Hello StudentRecensioni 

I am currently living at London Road Apartments and, unfortunately, my experience has been extremely disappointing.

The location is excellent and is probably the only major positive aspect of this accommodation. Beyond that, the quality of the accommodation, the handling of resident concerns and the overall value for money leave a lot to be desired.

I moved into Room 18 in April and reported problems almost immediately. On arrival, there was visible white dust and debris throughout the room, including on the mattress, inside the wardrobe and around the apartment. Even the complimentary tumbler provided in the room was dusty. Despite this, I was informed that the room had been professionally cleaned, sparkle cleaned and signed off by management before my arrival.

The most serious issue has been the lack of effective ventilation and the extreme heat inside the room. My room receives direct afternoon and evening sunlight and becomes unbearably hot during warm weather. The windows only open a limited amount, meaning there is very little airflow. The building does not have air conditioning and relies on a ceiling ventilation system which management insists is operating correctly.

The reality experienced inside the room is very different. The room frequently becomes so hot that sleeping, studying and concentrating become difficult. I came to Southampton specifically to prepare for professional maritime examinations and have repeatedly explained the impact these conditions are having on my ability to study and rest. During warmer periods, the room becomes uncomfortable to the point that multiple fans are required simply to make it bearable.

Opening the windows to improve ventilation creates another problem: insects. Throughout my stay I have experienced flies, beetles and spiders entering the room. Residents are effectively left choosing between excessive heat with the windows closed or insects entering with the windows open.

Shortly after moving in, I also experienced problems with the shower, including issues with hot water and the shower mixer. These were additional defects that had to be reported immediately after arrival, despite the room having supposedly been checked and signed off before occupation.

Another disappointing aspect has been the cleaning standards and housekeeping arrangements. The accommodation advertises regular cleaning of communal areas; however, in my experience, cleaning has been inconsistent and at times appears not to have taken place for extended periods. On multiple occasions, residents were informed that cleaning could not be completed because the housekeeper was unwell, on annual leave or otherwise unavailable.

What has frustrated me most is the apparent lack of genuine engagement with residents’ concerns. Every issue seems to be met with an explanation, a policy reference or a statement that everything has already been checked and signed off.

Despite numerous emails over several months regarding overheating, ventilation, cleaning and maintenance concerns, not once has the multi-site manager, area manager or any senior member of staff visited my room to personally assess the issues being reported. Not once has anyone come to experience the heat inside the room, inspect the ventilation performance firsthand or understand the severity of the conditions being described.

I even requested that a member of the night staff come and see the room because of how hot it had become. The staff member acknowledged how warm the room was and advised that the concern would be passed on. The following day I was effectively informed that everything was operating normally.

What stands out most is that there always seems to be an explanation for why a problem exists, but very rarely a practical solution that addresses the underlying issue. Whether the concern relates to cleaning, maintenance, ventilation, overheating or resident wellbeing, the response has consistently been procedural rather than proactive.

I would strongly encourage anyone considering London Road Apartments, particularly those staying through the summer months, to think carefully before booking. The location is excellent, but in my experience the accommodation itself has fallen far short of the standard that the price would lead you to expect.

So last August my son’s room was double booked even though we had signed a lease and paid a deposit on a room in Edingburgh. We were told we could not have that room and were offered a different room at the same price and on the same dates. Guess what ! Now we are told he has to move out early ! He will be homeless as his course will not have finished. Extremely poor service and refusing to honour previous agreements. Avoid !!

Genuinely one of the worst student living experiences I've had and my last house literally let rain through the ceiling. My bathroom has been broken for 7 months and they just keep making excuses to delay it basically until my tenancy is over. I have to clean up toilet water from the floor EVERY DAY and the managers don't care at all. They do give out chinese food every now and then though which is about the only positive about the place.

Very difficult to get hold of the right people when things go wrong. Constantly being given excuses as to why they could not pay back deposit at picture house in Exeter. Even had a change of accounts staff. Needed to get back involved to resolve the issue.

Worst accommodation ever.
They will delay maintenance works for weeks and will not refund money they owed for months!!!! I am waiting refund for 6 months since April and still don’t know when they will process if ever.

I had an awful experience. I stayed at South Bridge in Edinburgh. The flat itself was not as showed in the pictures, smaller. My flat had no ventilation whatsoever so I couldn't cook or the fire alarm would go off. Then my heating didn't work for around 4 months, in the scottish winter!! They take forever to reply and give solutions. Then, with a wind storm, one of my windows broke, and also they realised the other window was rotten. It took them over 5 months to fix that, during which time I was left with no window (worst ventilation that before), and they put up a wooden panel, which blocked out all the natural light. I sent numerous emails, but they did not respond. They fixed it when I had to leave the flat. I requested compensation and, after incessant emails, they agreed, but to date, after months of fighting, they still have not paid me the compensation. I had a very bad time living there, truly affected my mental health and my overall experience of studying abroad. The management is slow and unresponsive.

Terrible company, I had a terrible experience with the incompetent staff managing the student accommodation.

Worst company I've ever come across. Made my university experience the worst experience I've ever had. Rude bunch of people, no care or respect for any tenants.

Since they’ve taken over Tatton House in Manchester, it’s been nothing but problems & embarrassment for poor management. I’ve never had such a disruptive living experience; they message at least once a week when we just want to be left alone to live our lives; it’s invasive, unsettling, frustrating. From bin issues, construction mess, payment difficulties, rubbish app, staff not there when it’s “24 hours”, things not being repaired, arranging room access & rearranging, it’s incessant and so annoying. MeiMei alone was able to run this place perfectly, yet with a team of people they somehow find it difficult? I honestly can’t wait to leave.

DO NOT book this place, the staff are some of the rudest people i have had the misfortune of meeting. On there website they claim to have cinema rooms etc which is a complete lie. maintenance take days or even weeks to complete work. there are no in house staff in my building, and trying to get through to anyone is impossible. The neighbours are so disrespectful making noise at all hours of the day. you can forget about cooking as all they give you is a microwave. all in all the worst experience of my life

If you want a smooth free academic year. My personal recommendation is to not sign a tenancy with this company. It is an overpriced establishment that is the furthest from being premium. It’s really hard to leave the contract once signed. Also keep in mind that no one will want to takeover a terrible apartment. We had an extreme silverfish infestation. In bedrooms, bathroom, corridor and kitchen. Not just one or two. Multiple of them in numbers. Some the size of a slug. It became extremely uncomfortable and stressful to live in. I found some in my laundry basket and was told “they’re quite common” and then I should “hoover up the eggs” no apologies were issued or compensation. My flatmate also had some in her room and found one next to her pillow. Even after spraying the silverfish we were only temporarily deterred. Also while the spray was doing it's thing we saw more of them in numbers. Walking to the bathroom with 10 silverfish crawling around your shoes in not normal. Varied in size btw. Within the next weeks they returned. We also dealt with a dirty shower upon move in. The flat was no cleaned thoroughly before move in. There was a plaster and alcohol bottle behind my desk. The freezer turned off at one point and all our food melted. They blamed us for having too much food in there. Even though that was not the case and we had evidence. The shower had black mold when we came back from Christmas break. We cleaned the bathroom before we left and had not been vacant in the flat for a month. Yet they still blamed the dirty shower on us. They will take ZERO accountability. Every issue was automatically ‘our fault’. Stains from old tenants. It was gross. Be prepared to be blamed or accused for every domestic shortfall that will occur with this accommodation. I've been renting for 3 years and have never been gaslighted like this.

All the staff care about is collecting rent money. That is their primary concern receiving money. They don't care about your well-being, they were more than happy to let our mental deteriorate while trying to finish a degree. They are only nice and sweet over email. Once you've signed the contract and paid them, any issue you face is YOUR problem to navigate. You will be gaslighted into thinking silverfish running around your walls and next your bed is normal. In accommodation charging £200+ a week. The receptionist left in January, and there was never anyone available. In an emergency there was one guy who answered the phone. Again what great safeguarding. This is why uni students become depressed and lose their ability to perform well. Hello Student will pester you for not sending a 4k rent payment all in one go. Even if you give them dates you plan to finish paying they will bombard you with emails. Yet, when you complain to them about a maintenance issue they claim we were exaggerating. So be WARNED and do not think the hefty rent you are paying for equates to high standards. Lastly, my bedroom didn't have a window. They conveniently didn't tell me until I moved in and signed the contract. As they KNEW I wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Even when I viewed the room there was no indication the window wouldn't actually open. I'm lucky I don't have any respiratory illnesses but I'm very sure it would be a safeguarding issue for someone who did. This is what these accommodations do to students they will take advantage. Fresh air everyday and ventilation is crucial. I had a purifier but it does not equate to a window. These are SOME examples of the frequent situations this accommodation will put you in leaving you powerless. Don't be fooled by the pictures on their website the place is very fifthly and dirty. So be WARNED and DO NOT sign with Hello Student! They are a terrible and irresponsible company who do not care about their tenants. The domestic implications we faced could’ve had more detrimental mental effects on us both. It’s not worth the aggravation this company will put you through. Find an alternative place to live for the sake of your well-being.

Avoid Hello Student. They are the most unprofessional, chaotic and decietful company I have ever had the misfortune of dealing with.
They are currently chasing us for payment of a contract they themselves declared null ann void. We are being threatened with debt collectors and Hello Student will not deal with this matter. They give you false names, pass you on to other people, blame none communication on “WiFi issues” and claim to be “too busy” to deal with things.
We are taking legal action against them and will be contacting relevant regulatory bodies to ask them to investigate their practices.

Do not try this place out, no matter what. These guys are greedy people that just want to steal your money. They will rush you into signing a bogus contract, give you rooms that aren't even clean upon moving in. Overall you will regret paying these guys any money be careful!

I stayed at this accommodation for three years, and from the very first day, they welcomed me with open arms and were always incredibly supportive, no matter the time—whether late at night or in broad daylight. I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Sarah and Tammie, who were always there for me. They encouraged me from day one to speak English, even when I wasn’t confident, reminding me that mistakes are part of the learning process. They were like mothers to me, people I could share my achievements and setbacks with, always happy to be there to support me. My room was beautiful, and I made it my own with lights, plants, and flowers. I left this accommodation because I finished university and moved on, but I will definitely return soon to say hello to the wonderful ladies at the reception. For new clients, rest assured that any issue, whether it’s with your room, shared spaces, reception, or keys, will be resolved within two days at most for a high-quality team. Lene ❤️

Avoid Hello Student/Empiric accommodation at all costs. We will not use them again. My son has just finished staying in their Lancaster accommodation for two years. The flat was filthy when he moved in - black mold on the fridges/freezer awful smell, cupboard doors hanging off, broken kitchen equipment, broken chairs, dirty, mold on his bathroom ceiling and grease up the walls. His bedroom hadn’t been cleaned, even condoms left by the bed. He had a month recently with no electricity in his bedroom so couldn’t use his bedroom to study, no working power sockets. It took them a MONTH after much chasing to fix it. There was no water at all on graduation day morning in his block for students to wash or even flush the toilet before going to their ceremony on a hot day. No apologises from Hello Student for that. He has had written confirmation/approval to get some rent refunded for having a non functioning bedroom for a month having no working sockets but Central Operations are now ignoring that and he’s had no refund even after Area Manager approval. They are ignoring my messages chasing them even though they are supposed to respond within 48 hours in their complaints procedure. Once they have your money they really don’t care. Please use another accommodation provider.

Put nicer teacher you have bad techers Oriya a teacher made me cry fire her she is mean.

I'm - thankfully - now coming to the end of a 2 year tenancy with Hello Student/ Empiric. I was staying at Ayton House in St Andrews. The property itself is only okay, but there are basic features missing. Not all rooms have ovens, and there's no cutlery drawer so you have to clog up the 2cm preparation space in the kitchen with your crockery. The wardrobe is very small. The bathroom is small, but fine for 1 person. Gym is small but enough for the amount of traffic it sees; free weights, cable rack, treadmills, bicycles, stretching mats.

The problem is really with how the properties are managed. Fire alarms all the time, passive-aggressive management team (some of whom are highly covertly racist - not great when HelloStudent markets itself to international students). Incessant emails and 'updates' on the App (which is unfortunately the only way to report a maintenance issue - if you go to the desk they will patrionisingly ask 'and how do we report our maintenance issues here at Ayton House?'). Sometimes parcels take days for them to process - super irritating when you get a notification from the delivery company saying your stuff has been sitting there for days. I've missed several friends' birthdays because of that. £250 parking fee per year - 500 quid I've paid to park my car where I live!!! -even though it's marketed as a property perk.

The worst thing is the internal management of the company. They are literally useless. This week alone I have had THREE mistaken emails about outstanding invoices. Over the 2 years here, they have changed 'management systems' multiple times, each time you have to make a new account and do a bunch of annoying verification steps. Any payments, refunds, etc, they are just plain bad at. Tons of internal system errors which will give you stress and headaches.

Just go with your Uni halls or a property managed by a different company, Empiric is a constant headache.

😡😡😡😡😡😡😡The refund time got very long. Any international bank transfer can be received in 1 week. No matter which one.Why do not refund my funds and let me waiting？？？The balance on portal still unavailable. Very bad experience.😡😡😡😡😡😡

RACHEL is fantastic!
Phoning on and off for a month to finalise staying 2024 to 5.
One ten minute conversation and all almost sorted.
Thank very much Rachel for all your knowledge on how to fix the IT problem with the agreement and much more.
Very truthful and even sent an extra email with all we discussed to help clarify the details.

Windsor house is terrible ! The receptionist Nadia is judgemental and rude. They don’t care about maintenance issues they just mark it as complete without actually doing it. The rooms are dirty and filled with silverfish. If you need help with anything they could not care less. Don’t live here it sucks