Residence Terms & Conditions

Important note: The terms and conditions set below are for accommodation booked in a self-contained room in a Student Residence and not with a homestay or host family.

For Homestay (individual) booking terms and conditions, please click here.
For Group homestay booking terms and conditions, please click here.
For Guardianship booking terms and conditions, please click here.

Important: When you make you make payment for your booking you are entering into a contract with Home from Home Student Services Ltd. By making a payment you are agreeing to the terms and conditions laid out in this document, therefore it is important you read them carefully. All of the booking terms and conditions are important as they set out our commitments and yours.

Home from Home Student Services Ltd is an education provider who specialises in youth travel, education and accommodation in support of education. We operate under the trading names, “London Homestays”, “UK Student Residences” and “London Study English”. The following terms and conditions relate exclusively to “UK Student Residences”. Within this document all references to “UK Student Residences”, “we”, “us” or “our” relate to Home from Home Student Services Ltd.

“Client”, “Customer”, “guest”, or “you” means a person or persons who request UK Student Residences to act as a facilitator to enable them to obtain accommodation in the UK.

“Accommodation Provider” means the landlord or company who provide the accommodation. This is the person or company who owns or manages the accommodation and the staff, services and facilities related to the accommodation e.g. the onsite security.

“Booking Form” means a client’s request, using any method of communication acceptable to UK Student Residences, to reserve accommodation.

“Invoice” means the form setting out the details of your reservation including the total amount payable to us.

“Confirmation Document” means the receipt for the accommodation that you have paid for, either in full or partially (deposit).

“Residence” or “property” refers to student residences/accommodation provided by the accommodation provider, requested by the client or customers.

UK Student Residences does not own, furnish or manage and/or control any of its accommodation, it acts and an agent between the customer and accommodation provider. When you (the customer) make payment to us for your accommodation you are committing to booking the accommodation stated on the invoice for the exact dates stated on the invoice. All bookings are subject to the terms and conditions of the accommodation provider and the rules of that property.

Your agreement with us is an agreement for services. We provide the service of displaying residence/property/accommodation options, facilitating you (the customer) receiving an offer of accommodation and collecting payment, if you wish to accept that offer of accommodation. We reserve the right to collect a fee for these services and may also receive commission or reduced rates from the accommodation providers, which is usually subject to the volume of bookings we help place with them. We will always work to the best of our ability, using ‘reasonable skill’ to ensure the accommodation providers we work with, on the whole, offer a good product and are of good reputation. Taking reasonable skill and care doesn’t necessarily mean we have to comply with each and every local law and regulation particularly where these impose absolute obligations. You must show that reasonable skill and care hasn’t been used by us or our accommodation provider(s) if you wish to make any claim against us.

We may, at our discretion, assist those clients who are in dispute with an Accommodation Provider. However, we shall not thereby be liable or become liable in any way in connection with any such matter. You accept that any possible remedies shall be against such Accommodation Provider only.

We operate VAT under the Tour Operators Margin Scheme and therefore VAT on our services are not claimable.

Before booking: Prior to booking or applying for any accommodation, it is your (the customer’s) responsibility to ensure you are eligible to stay in that accommodation. For example, the majority of the accommodation we offer is for ‘students only’. This means you must be in full-time education to be eligible to stay there. If you were to stay in such a residence and not be a student, there may be tax implications e.g. local council tax, which you would be responsible for. Other examples might include (but not limited to) age restrictions of 18+, the number of people occupying the room i.e. a single room is for one person only, a twin room is for two people only etc. If you have any doubts or questions about your eligibility to stay in any of the accommodation offered, please use the ‘apply now’ function or the ‘contact us’ feature on our website to ask for clarification.

If you do have any concerns, please do not make any payment, either as a deposit or in full. If you do make payment and we are unable to confirm your accommodation we will issue you with a refund. This may take up to 28 days to process. Please note, we will not be liable for any fees lost due to currency fluctuations or bank fees incurred.

It is also essential to ensure you have the right to enter and stay in the UK for the duration of your booking. Please ensure your passport is valid and up-to-date and you have the relevant visas (where applicable) to enter and stay in the UK. Further information can be found on the UK government website.

Before you travel: We strongly recommend that each person travelling holds adequate travel insurance suitable for their trip for the full duration of their stay in the UK. It is advisable to ensure the travel insurance provides you with sufficient cover for the loss of course study, accommodation, transportation as well as injury and ill health. We cannot be responsible for any costs you incur as a result of failing to take out adequate travel insurance.

It is your responsibility to ensure you have all necessary documents for your journey and your stay in the UK e.g. passports and visas. It is also your responsibility to ensure you know how to get to the accommodation you have booked and how to check in to the accommodation e.g. reception opening hours, out of hour arrangements/restrictions/fees for out of hours check-in etc.

During your stay – following the rules: We and our accommodation providers want all guests to have an enjoyable and safe stay. It is therefore essential that each accommodation provider and property has rules for guests e.g. designated smoking and no-smoking areas. It is also important you remember that as a guest you are responsible for your own actions and the effect your actions may have on other guests staying at the accommodation and the staff working within the accommodation.

By making payment you are agreeing to follow all residence rules and regulations and to behave in a reasonable manner at all times, respecting other guests within the building. It is your responsibility to obtain and familiarise yourself with the properties rules and regulations upon arrival. If you require assistance or clarification on any of the accommodation’s rules or regulations please ask at reception or alternatively contact us on 020 8395 0333 or email info@ukstudentresidences.com.

Failure to comply with any of the rules or regulations or acting in an unreasonable or disruptive manner may result in the building management or our agency issuing you with a warning, a penalty charge or being informed you will have to leave the accommodation without notice, compensation or refund.

Property Damage: If any damage is caused (even accidentally) to the accommodation including furniture, fixtures, fittings or any other items within or around the accommodation, it is your responsibility to report it promptly to a member of our staff or to the staff at the accommodation. If you are at responsible for the damage, the accommodation provider may demand you pay for it to be ‘put right’. If you fail to pay, you will also be liable for any legal costs incurred in pursuing a claim against you.

TV Licence: If you are bringing a television, the Television Licensing Authority requires that you have a TV Licence. You are responsible for ensuring you have a valid TV licence. For more information on this visit www.tvlicensing.co.uk

Council tax: If you are a full-time student you would not usually need to pay council tax. However, it is your responsibility to ensure you receive a ‘Council Tax Exemption Form’ form your university or school. A copy of this must then be provided to the reception team at your accommodation. If for any reason you are not exempt or fail to provide a valid copy of the Council Tax Exemption Form, you will be responsible for the payment of any council tax incurred.

We work with a huge number of accommodation providers who each own and manage a large portfolio of residences, each residence usually offering several hundred rooms. The result of this is that at any one time we can be providing information for thousands of rooms at hundreds of locations across the UK. Our printed publications are prepared annually and our website is reviewed and updated as often as possible. However, it is unrealistic to believe accommodation providers will inform us each time a single facility becomes unavailable or to expect us to modify our every time this might happen. For example, an accommodation provider might temporarily withdraw a facility due to a maintenance issue, bad weather, building work or any other unforeseen or planned circumstance (e.g. internet, the onsite gym, a social area). If we’re made aware of any significant changes, we will endeavour to update our website and or booking information. However, by making a payment you are doing so fully with the understanding the information provided may not be 100% accurate or completely up-to-date. For example, the images provided for each residence and room are those provided by the accommodation supplier and are representative (rather than being completely accurate). The room layout, furnishings and content may vary. All travel times and locations are provided by Google Maps or other similar third-party providers. The actual journey time may vary slightly and are subject to daily/season variations e.g. local traffic etc. We will always endeavour to provide you with the most accurate information we are able to.

All student residence accommodation is subject to availability and early booking is advisable. If (to the best of our knowledge) the room type you wish to book at the residence you wish to book is available to be booked right now for the dates request, you will be presented with the “Book Now” option. This means you can book and pay for your accommodation immediately via the website using a credit/debit card. If this option is available you can pay for your accommodation in full or in certain cases you may be provided with the option of paying a non-refundable deposit now to hold the room, with the balance due at a specified date in the future. If it is unclear if a room/residence is available now but we feel that it ‘might’ be available e.g. at peak times when rooms are selling quickly and availability is low, you will instead be provided with the option to ‘apply now’. Please find an outline on each of the three booking methods below:

Book Now Pay In Full Now – This is making an online payment to pay for the accommodation as specified on the website (based on the information you have input and the options you have selected) for a fixed period. The website will state the accommodation you are booking, the room type and your arrival & departure dates. Payment will usually (whenever possible) be made in a single instalment. The payment fee represents a sum paid to the accommodation provider to book the room, any bookings fees related to the reservation, local taxes (if relevant) including TOMS VAT.

You will receive a payment confirmation within two hours (this will usually be immediate) and then a full confirmation of your reservation within 2 working days of making payment. This will include the full address and contact details of the accommodation provider/residence you have booked.

In very rare cases where we are unable to confirm your booking, a refund in full will be made within 72 hours of it being clear the accommodation provider is unable to honour your booking.

Book Now Pay Deposit Now – By using this payment option you will be making an immediate non-refundable deposit payment to hold the room(s) for your reservation. We must then receive the outstanding balance owed no less than 6 weeks (42 days) before the start of your stay. If the outstanding balance has not been received in time, your booking will be considered cancelled. IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE CLEAR THE DEPOSIT PAYMENT IS NON REFUNDABLE. If you cancel your booking, or the outstanding balance has not been received in time this fee will not be refunded. The payments (deposit and balance) represent a sum paid to the accommodation provider to hold the room, any bookings fees related to the reservation, local taxes (if relevant) including TOMS VAT.

You will receive a payment confirmation within two hours (this will usually be immediate) and then a full confirmation of your reservation within 2 working days of making payment. This will include the full address and contact details of the accommodation provider/residence you have booked. It will also include information re-confirming the balance amount and the date this payment is due.

In very rare cases where we are unable to confirm your booking, a refund in full will be initiated within 2 working days of it being clear the accommodation provider is unable to honour your booking or offer alternative accommodation you are satisfied with.

Apply Now – If the room at the residence does not offer the “Book Now” button, please select the “Apply Now” option via the residence you have chosen, or you can submit a fully completed booking form as found on our website or can be requested by e-mailing: info@londonhomestays.com.

Once your application has been received we will check the availability of the specific accommodation requested in your application and reply to you. Should the specified accommodation be available, we will send you an invoice for your stay. Please review this invoice carefully to ensure you agree with the details set out and ensure that you are satisfied with the terms and conditions laid out in this document. The invoice will include information on the accommodation you are booking and full information on how to make payment.

As soon as payment has been received we will proceed to confirm your booking with the accommodation provider. Full confirmation of your reservation will be sent within 2 working days of your payment being received. This will include the full address and contact details of the accommodation provider/residence you have booked.

In very rare cases where we are unable to confirm your booking, a refund in full will be made within 2 working days of it being clear the accommodation provider is unable to honour your booking.

Rooms booked for extra days, over and above the weekly period, will be pro-rated up to 3 extra nights and a full week will be charged for 4, 5, 6 and 7 extra nights thus charged accordingly.

Please note: if you make payment by bank transfer it may take significantly longer (usually 4 to 5 working days) for the payment to be received. This is due to bank regulations surrounding international payments and money laundering and is therefore outside of our control. We request that you email us proof of payment in order to keep the room reserved while the funds clear in our account.

In the case of full or partial cancellation of accommodation before arrival, the following terms apply:

• If you give notice four weeks or less prior to arrival date: No refund offered
• If you give notice more than four weeks but less than six weeks prior to arrival: You will be refunded accommodation fees paid minus 25% + booking fee
• If you give notice more than six weeks prior to arrival: You will be refunded accommodation fees paid minus 15% + booking fee
• For students applying for a visa to enter the UK and have their visa application rejected: If you give notice more than four weeks prior to arrival: You will be refunded accommodation fees paid minus 10% + booking fee (providing a valid UKBA visa rejection letter is provided in support)

Notice must be given to the office staff during the normal office hours of Monday to Friday (10am to 5pm UK time). We reserve the right to cancel accommodation if payment is received late. Any refunds will include deduction of any banking fees.

If you are booking using the reservation deposit scheme (‘Book Now Pay Deposit Now’ as described above), please note the deposit paid represents the fee to hold the room(s) for your booking and is non-refundable. If the outstanding balance is not received on or before the due date, we reserve the right to cancel your booking and release the room(s). In such cases, the deposit (service fee to hold the room) will not be refunded.

When making your booking it is important to understand you are committing to book for a fixed period with a specified arrival and departure date. On occasions it may be possible to amend your arrival and departure dates, however, this is not guaranteed and is subject to the agreement of the accommodation provider and availability. If you do wish to amend your booking and we are able to facilitate the amendment, there will be an administration charge of £100.

If you have to cut short your stay, residential accommodation, once paid for are not refundable. In the case there being a problem with your accommodation, we will make every effort to liaise with the accommodation provider to try and resolve any issues.

As stated under section ‘Your responsibilities’, we strongly recommend that each person travelling holds adequate travel insurance suitable for their trip for the full duration of their stay in the UK. It is advisable to ensure the travel insurance provides you with sufficient cover for the loss of course study, accommodation, transportation as well as injury and ill health. We cannot be responsible for any costs you incur as a result of failing to take out adequate travel insurance. Having travel insurance may help you claim in some instances where you have to curtail your stay e.g. you become unwell and have to return home at short notice.

On rare occasions, we may need to cancel your booking and have the right to do so, for example, the accommodation supplier may have an issue with the accommodation and be unable to honour your reservation as per the confirmation document. If we have to cancel your reservation we will endeavour to inform as soon as reasonably possible. However, it should be made clear that such instances are completely out of our control as an agency. By making payment, you are acknowledging this statement, showing agreement and understanding with it and agreeing with the possible resolutions as stated below:

Firstly, if at all possible to do so, we will offer you alternative accommodation of a similar standard and price at no cost to you. If the alternative accommodation is significantly more expensive, we may offer you this as an alternative which will only be available upon payment of a supplement. If the alternative accommodation we are able to offer is of a lower cost we will refund the difference in price.

If you do not wish to accept the alternative we offer you we will process a refund for the accommodation fee paid. This will not include any booking fee charged, banking fees or fees relating to amendments you may have made prior to being informed of the cancellation.

No compensation will be paid for cancellations out of our control e.g. cancellation made by the accommodation provider and it is agreed that in all circumstances relating to the accommodation we assist you to book, we are only liable for the amount paid by you to book this accommodation.

We hope that everyone who uses our services or stays in the accommodation we have assisted them to find is happy, has a pleasant experience and enjoys their stay. However, if you are not satisfied please report this to our office as soon as possible by following our complaints procedure which can be found by following this link.

In urgent situations or cases of emergency, please either speak with the staff at the residence e.g. reception or security staff or contact one of the emergency telephone numbers provided on your accommodation confirmation document.

If you have reason to complain, it is our wish to resolve the issue for you to enable you to enjoy your stay. It is also fair to give the accommodation supplier fair opportunity to resolve any issues. It is therefore very important you contact us as soon as you realise you have cause to complain. We are unable to act upon complaints made retrospectively. Failure to follow the above procedures during your stay, and/or failure to complain during your stay, may reduce or extinguish any rights you have to claim a refund or discount from us or the accommodation supplier.

If a problem arises that has not been covered by these terms and conditions, we reserve the right to take any fair and reasonable action that we think in our sole discretion is appropriate.

Our services are provided at your own risk. We cannot be held liable for any damages, claims, liabilities, costs, losses (including indirect and consequential losses) or accidents incurred or suffered by you or to your property. Nothing contained in these terms and conditions shall restrict or exclude our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence.

Accommodation providers (residences) will undertake regular inspections and take appropriate action against guests who fail to keep their accommodation properly clean, tidy and maintained in a good condition. Accommodation providers reserve the right to take action ranging from serving written notice informing guest to rectify unsatisfactory room conditions, to issue ‘fines’ or ultimately to ask guests to leave without refund. By agreeing to these terms all guests agree to abide by the residence’s rules on the above and will be solely responsible for any additional costs incurred due to additional cleaning, unsatisfactory behaviour, maintenance or fines.

We shall comply with the provisions and obligations imposed by the Data Protection Act 1998 and GDPR in storing and processing personal data. All personal data acquired by us in relation to you shall be made available on written request.

Our full data protection notice can be found by following this link.

Our privacy notice can be found by following this link.

We may, at our discretion, assist those Clients who are in dispute with a service provider. However, we shall not thereby be liable or become liable in any way in connection with any such matter. You accept that any possible remedies shall be against such service providers only.

It is your responsibility to provide the necessary information to enable us to complete the booking of additional services. For example, when we arrange an Airport Transfer for you, we will need you to provide full flight information including airport, landing times and flight numbers. If for any reason, you cancel or curtail any additional services you will be responsible for full cancellation charges applied by the service provider. At our sole discretion, we will retain any handling charges due to us.

Any notice required to be served in relation to these terms and conditions shall be written in the English language. Any provision of these terms and conditions which is or may be void or unenforceable shall to the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability be deemed severable and shall not affect any other provision of these terms and conditions.

No waiver or forbearance by us (whether express or implied) in enforcing any of our rights under these terms and conditions shall prejudice our right to do so in the future. We shall not be liable for any default on our obligations due to any exceptional circumstances beyond our reasonable control. Our express written approval is required for any variation to these terms and conditions.

These terms and conditions are subject to the laws of England and Wales.

In relation to any legal action or proceedings arising out of or in connection with these terms and conditions, you irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.