Clearing latecomers living in West End luxury

Pampered freshers are living it up in luxury en-suite rooms – even though they got in through clearing.

First years who chose Glasgow just weeks ago are living in plush £130-a-week pads at Hydnland House, in the West End, a much better location than ones who put the uni down as their first choice.

And the newbies are delighted with the “unbelievable” location – a far cry from last year, when hundreds of freshers were dumped in unfurnished, overpriced halls in the city centre.

The plush Hyndland Hall, in the West End

By taking on an extra 360 rooms prior to results day, the uni has only needed to rent a further 90 rooms at Hyndland House after the clearing process.

Medical student Lara Kelly told The Tab she loves living in Hyndland House. She said: “Hyndland is great, and the location is unbelievable.

Fresher medic Lara Kelly is loving life at Hyndland hall

“I originally wanted Murano, but now I’m so pleased I’m not that far away. The rooms are so nice, with a big bed and great kitchens.”

But some argue it isn’t fair students who apply first are now getting worse halls than those who get in through clearing, even if it is £25 cheaper for them.

Andy, a History and Politics student, also sang Hyndland’s praises. He said: “It’s extremely conveniently located, very close to the subway, shops, uni and student unions.”

The numbers are a lot lower for overflow accommodation this time around, with 90 rooms in total this year compared to 150 people in just one type of halls in 2014.

But on the freshers Facebook pages for the accommodation, it’s clear that compared to the standard uni halls these rooms are much more expensive.

Last years freshers were put up in luxury accommodation, both in the West End and in the city centre. But they paid more for their accommodation than their peers, despite having no choice about where to live.

Eleanor had no choice but to live in a hostel.

Eleanor missed her original offer for accommodation, and was instead placed at Central House on Jamaica Street which cost £128 per week.

But neither this accommodation nor the St Andrews Court one in Merchant City were ready. Eleanor, now a second year, was left to find her own housing for a month and a half of her initial uni life.

Eleanor said: “I was originally told it’d be two weeks but it kept getting pushed back and it was still being built when we moved in.”

And she, along with other students, still had to pay accommodation fees in full, as well as transport to the uni – £50 a month for a subway pass.

The Zoology student goes on to say Glasgow “paid for the last two weeks in a hostel“, but her parents had to pay for the months stay in a hotel.

St Andrews Court in Merchant City housed approximately 150 students, with some having to sleep in bunk beds for the whole year. Rooms were priced at £128 a week for a single, and £97 a week for a double plus the £50 a month subway fee.

Gida, a student from Hungary, was put into a shared room only meant for one person. He missed his original offer and so was put into St Andrews Court where, he had to sleep in bunk beds.

He said: “I had to sleep in bunk beds which I didn’t really like as I am a tall human being and the beds were too short”.

The scene of the bunk bed crime.

“The personal space was also terrible, our room was smaller than my room now and it was a kitchen and bathroom in it as well. I don’t wish that year to anyone.”

The Economics student added: “It was expensive for me as the accommodation for students in Hungary is all about making it cheap for students. Now I am paying less for a bigger room in our own flat.”

He originally wanted the notoriously relaxed Murano halls, but was made to live in the city centre, miles away from the University.