More students complain of missing items on return to their university halls

Earlier in the year, Cardiff University was criticised for discarding possessions that belonged to students staying within the university’s Talybont Halls. Many students had to leave their halls immediately due to the ongoing pandemic, temporarily leaving their possessions behind. Students, upon return to their residences, found items missing, with some even locating their things in the bins outside.

Cardiff University quickly put a stop to this process, and issued an apology to those who have had possessions lost. However, a student who returned to Colum Hall – her university residence – only last week discovered that she was missing lots of her things, including food, mugs, and bowls. She described some of these possessions as “sentimental”, and added that she is “absolutely fuming”.

The University previously apologised.

After she contacted the university to complain, they responded by saying that the flat “was cleaned before we decided to put a stop on cleaning kitchens.”

The email says that they “were still disposing of dirty items and removing food items for the food bank.” However, the student told The Cardiff Tab: “I cleaned everything and put it all away in my own area so nothing would go missing.”

The university, in response to her claim that she left everything clean, said that “someone from your flat could have used them before they departed”. They added, “in a rush a flat mate could also have picked up your items by mistake.”

The student told The Cardiff Tab that she “actually can’t believe it.”

Staff also entered the student’s room in order to deliver her post, despite the university stating that they would not be going into rooms where possessions had been left behind. The email states that this was decided in an effort to prevent students from having “unnecessary contact with others to collect post.”

A previous email from Residences, stating that they would not be entering bedrooms

The email that the student received concludes by saying that they are “sorry for the inconvenience this has caused”, and directs the student to an inventory form that she can fill out.

Another student staying within the flat claimed that they also had belongings missing when they returned to pick them up. They told The Cardiff Tab: “the main ones that I’m really concerned about were the rice cooker and george foreman grill.”

They added: “I made sure that I cleaned my rice cooker and grill before going back home. I didn’t put them away but they were turned off and still on the kitchen top as I last recall.”

The student said that they were “disappointed at the university/residences for the way they’ve handled this.”

The university have also pointed this student towards an inventory form.

A Cardiff University spokesperson said: “Any student with concerns about either their accommodation or belongings should contact their residences team in the first instance. Processes are in place to deal with any issues and suspected cases of missing items.”

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• ‘We trusted them’: Cardiff students’ belongings thrown out by staff in halls

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• Third year finished faster than we thought, here’s what you’ll miss the most about Cardiff Uni