5. Under 18’s policy for resident students
The under 18’s policy covers students applying for University campus accommodation, whose 18th birthday falls after the first day of the Tenancy Agreement of the year of entry to the University. The policy will cease to apply to students once they reach their 18th birthday.
Students under the age of 18 are unable to enter into a Tenancy Agreement with Brunel University and the University requires a parent or responsible person over the age of 18 to act as guarantor and sign the Tenancy Agreement. This means that the guarantor must pay any sums agreed under the Tenancy Agreement if the student fails to do so.
The University cannot assume parental responsibility for a student under the age of 18. Students and their families should bear in mind that Brunel University is an adult environment. Students are expected to behave like adults and to assume adult levels of responsibility. Students are expected to have the necessary skills to study and live independently alongside people from a wide variety of backgrounds. Places in halls are offered at Brunel on the understanding that the student will be able to adapt to living away from home and to looking after him or herself in all practical matters.
Arrangements during the Academic year
Our responsibility to under 18 year old students:
5.1 Accommodation and Residential Services will:
5.1.1 Allocate those students who apply and accept their course offer and have applied for accommodation before 1 September 2012 into University campus accommodation. After 1 September 2012 we will use our best endeavours to offer University campus accommodation subject to availability.
5.1.2 Under 18’s details will be highlighted to the Residence Management teams and under 18’s should contact them during office hours if necessary.
5.1.3 Integrate students who are under 18 years of age with those who are over 18.
5.1.4 Carry out Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) checks on Residences Management Staff, Supervisors, Senior Student Mentors and Security staff employed by the University.
5.1.5 Provide relevant training for Resident Staff employed by the University and staff with regular access to bedrooms.
5.1.6 Promptly inform the person named as guarantor if we become aware that the student:
a. Is in rent arrears of one term or more;
b. Is in serious breach of the Residences Regulations Terms and Conditions invoking Disciplinary Regulations.
5.1.7 Ensure that students under 18 are aware of whom to contact in case of difficulties.
5.1.8 In all cases we will try to encourage students to involve a parent/guarantor where appropriate but will take a student’s request for confidentiality and the student’s welfare as paramount, even if this means not telling their parent/guarantor at the student’s request.
5.1.9 Send documentation, including a Tenancy Agreement and Regulations Booklet, to the student and guarantor that is required to be accepted/signed and returned to the Accommodation Office by the guarantor before the student can take up residence.
5.1.10 Provide the student and guarantor with full details of how to secure a room on campus including what deadlines they are required to meet.
5.2 Accommodation and Residential Services will NOT:
5.2.1 Carry out CRB checks or provide training for University Contractors (attending to repairs within the residences). All contractors will however, carry identification and will carry out repairs/works between 9.00 am and 5.00 pm except in an emergency situation.
5.2.2 Act in Loco Parentis.
5.2.3 Carry out any checks, other than those mentioned above on under 18’s living in University managed accommodation.
5.2.4 Monitor how the student spends their leisure time or manages their finances.
5.2.5 Apply this policy to under 18’s housed in the private sector.
5.3 Students’ responsibility to Accommodation and Residential Services
Students will:
5.3.1 Provide the name and address of a parent or guarantor who will be the University’s point of contact for notification under points 5.1.6, 5.1.9 and 5.3.2.
5.3.2 Provide the name of a guarantor in the UK where the student is from overseas.
5.3.3 Be required to enter into a new Tenancy Agreement with the University on their 18th Birthday.
5.3.4 Abide by the Tenancy Agreement terms and conditions from the point of accepting a campus room allocation.
