‘I’m terrified where I’ll end up’: Lincoln students on being forced out of their halls

‘It’s a really big mess honestly’


Around 500 students at the University of Lincoln are being made to leave their accommodation at The Gateway after a number of recommendations to improve fire safety were highlighted during an assessment.

An email from the university sent to students currently occupying the building said “the work would create substantial disruption to tenants if carried out while the building is occupied” and that “the university will provide full support to tenants to find and move into new student accommodation.”

Whilst the university has told tenants that they will be receiving a one-off payment of £500 to recognise the inconvenience, for a lot of people that does not make the situation any better. The Tab Lincoln spoke to two students who have been disrupted.

‘We should never have been allowed to move in to begin with’

Yara is a second year studying musical theatre who has now moved out of The Gateway. She said: “We got an email at about 10:30am yesterday out of the blue telling us we were having to leave the building,” she continued, “many people in Gateway live in studio apartments so being told we would be moved and not knowing where was a scary thought.”

“I was lucky enough that my parents were ready to get on top of it and found me alternative accommodation that I can move into – but I know a lot of other students have been left in limbo. I’ve heard that students who pay monthly won’t be getting their first month’s rent back despite the fact they were moved into an unsafe building. It’s a really big mess honestly.”

‘I don’t know what’s happening or where I’m going’

The Tab also spoke to third year journalism and creative writing student Katie. Katie has a disability which means it’s important for her to be close to the university campus and after a bad experience with flatmates last year she wanted a studio to have her own space. She said: “I’m honestly terrified about where I’ll end up now. I already know it won’t be a studio which means I’ll be sharing again and I guess it just brings up a lot of worry from my past experience. I’m in my last year so it was nice not having the added stress of flatmates that didn’t understand my needs but all that is changing now.”

She continued: “It’s nice that we’re all in the same boat but it doesn’t make it any easier on any of us. I’m just hoping they sort it all out soon and give us an update on what’s happening.”

A University of Lincoln spokesperson said: “We completely understand this is an unsettling time for students, please be assured that we are doing all that we can to minimise any inconvenience to them in the present circumstances. Staff from across the university, working with the Accommodation Services team, are relocating students into alternative accommodation.

“We are sending an update to students today confirming that we hope to have made offers to alternative accommodation to all students by tomorrow afternoon. We are working as quickly as we can, fully understanding that students want to get settled into their new accommodation as soon as possible. Please be assured the university and Students’ Union are here to help students and will support them throughout the process.

“We encourage anyone who needs additional wellbeing support to contact the Wellbeing Team by email on [email protected] or by calling 01522886400.”

The Tab Lincoln has contacted Jackson Living for comment.

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