A first year arrived back to University accommodation earlier this term to find his room flooded and uninhabitable, despite a faculty check on rooms just two days previously.
Kit Munro, an Environmental Geography student of Derwent B Block, explained how he returned to his room “to find the hot water tap gushing and the room boiling hot.”
On seeing the water damage, Munro went to the Porter’s Lodge, where he was told to sleep on somebody’s floor as there were no spare beds, and was waved away after being provided with only a bedding bale. He then spent three nights on a friend’s floor until, luckily, a flatmate vacated his room, which Munro promptly moved into.
The University sent in a cleaning team to remove the mould from the surfaces but the smell of mould that remained was unbearable, and the room is still not fit for inhabitance. The room itself costs £11.68 per night to rent and Kit has been unable to sleep in his bed for 23 nights at the time of going to press. Not only has he paid a total of £268.64 so far for his uninhabitable room, but the flooding caused severe damage to his possessions.Ruined items include an amplifier, guitar, most of his clothes, expensive sports equipment and bedding which amounts to hundreds of pounds worth of damage.
Munro has been assured by college tutor Tom Penkethman that the University will provide some compensation, but he has heard nothing from official members of staff or College Provost Rob Aitken. He was also told that the University would contact him, but this is yet to happen.
The University had a different version of events, saying that “the room in question has been inspected and a faulty tap, which had not been reported by the occupant, has been repaired.
“There was no evidence of mould but the room was cleaned. The student was provided with alternative accommodation by the College. The College is working with the student concerned to resolve any outstanding issues.”
YUSU Welfare Officer Laura Borisovaite commented to say that YUSU does not comment on individual welfare cases.