Terms and Conditions

Bath Spa University Student Housing Application System

Eligibility for accommodation

Students are eligible, and can therefore apply for accommodation if they:

  • are a first year full-time applicant with Bath Spa University as their firm choice,

 and

  • live more than 30 miles from the University,

and

  • will be studying at Newton Park campus, Sion Hill campus, The Circus, Dartmouth Avenue or at City of Bath College (studying a Bath Spa Foundation Degree).

A student, who has stayed in University managed accommodation (Newton Park Halls, Bankside Halls, Waterside Court, Charlton Court or Independent Housing) during their Foundation year, will not be eligible for accommodation as a first year undergraduate.

A student, who has intercalated (taken a break from study) during their first year, would not be eligible to apply for University managed accommodation on their return to University. For further information please contact accommodation@bathspa.ac.uk

Bath Spa University insurance choice students, will not be eligible to apply for accommodation in the first instance. Students who take up their place at Bath Spa University should contact Student Housing Services accommodation@bathspa.ac.uk after they have received examination results, for information on housing options.

Application form submission

Any student who has a disability or medical need must declare this at the time of application, if they wish to be considered for priority status. Students will be required to provide medical evidence to the University.

When a student selects their accommodation preferences, they are making a commitment to take up an offer of accommodation for any of these accommodation choices. Students should not select an accommodation option, for which they are not prepared to accept an offer.

Once an application form has been submitted, students will not be permitted to make any amendments to accommodation preferences. In the event that more than one application form is received, only the first application form received by the Student Housing Team will be used in the allocation process.

It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that their contact information is correct at the time of application and to inform Student Housing Services of any change to contact details or circumstances between application submission and arrival at the University. Students must also update UCAS Track with any change in circumstances.

Allocation policy

After the deadline for housing applications, those holding priority status are allocated rooms first.  Priority status is given to the following:

  • Applicant with disabilities or medical priority (who have provided medical / supporting information to the University and been approved)

  • Full-time International (non-EU) applicants

All other applications will be randomised.  The University will start allocations from the top of the list and will allocate an applicant their highest ranked accommodation preference wherever possible. Please note that rooms are not allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Every effort is made to offer applicants their first choice of accommodation, although this is not always possible due to high demand for rooms. As a result some applicants will be offered their second or third choice or, in some cases, accommodation for which they did not state a preference.

All eligible students are likely to secure a place in University managed accommodation, or reserved Independent Housing, but this cannot be guaranteed. In the event that the University has insufficient bed spaces in 2013 to meet applicant demand, the small number of applicants who cannot be offered university-managed accommodation or reserved Independent Housing will be given every assistance by the University to find accommodation in the private sector.

Offers of accommodation

All students that have submitted an application by the application deadline will receive an offer of accommodation from Student Housing before the end of July. The offer will be emailed and will contain information about the type of accommodation they have been allocated.

All accommodation offers will be accompanied by the terms and conditions of living in the allocated accommodation.

Acceptance of accommodation offer

All students will be required to accept an offer of accommodation by email. The type of accommodation allocated, will determine what additional actions students need to take to accept the accommodation offer.

Charlton & Waterside Court (Unite)

Bath Spa University will email a student to inform them if they have been offered a room in a Unite building. All further correspondence to the student will then come directly from Unite.


Students need to complete and return a booking form by email to Unite by Friday 26th July. Students will be required to provide details of a Guarantor on the booking form. If the booking form is not received by Unite by this date, the accommodation offer will be withdrawn by Bath Spa University.

On receipt of the completed booking form, Unite will take a £250 deposit payment using the payment details provided. An Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement will then be generated and sent to the student. Students and guarantors should ensure they fully understand the legal commitment they are making, before signing and returning the tenancy agreement to Unite. Unite staff will be able to answer questions regarding the Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement by email bath@unite-group.co.uk

The tenancy agreement for Waterside Court period will begin on Saturday 21st September for a continuous duration of 40 weeks, ending on the 27th June 2014

The tenancy agreement for Charlton Court period will begin on Sunday 22nd September for a continuous duration of 48 weeks, ending on the 23rd August 2014.

Newton Park & Bankside House halls of residence

Bath Spa University will email a student to inform them if they have been offered a room in Newton Park or Bankside House. A blank copy of a Licence Agreement will be attached to the offer email for information only. A room specific Licence Agreement is produced and signed by the student upon collection of keys on moving in day.

To accept an offer of a room in Newton Park or Bankside, students will be required to
pay a £250 room deposit online. Payment of the deposit is taken as a student’s acceptance of the accommodation offer and the terms and conditions of living in accommodation.

If a deposit payment has not been received by Student Housing by Friday 26th July, the offer of accommodation offer will be withdrawn.

A student, who is not able to pay the deposit at this point, can declare extenuating circumstances if one or more of the following are relevant;

  1. Is an Independent Student from Foster Care or Foyer Housing

  2. Is an Independent Student who does not have a bank account

  3. Is a student who has parents or carers that are not in employment


Students should email income@bathspa.ac.uk, with details of extenuating circumstances. The Finance Team will determine if circumstances are to be considered extenuating and will email a response to the student and Student Housing Services within 2 working days.

Students who are deemed to have extenuating circumstances will have their deposit payment deferred until the first instalment of student loan is received. Students will be required to pay their deposit from the first instalment of their student loan.

The Licence Agreement is a legally binding document, students should ensure they fully understand the legal commitment they are making, before accepting an offer of accommodation. Student Housing Services can answer questions about the Licence Agreement by email accommodation@bathspa.ac.uk

The Licence Period will begin on 21st September 2013 for a continuous duration of 45 weeks, ending at midday on the 3rd August 2014.

Independent Housing

Bath Spa University will email a student to inform them if they have been offered a room in Independent Housing. To accept an offer of a room in Independent Housing students are required to email Student Housing Services and follow the instructions provided in the offer email. If acceptance is not received by Student Housing by Friday 26th July, the offer of accommodation offer will be withdrawn.

Students who accept an accommodation offer for a room in Independent Housing are not immediately entering into a contract with the Property Agent. Bath Spa University will instead reserve a place for a student in one of the secured Independent Houses.  

When the Student’s University offer becomes unconditional (in many cases this will be after exam results are confirmed in August) the University will send a student a copy of the Property Agent’s Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement, an application form and a guarantor form which they must complete and return to the agency prior to a viewing date. Student Housing will email students guiding them through the process of house group confirmation and house viewing. Student Housing Services can answer questions about the Tenancy Agreement by email accommodation@bathspa.ac.uk.

Students will be required to pay their deposit, first instalment of rent and agency fee at the time of signing the tenancy agreement with their house group. This is a legally binding contract and, if the student or their guarantor is unsure about anything detailed in the contract they should contact Student Housing Services accommodation@bathspa.ac.uk before the signing date.

The tenancy agreement for Independent Housing will begin on 2nd September 2013 for a continuous duration of 48 weeks until 31st July 2014.

Rejection of accommodation offer

To reject an offer of accommodation a student should email accommodation@bathspa.ac.uk with their reasons for rejection. Any student rejecting an offer of accommodation will be placed on a waiting list. Student Housing Services may be able to make one further offer of accommodation, but only after offers have been made to all eligible students. In years of exceptional demand this may mean that a further offer is not possible.