Information for parents

The safety and security of our students is our number one priority. All our schemes have electronic access control to the main doors and extensive CCTV inside and outside the building.

Sophisticated fire alarm systems including heat and smoke detectors are standard, and we carry out regular fire alarm testing and evacuation drills. Each of our schemes have an on site accommodation team, and an out of hours emergency service. Our larger schemes also have overnight security.

You may also like to view our blog on crime prevention.

We offer two main types of accommodation – shared flats or studios:

Shared flats
Within one of our shared flats, students have their own private en suite bedroom and share a kitchen/lounge area with their flat mates. This type of accommodation is great for 1st years as it encourages friendship groups and social interaction. It is also popular with groups of friends who want to book a whole flat together.

All bedrooms have an en suite shower room, ample storage and a dedicated study area with good lighting, plenty of space for books and numerous sockets for all the usual IT and gadgets.

The shared kitchens have plenty of cupboard and drawer space for each student, and are fully equipped with an oven, hob, microwave, fridge and freezer. In addition there is a dedicated eating area, and a lounge area with comfy sofas.

Studios
Studios are ideal for students who prefer a self-contained apartment environment, but want to enjoy the social aspects of living in a larger building. Studios are often popular with 2nd year, 3rd year and postgraduate students who want a bit more privacy.

iQ is a student accommodation specialist and we focus on 3 key principles:

1. Providing modern, well- designed, well-located buildings that are properly maintained and provide a safe and welcoming environment for students.

2. Providing excellent customer service through our on site management teams who provide support, advice and assistance to ensure students settle in quickly and get the most out of their time with us.

3. Providing good value for money through the iQ all inclusive rent guarantee.

Universities undertake the main role in respect of pastoral care, however all of our staff are trained to provide an initial level of unobtrusive care and support.

All of our accommodation teams have good relationships with university pastoral care and welfare support services and will refer students who need additional levels of support and assistance.

Our online maintenance portal means that students can log a fault any time of day and night. Unlike many other providers, all our maintenance teams are based full time on site, so we fix the vast majority of issues within 24 hours. For anything we can’t fix ourselves, we use only trusted contractors who go through a vigorous approval process.

Booking online is the easiest way to book and it’s a very simple process. On every page of this website you will see a green “Book now” tab. Clicking on this will take you through to our secure portal where students will be asked to register, complete a booking form and pay a booking fee to secure their booking. This booking fee is non-refundable, even if the student does not proceed with the tenancy. The only exception to this is if a conditional offer of a place at University is withdrawn after non qualifying exam results. Confirmation from the University in question will be required.

However, the booking fee will convert to a deposit at the start of the tenancy.
 
Once the student has completed and chosen their room, they will be required to complete an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement online, a copy of which will be emailed to the student. Once the Guarantor (usually a parent) has received and acknowledged the Guarantor email and provided proof of ID, the booking process is complete.

It is also possible to make a booking over the phone, or call in and see us at your preferred location. A booking fee will still be needed to secure the booking, which can be paid by Debit or Credit card. Alternatively, you can pay it in cash at any Natwest Bank, (please contact us for the details).

All students choosing to pay in installments will need a UK based Guarantor who undertakes to pay the rent should the student be unable to make the required payments.

If you are acting as a Guarantor you will be required to provide proof of ID, sign the Tenancy Agreement emailed to you, or if the booking is at a Scottish iQ, it will be posted to you, and you will be party to the contract. A Guarantor is required to pay if the student defaults in his or her payments.

Using the online booking system to book a room in a shared flat, students are able to see the profile, including age, gender and basic likes and dislikes, of any students who have already booked into the other rooms in the flat . We do have a small number of female only flats in each scheme but will give preference to students who require female only flats on religious grounds.

We discourage room moves in the first few weeks as it often takes time to settle in. If after a reasonable period of time a student is still not happy and wants to move rooms we will try and accommodate their request, subject to availability. There is an administration fee of £50 for room moves.

If your son or daughter has specific requirements, please contact the accommodation manager at your chosen iQ site using the contact us page.

The Tenancy Agreement is an important legal document which, once signed, places obligations on iQ, as the landlord, on the guarantor and on the student as the tenant. iQ issues Assured Shorthold Tenancies and you can view our Tenancy Agreement in our important documents page. Students should read the document carefully and iQ is, of course, happy to answer any questions you or they might have about the document. As with all Tenancy Agreements, the terms are binding and only in exceptional circumstances will iQ permit Tenancy Agreements to be cancelled.

We recommend that if possible, students visit the accommodation before signing the Tenancy Agreement. All of our sites have show suites and open days – please contact us to find out more.

All iQ schemes have a number of rooms suitable for students with disabilities, including rooms that are fully wheelchair accessible. If you would like more information about our facilities for students with disabilities, please contact the relevant site team.

iQ schemes are well equipped with all the basics a student will need but they will need to bring their own bedding, crockery and utensils and a PC or laptop.

Whilst students will need to bring a full set of bedding – sheets/pillows/duvet/towels, we recommend that students who will be in a shared flat do not bring too much kitchen equipment otherwise they will end up with 5 or 6 sets of everything. These items can be purchased locally.

Kettles, toasters, mini fridges etc are not allowed in bedrooms. There is ample space in the shared kitchen and these items in bedrooms pose a fire risk and will activate the heat detectors.

A full ’what to bring’ checklist is available in the important documents section.

Our rents are detailed in each individual location’s page. At iQ, all our rents are fully inclusive of all utilities, contents insurance and broadband. Our rents are stated per week and you can be sure that what you see is what you pay, with no hidden extras. Our buildings are also Council Tax exempt.

Rents are due termly in advance at all sites except iQ Grove & iQ Fountain. We prefer payment by direct debit, but students can also pay by credit or debit card or cash at any Natwest Bank. There is a 2% charge for credit cards to cover the charges levied by the credit card companies.
 
Students who pay the full annual amount in advance get a 3% discount and do not incur the 2% charge for credit cards.