Facilities

Self-Catering Accommodation

All our accommodation for single students consists of cluster flats or bedsits where students self-cater. Tenants have to provide their own cooking utensils, bedding and items with which they might want to personalise their rooms. Unipol provides a washer/drier, a fridge/freezer, a vacuum cleaner and ironing board (not iron).

All rooms have a bed, mattress, work surface or desk and clothes storage; some rooms have much more.

Energy

All newer properties have substantial insulation to reduce heating costs. In smaller houses the roof spaces are all insulated. Unipol uses low-energy lighting for many communal areas and corridors, kitchens and shower areas. Wherever possible, central heating is installed using energy efficient combi central heating boilers. In newer properties, all windows are double-glazed or secondary-glazed and in older properties Unipol is undertaking a project to replace most windows with double-glazing.

Wherever possible, service supplies are locally metered to help students conserve energy, and tenants are responsible for paying bills directly to the providers.

In larger developments, Unipol administer an 'energy supplement' system where energy is paid directly at the same time as the rent. Usage is monitored throughout the tenancy allowing tenants to be responsible with consumption but have the convenience of it being administered on their behalf.  

Telephones

Some of the newer rooms have individual phone sockets and tenants can have a phone or broadband connection at their own cost. Few tenants at present install a phone in their room, so occupants may find they are being charged a full installation fee rather than a reconnection fee. There is a phone socket installed in all communal kitchens in all Unipol houses and flats and almost all of these will have been connected very recently, so tenants will only have to pay a reconnection charge.

In any new development, Unipol will meet 50% of the cost of installing a telephone in a communal location.

Insurance

Unipol include Personal Possessions Insurance within the rent for all student houses and flats (families tenants are excluded). Tenant's where insurance is included will be given specific information about the policy in addition to an opportunity to tailor the cover to suit their requirements through optional "top ups". Unipol providing insurance in such a "block" arrangement could save each student about £114.00 a year by providing the insurance cover (based on £3,000 cover in LS2 from a specialist student insurance company).

For further information about which properties are covered, please contact Unipol. Unfortunately managed properties, self contained flats, bedsits and family housing are not currently covered by Personal Possessions insurance.