You will need to complete the Maintenance Request Form with a full description of the fault. This form is accessible via myUCA or online via the link above. Hardcopies are available from the Accommodation Office. Out of hours you can report urgent maintenance faults to the on-duty Security Officer. Non urgent maintenance issues which occur out of hours should be reported online via the above link.

As soon as possible after receiving a fault report a member of staff will visit your accommodation to investigate the problem. To rectify the fault, access to your accommodation will be required. You don’t need to wait in, however if you wish to be present whilst the repair is being carried out, you will need to request this when you report the fault. The response time for fixing the fault will depend on the fault itself, but broadly speaking, there are three categories:

• Emergency (to be rectified within 24 hours of receipt of the fault)
• Urgent (to be rectified within 5 working days of receipt of the fault)
• Non-urgent/Routine (to be rectified within 28 days of receipt of the fault).

If after a few days the fault has not been rectified or you aren’t satisfied with the response and are still experiencing a problem, please report it to the Accommodation Office immediately. Please remember that we can’t fix it if we don’t know it’s broken. Please don’t assume someone else has reported it!

If the fault constitutes an out-of-hours emergency, for example, complete loss of water/power to the whole flat and there is no-one available to report this to:

• Canterbury/Epsom: Contact Security
• Farnham: Press the red ‘emergency’ button (located by the door of the Porters Lodge). This won’t make a sound but will activate a pager that duty staff carry. Wait there until someone arrives to assist. Only use this button in an emergency.

The control of master keys is strictly monitored. They are issued to certain staff employed by the University and our regular contractors who need access to the accommodation to carry out maintenance, cleaning, or other essential work.

When work is undertaken in your bedroom, your bedroom door will be locked even if it wasn’t locked when access was gained. The following male and female staff have regular or occasional access to your accommodation:

Regular basis:

• Cleaning contractors – once a week on published days to clean the communal areas of your accommodation (information on notice board in your kitchen)
• Wardens – once a week to carry out health and safety checks (usually the night before your kitchen is due to be cleaned)
• Sanitary waste disposal contractors replace the sanitary bins
• Facilities Assistants
• Security Officers
• Maintenance Contractors – to rectify reported faults and to carry out routine checks
• Accommodation staff – as required.

Occasional basis:

• Other University staff
• Other contractors – access arrangements will normally be made through the Accommodation Office and, where possible, will be notified in advance. They all have ID and will ring the doorbell or knock on the door before entering.

The University reserves the right to enter accommodation areas – INCLUDING BEDROOMS – for the purpose of effecting necessary repairs requested by the occupant, where the issue affects other occupants, for health and safety or fire safety reasons or in the event of an emergency. Inspections to check the general condition of rooms will take place at regular intervals.

Prior notice will be given to occupants before the commencement of major repairs. In an emergency immediate access may be required to your accommodation. Under these circumstances you should be aware that the staff dealing with the emergency, usually Facilities Assistants or Security, won’t necessarily wait for you to answer your door. Except in the case of emergencies, access won’t be given before 9am or after 5pm on weekdays.

If you are at all concerned with anyone in your accommodation, please ask to see their ID and enquire as to the purpose of their visit. If you continue to have concerns, please contact a member of staff.

You have a responsibility to ensure the accommodation is kept clean and tidy at all times and is a safe environment for staff and contractors to carry out their work (eg. no trailing cables).

Pest infestations must be reported immediately and will be treated in the same manner as a maintenance issue. You can expect a response in 24 hours of reporting.

With regards to loss of power/damage to accommodation or other emergencies that might affect business continuity in all owned and leased accommodation, the Accommodation team will work alongside Estates and Facilities and the Landlords to minimise disruption. This might include the use of generators or battery back-up systems.