The Student Voice

Growing numbers of students are experiencing hidden homelessness or accepting poor accommodation

The students left at residential colleges have nowhere else to go, but worry their home-away-from home will be shut down

One student, who spoke on condition of anonymity but whose identify has been verified, said first-year students went into the halls with an expectation they would be part of a community that looked out for them.

Instead, students in her own Campus Living-run hall only saw their residential assistant (RA) about once a week while passing in the hallways or in the dining room.

The main form of communication with staff was through a Facebook page, with most posts to do with maintenance issues.

"We have no idea who is running this place, there is an overwhelming lack of presence from adult staff in this hall," the student said.

"If a student was in crisis, the hall of residence would have no idea ... we could disappear for weeks and it would go unnoticed by staff here."

She said it was "shocking" to learn the student's death went unnoticed for so long, "but when thinking about what procedures CLV has put in place to make sure their residents are all right, I can see how it was able to happen".

With the summer holidays almost behind us and the university year around the corner, students are pounding the pavement in search of their next home.