Penny for your thoughts

If you’re living in halls, chances are you’ve walked past the Residences Reception loads of times without giving it much thought. But don’t be fooled, it’s more than just a place with friendly faces behind a desk. The residences reception is your go-to spot for loads of day-to-day support. So ponder for a second these scenarios/queries to see if the reception might be able to help:

“I’ve locked myself out... again.”

Don’t panic, just head to reception.

It happens to the best of us, but you do need to be careful and make sure you take your keys with you when leaving your room and that you lock the door. If you get locked out of your room or flat, reception staff can help, but it's likely there will be a minimum one hour wait and there could be a charge. You might want to check if a flatmate is around first to see if they can let you back in.

“Something’s broken in my room, what do I do?”

Report it through reception or the online system.

Whether it’s a flickering light, a leaky tap or the heating’s gone rogue, reception can help you log a maintenance request or give you advice on what to do next. For urgent issues, like no water or electricity, pop in and they’ll prioritise getting it fixed quickly.

“Can someone help me move in/out?”

Ask in advance, reception can offer some advice to support you.

Whether it’s borrowing a trolley or knowing where you can park for a bit while you load the car, reception can help you make moving in or out a lot less stressful. Don’t leave it until the last minute, pop in and ask what’s available.

“I’ve got a question, but don’t know who to ask.”

Start with reception, they’ll know or will be able to point you in the right direction.

Timetables, laundry problems, noise complaints, fire alarms, directions to other buildings - you name it. If they can’t sort it directly, they’ll point you to the person or team who can. It’s like having your own local info point.

In a nutshell?

The Residences Reception is there to make your life easier. Whether it’s practical stuff, lost keys or a bit of help when something’s gone wrong, they’re your first port of call.

So next time you’re stuck, wondering what to do, just swing by and ask. That’s what they’re there for.