14.1: This Licence is governed by English law and under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of England and Wales.

14.2: 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.

14.3: 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.

14.4: The rights and obligations under this Licence are personal to the University 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.

14.5: 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).

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

14.7: 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.

14.8: 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.

14.9: The University reserves the right to make changes or additions to the Student Halls Guide during the course of the Licence. In the event of any such changes, the University will notify you via email, outlining the changes and their potential impact.

15. Complaints

All complaints should be submitted under the University's Student Complaints Procedure within 15 days of the event which has given rise to the issue or, if a series of events, within 15 days of the final event in the series. Complaints will only be considered outside this timeframe in exceptional circumstances.

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.

If the matter remains unresolved to your satisfaction, you should then put the issue in writing to Halls Management at your Hall of Residence.

If the matter is still unresolved, you should put the issue in writing to the relevant team, detailed below.

Halls siteWho to contact
75 Penrhyn Road or 
Middle Mill.
Security and Interim Residences Manager, KUSCO
Services Building, Penrhyn Road
Kingston upon Thames KT1 2EE
Clayhill Hall manager GFM Clayhill
Email: clayhill@gfmuk.com
Seething Wells or
Chancellors or
Walkden
Email: kslenquiries.uk@equans.com

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

All other student complaints

Any other general student complaints should be sent to Kingston University's Academic Registry via: 
studentcomplaints@kingston.ac.uk.

You may wish to contact the Union of Kingston Students, which will be able to provide advice and guidance with the Student Complaints Procedure. Information on the support offered can be found on the Union website. For further information, please contact the Union via email: support@kingston.ac.uk or by telephone: 020 8417 2974.

Financial information

Halls fees payment

At the point of booking, we expect students to make an advanced payment of £200 and to set up a Recurring Card Payment (RCP) using a UK or International debit or credit card to meet the following three instalment dates. The instalment table below covers the standard Licence Start Dates for the given cohort of students. If you have a non-standard Licence Start Date (or early Licence End Date) approved by the University, the sums due will be adjusted in accordance with the Period of Licence Agreement and Halls Fees (specified under sections 1 and 2 above)

  1. An advance payment of £200 and the set-up of a RCP must be completed at the time of booking or your reservation will be cancelled.
  2. If a RCP collections fails, you must make payment immediately via an alternative method to avoid debt recovery action being taken by the University.
  3. If the move-in date shown on your Licence Agreement is after the first instalment date of the standard Licence period you must pay the amount of Halls Fees due between the move-in date and the next instalment date immediately.

The University's Halls Fees instalment plan is as follows:

September entry:

Licence typeInstalment 1
12 October 2023
Instalment 2
18 January 2024
Instalment 3
25 April 2024
40 weeks:
Standard licence
40% of annual rent 40% of annual rent 20% of annual rent
43 weeks:
PGCE students
38% of annual rent 38% of annual rent 24% of annual rent
50 weeks:
Nursing and Midwifery students,
Postgraduate students,
all licences for 75 Penrhyn Road
36% of annual rent 32% of annual rent 32% of annual rent

January entry:

Licence typeInstalment 1
8 February 2024
Instalment 2
25 April 2024
Instalment 3
12 September 2024
50 weeks: Postgraduate students

36% of annual rent 32% of annual rent 32% of annual rent

Student Halls Guide 2023/24

Kingston University is committed to working in partnership with our students to enhance the Halls of Residence student experience. Kingston University wants you, our students, to get the most out of your University Life and, specifically, your stay in Halls.

Health and safety

  • 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 evacuate the building when requested.
  • 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.
  • E scooters and E bikes are not permitted anywhere within the Halls of Residence. You must not charge their batteries anywhere on site, as this can present a significant fire risk. You cannot store them in any rooms, corridors or hallways as they may block the escape routes required for emergency evacuation.
  • 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

Prohibited items

Items prohibited in halls, which will result in disciplinary action if found, are detailed on under 'What to bring when you move into halls?' on the 'Moving into university halls' page.

Personal conduct

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.

You must follow the guidance for acceptable behaviour online detailed in paragraph 6.2.4 of the Acceptable Use Policy – Social Media. It states that You must not post any statements or photos that could damage the reputation of you, your family or that of Kingston University and its Partners. You must not make offensive or derogatory remarks about students, members of staff or other individuals, and you must not post obscene or derogatory images.

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. Please note: Designated "quiet flats" require this to be between 10pm and 8am – see below.

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 Conduct and Behaviour Procedure below, other misconduct will be dealt with through the Student Conduct and Behaviour 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.

Responsibility for cleaning

As outlined in 7.10 of the Halls Licence (above), you are responsible for the cleanliness of your flat.

You are expected to keep your own room clean.

You must also work together with your flatmates to keep the communal areas of your flat, like kitchens, clean and remove rubbish. Regular checks will be made to ensure your flat meets the required standard of cleanliness. If you and your flatmates do not meet the standard, you may all be charged costs to rectify the situation.

It is good practice to have a rota and agree responsibilities with your fellow flatmates to ensure the required cleaning is done in a fair and timely manner.

Guidance when inviting guests

Section 8 of the Licence Agreement (above) explains the expectations of residents regarding guests. You should familiarise yourself with these and also consider the following…

When you are planning on inviting guests to your accommodation it is good practice to inform your flat mates and be considerate of them.

Any non-residents must be signed in at reception before they can enter your flat. You can have up to two visitors (one visitor in a quiet flat) at any one time and they must be over 18 years of age. We reserve the right to refuse permission and can request the guest leaves the site at any time.

Whilst other residents from your Halls are not required to sign in at reception, anyone residing outside your flat is considered to be a guest.

You can have visitors of the opposite sex in designated single-sex flats but they cannot stay overnight and must leave by 11pm.

You cannot leave visitors alone in your flat at any time, and you are not permitted to share your keys with anyone else.

You cannot have regular visitors. Guests must not exceed reasonable frequency of visits. 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. If you do, you could be considered to be subletting.

Remember, you are responsible for your guests' behaviour. That means you will be held liable for their actions under the agreement and action may be taken against you as a result.

Quiet Flats

We aim to provide designated quiet blocks where we will place students together who indicate on their application that they wish to live with others who prefer a "quieter lifestyle".

Please note: we can't guarantee a permanent quiet environment. As communal living is likely to involve some level of noise, including from outside the flat and the building. However, by placing those requesting a "quieter lifestyle" together we hope to better meet the different requirements of our residents.

In addition to the expectations detailed in the "personal conduct" section above for all residents, those living in or visiting designated Quiet blocks or areas are also required to:

  • to keep noise at a level that does not interfere with the study, sleep or comfort of other residents and, in particular, not to make or allow any loud noise (including but without limitation to televisions, playing music, talking loudly on the phone or playing video games) between 22.00 hours and 08.00 hours.
  • typically only have single visitors and understand that there will be no social gatherings permitted without the prior permission of the University

Single-sex accommodation

In flats that have been designated by the accommodation team to be single-sex the following applies.

Guests and contractor/maintenance staff of the opposite sex are permitted to visit single-sex flats. In addition, only visitors of the same sex are permitted to stay overnight. All other visitors must leave the Accommodation by 11pm.

Parking and bicycles

  • 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.
  • E Scooters are not permitted on any Kingston University campus, or in any Halls of Residence.
  • E scooters and E bikes are not permitted anywhere within the Halls of Residence. You must not charge their batteries anywhere on site, as this can present a significant fire risk. You cannot store them in any rooms, corridors or hallways as they may block the escape routes required for emergency evacuation.
  • 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.

Moving out

  • 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 or possessions 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.

Additional charges

Item leading to ChargeAmount of Charge
Cleaning charges At cost to University
Early Leaver Charge Equivalent to the rent outstanding for the remainder of the licence period until such time as another student takes up occupation of the room
Lock Change as a result of a lost key

At cost

Please note: Charges may need to be made for multiple locks if a change of key is required.

Repairs and replacement of items where fault can be identified, or an apportioned share of the cost amongst students in a particular flat if fault cannot be identified At cost

Halls Conduct & Behaviour Procedure (formerly Code of Conduct)

Students living in Kingston University's Halls of Residence are expected to follow the Halls Conduct & Behaviour Procedure (formerly the Halls of Residence Code of Conduct).

Halls Conduct & Behaviour Procedure

Purpose and scope

Students are expected to behave considerately at all times as a member of the University and local community, and to respect the rights of other students, staff and members of the public, both on and off campus.

The Halls Conduct & Behaviour Procedure (formerly the Halls of Residence Code of Conduct) is an integral part of the Halls Licence Agreement, the Student Halls Guide and the Student Conduct and Behaviour GR3, and applies to all students living in a University Hall of Residence.

All reported allegations of misconduct or misbehaviour against resident students will be considered. Investigations may lead to action being taken in accordance with the University's Student Conduct & Behaviour Procedure.

This procedure will be followed in accordance with the University's strategy for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Reporting of allegations of breach of Licence Agreement or other misconduct in Halls of Residence

Halls of residence management teams, and University teams will record any alleged incidents where residents are considered to have breached the terms of their Licence agreement for action under the Halls Conduct & Behaviour Procedure.

Any allegations of a breach of a term of the Licence Agreement or other misconduct in Halls of Residence must be reported to Halls Management within 15 working days of the incident or last in a series of incidents.

Warnings

Halls management will keep records of incidents and complaints regarding alleged breaches of the Halls Licence. These will be shared with the University and will support any actions under this procedure.

Residents found to have been behaving in a manner that is in breach of the terms of their Halls Licence may receive an informal warning from the Halls Management team for low level incidents.

If there is a repeat of this behaviour after the informal warning, or the behaviour is considered to be of a suitable level of concern, a University Warning may be issued.

Severe behaviour or continued lower-level breaches, may be referred for a University Investigation.

Investigations

If a University warning has previously been issued, or an incident is considered to be of suitable severity, the University may proceed with an investigation to decide on appropriate interventions and sanctions to address the behaviour.

The University will collate evidence from those involved, provide redacted copies to the resident(s) and arrange an interview with the resident(s). This meeting will normally be held within 5 days of receipt of the allegations. If the resident is unable to attend the meeting, they should advise the University in advance in order that an alternate meeting time may be arranged.

If the resident fails to attend the second meeting nor provides a valid reason for their inability to attend, the University have the final decision on whether to adjourn the interview or proceed without the student present, and the matter may be considered in their absence.

Accompaniment and representation

The meeting will be conducted by one or more members of the University and notes of the meeting will be taken. Students may be accompanied by one

Individual (you may wish to be accompanied by a friend, family member, officer or staff member from the Union of Kingston Students', or by a Trade Union or professional association staff member, if applicable). The individual accompanying you will not be permitted to make representations, ask, or answer questions on your behalf. We strongly recommend that you seek guidance from the Union of Kingston Students who are very experienced with supporting students through these processes.

Representation by any third party will only be permitted where there is a compelling reason, for example, ill health and/or disability and if considered necessary by the staff member coordinating the interview or panel (whose decision is final). In such circumstances, you will need to provide us with signed written consent for this representation.

Investigation outcome and penalties

If it is determined on the balance of probabilities that a breach of the Licence Agreement has occurred, one or more of the following penalties may be applied:

  • A formal warning – repeated incidences of such behaviour may lead to a final warning being issued
  • Suspended Notice to Quit – any further incidences may lead to a Notice to Quit being issued
  • A Notice to Quit, requiring the student to leave their room in Halls within 28 days
  • An Immediate Notice to Quit, requiring the student to leave their room in Halls within 24 hours
  • A charge in accordance with Section 7 of the Licence Agreement. Further details available under "Additional Charges" in the Student Halls Guide [1]

Matters of serious misconduct may also be referred for investigation under the University's Student Conduct & Behaviour Procedure.

Outcomes will be communicated to the student in writing, including by email, within five working days of the interview.

[1] Please note that these are examples of types of breaches and the possible outcomes. This list is not exhaustive.

Appeals

A student who is dissatisfied with the outcome of an Investigation under the Halls of Residence Code of Conduct, specifically if they have been issued with a warning and/or penalty, may submit an appeal on one of the following grounds

  1. The University's Procedures have not been followed and this has affected the outcome
  2. Based on the evidence available at the time, the outcome is unreasonable
  3. You have new evidence which you were unable to provide earlier in the process, for valid and evidenced reasons, and this has affected the outcome.

A letter of appeal, including any supporting documentation, must be submitted by the resident within 5 working days of the outcome letter. This must be sent to either dsenquiries@kingston.ac.uk or studentcomplaints@kingston.ac.uk depending on which was specified in the appeal section of the outcome letter.

Appeals which do not meet the grounds for appeal or are submitted late and do not provide compelling exceptional reasons, will not be considered. Academic Registry will let you know if this is the case and will provide you with a Completion of Procedures Letter which will allow you to take your case to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA).

A member of staff, with no prior involvement in your case, will be appointed as the Investigator to consider your appeal and will provide you with an outcome in writing within 10 working days of its receipt.

If your appeal is upheld, the Investigator may recommend that a fresh and independent Investigation into the original allegations is undertaken, or they may overturn the original decision and replace this with their own decision. The outcome of the appeal is final.

Whilst an appeal is being considered, the outcome of the original Investigation will be suspended. This will not include any precautionary measures that have been agreed on health and safety grounds which will stay in place.

Any questions?

Please get in touch if you have any queries for the accommodation team at Kingston University.