Hi Rob,

When I was at Uni, the rooms for disabled students were within the standard accomodation with disabled students having an en suite whereas non-disabled students had to use shared bathroom facilities.  The University offered en suite rooms to disabled students at the same rate as a standard room but to non-disabled people at a higher rate if they were not needed by a disabled student.  However, this may not answer your question as the difference in cost for a disabled or non-disabled person in en suite accomodation only varied by £5 a week (on a rent of £55 in the academic year 1999/2000) this may be different to your case as the room itself was of an almost identical size except for the en suite?

Hope this helps,

Anna Charles - Jones

 

Anna Charles - Jones
Project Assistant
Centre for the Promotion of Social Inclusion
Manchester Metropolitan University
Tel: 0161 247 3041

>>> [log in to unmask] 06/09/03 06:10:20 >>>
Hi all,

A question for you guys, with which I could do with some
advice/guidance.

I'm a totally blind student starting at Bristol Uni in September. (oh
it's September now)!.  I've got a flat, owned by the university that
has a garden, and is bigger than normal student accommodation, because
I have a guide dog.

The problem is, to put it bluntly, that I can't afford the rent, but I
need the flat.  The rent is £105 per week, plus bills.  The cost of a
normal room in university accommodation would be about £45 including
bills.

I'm not in a position to fund the extra costs of this lat from my DSA,
because I could only fund it from the general allowance, which I've
used for other things.  The equipment allowance is also over-spent,
and the non-medical allowance is near it's maximum.

My point to the university is that a reasonable adjustment to enable
me to study is that they give me the flat for the same price as a
normal room on campus, I.E. that they subsidise the flat by £60 per
week.  I'm prepared to foot the bill for the bills, as a compromise.

Does anyone know of any case law that would support this argument, any
other universities that have made this sort of adjustment for disabled
students, or any specific part of the SENDA/DDA codes of practice that
I could quote on this one?

It's fair to say I think, that the university are generally
sympathetic to the problem, but they need a hook to hang the thing on.

Thanks for any help, because I have to take a 50 week let, the amount
involved is about £3000 per annum, so it's significant.

Rob
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