Self-Catering Accommodation

The Self-Catering Accommodation provides students with a less formal arrangement than the Halls. You prepare your own meals or make use of the wide range of restaurants and snack bars available on the University Site and/or the restaurant at the Ratcliffe Residences. There is no lack of social life since the blocks and houses are arranged into groups and each group elects a JCR President (as in the Halls) to maintain links with the Self-Catering Accommodation Management and the Sub-Wardens. There is a Junior Common Room and Bar at the Ratcliffe Residences and smaller common rooms at Mary Gee, Freemen's Common and Putney Road Houses. The more relaxed atmosphere of the Self-Catering Accommodation is generally favoured by returning and postgraduate students.

There is a variety of accommodation available, ranging from the purpose-built blocks at Clare, Elms Road, Freemen's Common, Mary Gee and the new development at Putney Road, to the converted houses in Salisbury Road, Regent Road, Knighton Drive and Elms Road. As in the Halls a broad range of cultures and nationalities are represented.

Students have their own single study-bedrooms. In the modern purpose-built blocks these are grouped in units of ten, each with a shared kitchen, bathroom and utility room. The kitchens contain basic equipment - cooker, refrigerator, kettle, iron, ironing board, lockers and some saucepans. In the converted houses, the study-bedrooms vary in size. All rooms in University accommodation are furnished in the a similar way (see Halls Furniture and Equipment). However, in the Self-Catering Residences we do NOT provide: Desk lamps; sheets and pillowcases. You will need to provide for your personal use cutlery, crockery and cooking utensils.

In each of the residences the accommodation is divided into part male-only, part female-only and some blocks are mixed. Each house has students who will be studying a variety of courses and will be in different years. Students are responsible for cleaning their own rooms and kitchenware but communal areas are maintained by a regular cleaner. Launderettes with coin-operated washing machines and dryers are available at each site.

As in the Halls there are small number of Sub-Wardens living on each of the Sites who are responsible for the pastoral care of the students. Sub-Wardens work under the direction of the Director of Residential and Conference Services with the support of a part-time Welfare Officer and the guidance of the University Welfare Office.

All sites are within easy reach of the main University site with access to public transport. All sites, except Salisbury Houses, have a limited number of car parking spaces.

Fees and Terms of Contract:

Clare Houses (Blocks A and B)
Single Room (weekly) £37.03

Clare Houses (not A and B), Elms Road and mary Gee Houses
Single Room (weekly) £39.27
Double Room (weekly) £33.67

Freemen's Common and Salisbury House (including John Frears House) per room
Single Room (weekly) £41.44
Double Room (weekly) £61.04
Double Room with annex (weekly)£65.94
Flatlet (weekly)£71.82

Putney Road Houses
Single Room (weekly)£46.13
Single with en-suite (weekly)£52.85

Goscote House (until 31.3.2000)
Bedsit (weekly) £55.72
Single Room (weekly) £40.32
One Bedroom Flat (weekly) £62.65
Large Corner Flat (weekly) £73.22

Residence Period

Autumn (16 weeks)
Spring (15 weeks)
Summer ( 8 weeks)

NB - On the first term's invoice two additional fees will be included, these are the sick bay and social activity charges

Students should note that they are admitted for the whole academic session. First year and new students may transfer to other University accommodation on payment of an administrative charge. Details are available from the Accommodation Office. Withdrawal during the session will incur payment for the remainder of the session.

RATCLIFFE RESIDENCES

CLARE HOUSES, 26 Elms Road, Leicester, LE2 3JB

Clare Houses are situated on Elms Road between the Mary Gee Site on Ratcliffe Road and the Elms Road Site. Clare was originally built as a Hall of Residence in 1966 but in 1983 was converted and became part of the Self-Catering Accommodation System. Clare provides accommodation for 113 students in single rooms. There are two purpose-built blocks (A and B) which are built on three floors with kitchen, bathroom and shower facilities on each floor. In addition to the Blocks there are two older converted houses. Launderette facilities for the Site are available in Block B. Also located on this central site are the Common Room and Bar facilities for the Ratcliffe Residences and a restaurant where meals may be purchased.

Students living at Clare Houses enjoy the additional benefits of a catered package. They are required to purchase a SNAPcard which allows them to obtain meals on both the main University site and in the Ratcliffe Restaurant. The cost of the SNAPcard will be included in your termly accommodation invoice and for 1996/97 is as follows: Autumn Term - £170; Spring Term - £130 and Summer Term - £110. Clare Houses are ideal for students wanting some aspects of traditional Hall of Residence life with a more flexible meal package.

ELMS ROAD HOUSES, 36 Elms Road, Leicester, LE2 3JY

Elms Road Houses were built in 1973, the majority of rooms are in a purpose-built residence situated at 36 Elms Road and provides accommodation for 200 students in single study bedrooms. Each House consists of 10 single rooms, a kitchen/dining room, a utility/washroom plus bathroom, shower, lavatory and store. In addition, there are two older converted houses at 32 and 34 Elms Road, which have a further 28 study bedrooms. Four coin box telephones and a launderette are available on the site.

MARY GEE HOUSES, 101/107 Ratcliffe Road, Leicester, LE2 3TE.

Phase I of Mary Gee was opened in 1971 and Phase II in 1972. The Site comprises 36 purpose-built houses. As at Elms Road, each house has ten single study bedrooms sharing kitchen, bathroom and shower facilities. In the mid 1980s additional properties were added creating 39 places specifically for postgraduates. These are in older converted houses at 7 Elms Road and 50/52 Knighton Drive. To complete the Site there is one other older property at 34 Knighton Drive which accommodates 11 students. The Site has six telephone call boxes, a launderette and a small common room.

Some houses at Mary Gee are also reserved for students requiring the catering package available at Clare Houses.

FREEMEN'S COMMON HOUSES, 152/167 Welford Road, Leicester, LE2 6BF.

These 36 purpose-built blocks of houses at Welford Road are approximately a quarter of a mile from the University Main Site. They provide accommodation for 360 students in single rooms. Phase I of the Freemen's Common Houses was open in 1974 and Phase II in 1976. On this site there are nine telephone call boxes, a launderette and a small common room which was added to the Site during the 1990/91 Session.

PUTNEY ROAD HOUSES, 33 Putney Road, Leicester, LE2 7TG.

The Putney Road development is the most recent of all the University's accommodation. It is situated adjacent to the Freemen's Common Site about a quarter of a mile from the main site. All rooms at Putney Road Houses have a washbasin and are well furnished. Some rooms are suitable for students with disabilities. Communal facilities are equipped more generously than standard accommodation. Lifts serve all floors and adequate car parking is available. Study bedrooms are arranged in flats for 5, 6 and 10 students. There are 2 laundrettes and a large common room on this site.

Blocks A and B opened in November 1993 and accommodates 264 students in single study bedrooms. Each block has six storeys and each floor comprises one five-roomed and two six-roomed flats. A link flat of ten rooms runs between the two blocks. The accommodation in these two blocks is let on a 51-week basis only
(for 1996/97 - 22 September 1996 to 13 September 1997) and are designated 'quiet blocks'. It is the most appropriate accommodation for students intending to be resident in Leicester for the whole year. Some places are allocated exclusively to postgraduates.

Phase II of the Site, Blocks C, D and E, was opened in 1994 and provides 443 single student rooms and two staff flats. Block C has eight storeys and on each floor is a five-roomed flat of en-suite rooms in addition to flats of standard rooms. Blocks D and E are similar to the Phase I Blocks of A and B. Like the majority of accommodation in the Self-Catering Sector, these rooms are let on a 38 week basis.

SALISBURY HOUSES (Various addresses on Salisbury Road and Regent Road)

The Salisbury Houses consists of six older converted houses in Salisbury Road and Regent Road about half a mile from the main University site. They provide accommodation for approximately 120 students. Each House has between 10-25 single study bedrooms, which may vary in size, with shared kitchen and bathroom facilities. There is a launderette at the back of 14 Salisbury Road and a telephone call-box in every property.

In addition to the houses on Salisbury and Regent Road there is John Frears House. This property is just off London Road on St. James Road and provides 23 places, 16 of which are in double rooms. These doubles are usually allocated to married international students. In addition, four of the 16 rooms have annexes which are suitable for one child up to 4 years of age.

GOSCOTE HOUSE, Sparkenhoe Street, Leicester, LE2 0TL

For several years the University has leased some self-contained flats in a Leicester City Council tower block - Goscote House - which is close to the University in an inner city location not far from the railway station. There are 21 floors with various types of self-contained accommodation - bed-sits, one bedroom flats, larger corner flats and flats with four bedrooms that can be shared by individuals. All flats have basic furniture, a bathroom with bath, washbasin and toilet and a kitchen equipped with cooker and refrigerator. All floors are served by lifts and each flat has an intercom. There is a free launderette, a call-box telephone on the ground floor and a newly opened common room for University of Leicester residents only. The Security Office is open 24 hours a day.

These flats are available on a 52 week basis. Students are strongly recommended to view the accommodation at Goscote House before accepting an offer of a flat.

Administration

Accommodation Services