![NEW-LANGWITH4[1]](https://www.yorkvision.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/NEW-LANGWITH41.jpg)
The number of official complaints from disgruntled Langwith students to the accommodation office has now reached 364, and is still growing.
With two weeks of rent demanded as compensation to all those who have complained, the requests would amount to a cost of close to £100,000.
The campaign for compensation for students, headed by Campaigns Officers Symone Thompson and Tim Monk as well as Chair Sam Maguire, has also demanded “an apology for all our students who have been affected by the problems. This is both a reasonable and deserved outcome.”
The complaints forms state “inadequate heating” as a main complaint. Heating issues have been reported by Vision since November. Other complaints include reports of water leaks in the brand new accommodation and dissatisfaction with the lack of facilities, such as a shop on their isolated part of campus.
Students making complaints have been told in a mass email from the accommodation office: “Due to the number of complaints we have received regarding the same issues of heating and the delay in having a cash point installed at Heslington East, your complaint will be referred directly to the compensation panel for a decision on whether any compensation should be paid.”
They were also told that this process “may take some time.” Langwith Chair Sam Maguire is determined but realistic about how long it may be for students to get a response, telling Vision: “As long as the compensation decision is made before the end of the academic year then we will be ok with that.”
Langwith first-year Andy Lister told Vision: “I think our JCRC have been very good in helping make all the complaints heard [with the distribution of forms and launching of the campaign]and that the college responded possibly a bit slower than some of us would have liked.”
However, Maguire was pleased with the response that his college had received from YUSU.
“YUSU have backed the campaign from the beginning providing both guidance and support for the campaign.
“We thank them for this support and it is great to see the Union doing all they can for our students.”
Bob Hughes, Welfare Officer, stated his support for the campaign early on: “We will be following this up with the University to ensure that students get what they are paying for, and we will support Langwith JCRC in fighting for their members.”
Forms are still being distributed throughout Langwith en masse, with Maguire claiming: “We will ensure anyone who was affected gets a complaint form filled in and money back.”