Terms & Conditions

Please read the following Terms and Conditions for Individuals. When you make your booking, you agree that you have read and understood these Terms and Conditions.

Individual Bookings:

These Terms and Conditions (the “Terms”) apply to all bookings completed online through a University College London partner provider or booked for you by the University College London Residential Commercial Team. Please read these Terms and any documents referred to within them carefully before booking as they will apply to all guests during their stay.

These Terms form the contract between University College London (“UCL”) and all guests in relation to any reservation of accommodation at a UCL residence, meals and any other service (the “Booking”) accepted by UCL and confirmed in writing by UCL’s online partner provider or Residential Commercial Team.

The rights and responsibilities contained in these Terms cannot be assigned, transferred, subcontracted or charged.

1. Your Booking

Payment is due in full prior to arrival unless otherwise stated and according to the rates agreed at the time of booking.

Guests cannot transfer or resell Bookings. If a guest transfers or resells (or attempts to transfer or resell) we reserve the right to terminate the Booking and retain any money paid to us.

To make a Booking to stay in our residences guests must be 18 years old or over. Individuals under the age of 18 are not permitted to stay in our residences.

Guests must ensure that the name on the Booking is correct at the time of reservation as this cannot be changed afterwards.

Unless expressly requested by the guest and confirmed by UCL in writing, the rooms are not guaranteed to have disabled access. UCL can provide accessible rooms on some sites, subject to availability. The guest must inform UCL if any guests included in the Booking have limited mobility or any other impairment which may affect their ability to self-evacuate their room in the event of an emergency.

All rates advertised are accurate at the time of booking. 

Rates include the UK VAT applicable at the time of booking.

Where breakfast has been booked, it is either a full English breakfast or a Continental breakfast. Evening meals may be available at catered residences. If interested in booking evening meals, please enquire at reception on arrival.

Guests who have pre-booked breakfast will be issued with a breakfast voucher on arrival to be presented prior to entering the dining hall. Guests who do not present the breakfast voucher may be refused entry.

2. Check-in and Check-out Times

Check in is from 3pm on the day of arrival. If your arrival to site will be later than 10pm please inform us at the site so that we can hold the Booking. Contact details for the relevant site can be found at https://www.ucl.ac.uk/residences/ucl-summer-residences.

Guests must vacate the rooms by 10am on the day of departure and return any keys and/or swipe cards to the check-in desk. UCL may levy an additional charge for lost or not returned keys and/or swipe cards.

If a guest fails to check-out by the stipulated time or if any rooms are not fully vacated and ready for servicing by the departure time, UCL reserves the right to charge for extra nights in accordance with the rates applicable on that day.

3. Cancellation Policies, Refunds and Amendments

All cancellations and amendments must be confirmed through UCL’s online partner provider or UCL’s Residential Commercial Team as applicable. The following cancellation terms apply ("notice period" relates to the number of days before the arrival date):

Amendments are subject to availability and can only be made at the same residence as the original Booking. Where amendments result in a reduction in the total price of the Booking, guests will be refunded the following percentages of that difference based on when the Booking amendment was made:

For amendments involving an increase in the total price of the Booking, the guest will be required to pay the outstanding difference in price between the original Booking and the amended Booking.

4. No-shows

A Booking will be considered a no-show if the guest fails to arrive by midnight on the day of arrival and has not notified UCL of late arrival as set out in paragraph 2 above. At this point UCL will keep 100% of the booking revenue and release the room for sale.

5. Common Rooms

Except by prior agreement, the guest will have non-exclusive access to common room facilities in the residence, subject to local arrangements. Requests for exclusive access to common room facilities must be made in writing to the UCL Residential Commercial Team via email at guestbookings@ucl.ac.uk. All requests are subject to availability and local arrangements and must be made within 7 days of arrival.

In the event that UCL grants the guest exclusive access to common room facilities, UCL reserves the right for its staff and contractors to access the common room facilities as required. Exclusive use of common room facilities will be charged at the following rates:

• £40.00/£50.00 per hour,
• £150.00 per half day; or
• £300.00 per day.

In all cases, UCL reserves the right to prevent or restrict the guest’s access to common room facilities, for whatever reason.

6. Shared kitchens

Guests are welcome to use the kitchen that is made available to them at check-in. Items that guest leave in designated kitchens are left there at the guest’s own risk. Kitchens are equipped with fridge-freezers, kettles, microwaves and toasters. Hobs and ovens are also available. Limited kitchen utensils, pots & pans or crockery are supplied.

Guests are requested to be respectful to other guests and not to remove any items that are not their own. Guests must dispose of their own rubbish by using refuse bins provided and ensure that pots, pans and kitchen utensils are cleaned immediately after use. Food and rubbish should never be left out on table tops or any other surfaces.

Cooking facilities can be used between 6:30am to 10:30pm.

7. Housekeeping

Clean bed linen and a towel will be provided for each new arrival. For Bookings lasting in excess of seven nights, the rooms will be serviced, and the bed linen and towel will be changed by UCL on a weekly basis.

Communal areas are cleaned on a regular basis, kitchens and shared bathrooms (where applicable) are cleaned 3-4 times a week.

8. Smoking, e-cigarettes and vaping

All guests must comply with UCL’s no smoking policy when on UCL property and when outside the entrances or open windows of UCL’s buildings. If any guests are found to be smoking in breach of the no smoking policy, UCL shall serve the guest with notice requiring the guest concerned vacates their room within 24 hours. In such circumstances, the guest shall not be entitled to a refund or compensation and will be liable to pay a minimum sum of £150 plus VAT to UCL in respect of UCL’s cleaning charges.

No use of e-cigarettes or vaping is allowed inside the residence or any UCL building. Smoking outside is permitted or if the residence has a designated smoking area, in such designated smoking area, but please be mindful of other guests.

9. Pets

No animals or pets of any kind, except assistance dogs as defined by section 173(1) of the Equality Act 2010, are permitted on any UCL premises.

10. Access

Guests do not have exclusive use or occupation of rooms. UCL reserves the right for its staff and contractors to access rooms for cleaning or maintenance reasons, to assist in the general management of the residence or in an emergency. Prior notice will be provided, where practicable.

Guests shall use and occupy the rooms, residence and common room facilities as a licensee and no relationship of landlord and tenant is created between UCL and the guest by these Terms.

UCL retains control, possession and management of the rooms, residence and common room facilities and guests shall have no right to exclude UCL from the rooms, residence or common room facilities.

These Terms are personal to the guest and are not assignable in any way.

UCL shall not accept responsibility for interruptions to any services to the residence beyond its reasonable control.

11. Relocation 

UCL reserves the right to require the guests to move to a suitable alternative room or rooms, without an additional charge, at any time during the period of the Booking.

12. Guest's obligations

All guests are expected to abide by the rules and regulations, to familiarise themselves with the fire escape routes, participate in any fire evacuation practices and comply with any instructions issued by UCL in connection with the evacuation of the residence, whenever a fire alarm is activated.

Guests must take reasonable care of the rooms, the contents of the rooms and the residence (including any common room facilities) and behave as a reasonable and responsible occupier.

Guests must observe residential quiet hours from 11pm to 7am.

Guests are responsible for the control and behaviour of their party whilst on UCL premises. In particular guests must not:

a. obstruct access to the rooms;

b. remove any of the contents of the rooms or the residence;

c. use the rooms or the residence for any purpose other than as residential accommodation and as set out in this agreement;

d. use the rooms or the residence for any illegal purpose;

e. generate levels of noise that may disturb other residents;

f. fail to observe residential quiet hours;

g. act in a way to cause or which is likely to cause disruption or distress to either UCL staff, other visitors and guests, student residents or members of the general public or constitute a serious risk to the health, safety or welfare of others or their property;

h. allow more than the designated number of individuals to occupy each room; or

i. sublet the rooms, common room facilities or other facilities to third parties.

If a guest is in breach of any of the obligations contained in this document, UCL can require the relevant guest to vacate the rooms and the residence within 24 hours of UCL providing written notice to do so. In such circumstances, the guest shall not be entitled to a refund or compensation.

UCL may levy to the guest and the guest shall pay additional charges in the following circumstances to cover the cost:

a. of making good or replacing any damage, vandalism or breakage caused by the guest or a member of their party to the rooms, the contents of the rooms or the residence (including any common room facilities);

b. of any substantial cleaning of the rooms or the residence (including any common room facilities) that UCL considers reasonable as a result of the actions of the guest or any member of their party;

c. of replacing lost or retained keys and, if necessary, replacement locks;

d. incurred in relation to the misuse of any fire equipment.

If UCL provides any additional services or there are any additional charges, on the production of an invoice, the guest shall pay for these by either the last date of their stay or, in the event that UCL raises the invoice after the departure date, within 14 days of the date of the invoice.

No overnight visitors are allowed at any time.

13. Insurance Coverage

We strongly recommend that guests and members of their party have insurance to account for any incidents during their stay. This insurance as a minimum should cover cancellation, baggage loss, accidents and health issues while you are away.

UCL does not provide insurance for guests’ personal items or the personal items of any members of their party whilst left in the bedroom or in any other part of the building. It is the guest's responsibility to ensure any insurance policy taken out is adequate to cover their requirements.

14. Data protection

UCL complies with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (“UK GDPR”). We will process your data in accordance with our privacy notice for UCL visitors at: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/legal-services/ucl-visitors-general-registration-privacy-notice

15. Force Majeure

Neither UCL nor the guest shall be liable for failure to perform its obligations during any period of time when such performance is prevented by circumstances beyond its reasonable control in situations such as, but not limited to, the following:

a. Acts of God, explosions, flood, lightning, tempest, fire or accident;

b. War hostilities (whether war declared or not), invasion, act of foreign enemies;

c. Rebellion, revolution, insurrection, military or usurped power or civil war, riot, political unrest, civil commotion, disorder, terrorist acts etc;

d. Withdrawal by any government or local authority of any necessary licence etc;

e. The acts or delays of any governmental or local authority;

f. Pandemics, epidemics and other threats to public health;

g. Strikes, lockouts or other industrial actions or trade disputes of whatever nature.

As soon as reasonably practicable after the commencement of one of the situations listed above, the affected party shall notify the other party of the situation and the effect on the affected party’s ability to perform any of its obligations under these Terms. The affected party shall use all reasonable endeavours to mitigate the effect of such situations on the performance of its obligations.

16. Complaints and matters arising during the Booking

Complaints and maintenance matters including any disrepair, damage or defect affecting the rooms or their contents, the common room or the residence must be notified to the residence reception as soon as possible and will be dealt with by UCL staff or nominated suppliers.

If the residence reception is shut and, in case of emergencies, the guest should use the on-call emergency service.

In the event that the guest, or a member of their party uses the on-call emergency service and UCL staff or designated officers have to attend any incident not considered an emergency, i.e. noise, disruption, false activation or tampering with fire alarms or other safety equipment, the guest will be charged an out of hours call out charge of £250 plus VAT.

With the exception of reception services during advertised hours of business, the office and administration services of the residence will not be available to guests.

17. General

UCL is in no way sponsoring, or approving academically, the occasion for which the Booking is made. Guests and any members of their party shall not use UCL’s name or any of UCL’s trademarks or logos, and shall not advertise UCL’s facilities in any advertising or other publicity materials. Should guests wish to use UCL’s facilities in any advertising materials, they must submit a request to UCL at guest-bookings@ucl.ac.uk.  for UCL’s prior written approval (which shall be at UCL’s absolute discretion). If such use is approved by UCL in writing in advance, then the guest’s materials shall state that UCL is in no way sponsoring, or approving academically the occasion for which the Booking is being made. Failure to observe this condition may lead to the cancellation of the Booking by UCL, or the termination forthwith of any services by UCL if the Booking has commenced and any payment made will be forfeited.

Subject to the provision below, UCL is not liable for:

a. the death of, or injury to the guest, or any member of their party; or

b. loss or damage to any property of the guest or that of a member of their party; or

c. any losses, claims, demands, actions, proceedings, damages, costs or expenses or other liability incurred by the guest or their party in the exercise or purported exercise of the rights granted by the Agreement.

Nothing in this clause shall limit or exclude UCL's liability for:

a. death or personal injury or damage to property caused by negligence on the part of UCL or its employees or agents; or

b. any matter in respect of which it would be unlawful for UCL to exclude or restrict liability.

For the avoidance of doubt this Agreement does not give rise to any rights under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce any term of this Agreement.

18. Governing Law

These Terms and the Booking between guests and UCL shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim that arises out of or in connection with any Bookings.