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Tips for settling into UCL Accommodation

We have put together a guide to help our residents settle into their new home and navigate common issues that may occur when living in shared accommodation.

This page was last updated on 16 October 2025. 

1. Decorating your room 

Decorating your room at university can help ease homesickness by creating a sense of familiarity and comfort.

Here are a few suggestions:

  • Photos, posters and prints – Use clips to hang photos of friends, family, or places that you love. You can also put up posters and print out art or quotes that inspire you.
  • Soft textiles – Add cushions, throws, or a cosy rug to make the space warmer and more inviting.
  • Lighting – Add a warm-toned small lamp to create a calming atmosphere.
  • Plants – Even a small succulent or artificial plant can brighten up your room.

Things to be aware of when decorating to make sure you stay safe and avoid damaging your room:

  • Displaying posters or pictures – Only do so on non-painted surfaces (e.g. on pinboards, wardrobe and shelves)
  • Fairy lights – Please only use battery-operated fairy lights (not ones that plug into wall sockets). 
  • For a nice smelling room – Use an air freshener or room spray. Candles and items such as incense sticks and aromatherapy burners are not allowed in accommodation. 
  • Decorations – Please do not make any permanent redecorations or make any additions or alternations to your room, such as taking down the curtains, removing furniture, or altering the shower head or lightshades. If there’s an issue with your room, please notify your Hall Team. 
  • Placing hangers or hooks over bedroom doors – This is not allowed for safety reasons.  

2. Building friendships

Living in a shared accommodation is a great opportunity to form friendships and some of them might last a lifetime.

Here are some simple and practical ways to connect with your flatmates:

  • Cook or bake together – Prepare a group meal, share a home recipe or bake treats like cookies or banana bread.
  • Make drinks – Try making coffee, bubble tea or smoothies together. It's fun and refreshing!
  • Game night – Head to the common room and enjoy card games or board games with your flatmates.
  • Celebrate festivals or special occasions – Whether it’s Diwali, Christmas or Halloween, celebrating together is a great way to learn about each other’s cultures and backgrounds and have fun.
  • Study sessions – Studying with your flatmates or doing a practice run of your presentation can help build supportive companionship during busy academic periods.
  • Explore London and nearby cities – Join a Flourish trip or plan your own outing. You can explore London’s markets, museums and theatres or go visit nearby cities like Oxford or Brighton.

Final tip – Be open! Not everyone will be outgoing at first, and that’s okay. Respect each other’s space but look for moments to connect – you won’t feel lonely for long.

3. Cleanliness

The shared spaces are all part of your living environment, so it is important that you and your flatmates feel comfortable using them. A big part of this is making sure that everyone feels welcome and that the spaces are clean and tidy.  

Your responsibilities as a flatmate:

  • Wash and clean up after yourself – Be considerate of others by cleaning up after yourself after you have finished using something, so someone else can use it. 
  • Making sure surfaces are clear – This means that your flatmates can use the surfaces after you and helps the Cleaning Team when they clean your kitchen. 
  • Empty the bins when you notice they are full – There are large bins in all our halls where you can take your rubbish. Please put the rubbish bag in the large bins and not on the floor. 
  • Wipe away any spillages – This includes spills on the floor, kitchen counters, and in the fridge. 

Once you’ve settled into your flat, you may want to talk to your flatmates about setting up a cleaning rota, or a rota to take out the bins. This is a great way to make sure your kitchen stays clean and to talk about everyone’s expectations. 

Which bin to use:
For a detailed list of what can and can’t be recycled, visit the UCL check before you chuck webpage.

If in doubt, use the general waste bin to avoid contaminating the recycling bin. Contamination occurs when things are disposed in the recycling bins that either can’t be recycled at all, or can reduce the quality of other recycling, making it unusable (e.g. trying to recycle recyclable material that still has food inside). 

4. Laundry 

UCL Accommodation provides washing machines and dryers for residents, which you can pay for using the Circuit Go app or a contactless payment card. The machines are shared with everyone in the hall, so we ask that residents are considerate of others.  

Laundry room etiquette:

  • Residents should remove their washing once the cycle has finished, so other residents can use the machine.
  • Tidy up after yourself and take your belongings with you, including laundry bags and detergent. 
  • We advise residents to use the onsite dryers; however, if you need to air dry anything, please do so on a clothing rack in your bedroom, not in shared spaces like kitchens and corridors, and keep windows open to allow air to circulate. 

5. Guests

You are welcome to have guests visit you during your stay in UCL Accommodation. We just ask that you follow our visitor policy. 

Here’s the key information:

  • If you wish to have a guest stay overnight, you can accommodate 1 guest, for a maximum of 7 nights a month. 
  • Guests staying overnight must be notified in advance to the Hall Team 
  • Daytime visitors must leave by midnight. 
  • All visitors must be signed in at your hall’s reception. 
  • Your guest must be with you at all times. 
  • Never lend your accommodation key or access card to anyone else.
  • If you wish to have a guest under the age of 18, you must get approval from your Hall Team.

Advice for having guests:

  • If you have a lot of guests visiting, we recommend avoiding busy times in the kitchen and getting a takeaway instead of cooking. It can be difficult if someone has a lot of guests round during mealtimes and flatmates want to also use the kitchen. 
  • Have an open conversation with flatmates to ensure they feel comfortable with your guest(s)
  • If you are staying in a twin room, let your roommate know if you plan to have a guest stay overnight.  

6. Be respectful 

When living in shared accommodation, it’s important that you are considerate of your flatmates’ schedules and preferences. For example, people sleep and study at different times, so we ask that you are mindful of noise, particularly overnight and during the exam periods. 

It can also be tempting when sharing a kitchen to take some of your flatmates’ milk or use a plate without asking. While this might seem small, it may affect your flatmate a great deal, so please ask before using or borrowing something. It may be helpful to set up a rota with your flatmates to buy items such as milk and washing up liquid, so you never run out. 

While we understand wanting to stock up on items, please make sure to not use up too much space in the fridges, freezers, and cupboards. This can prevent your flatmates from putting their food away.  

7. Keeping the peace with your flatmates 

It’s normal for occasional disagreements to happen between flatmates, whether it’s about cleanliness, noise, or just different ways of doing things. 

Tips for keeping the peace:  

  • Communicate openly – Speak directly and calmly to each other. Create a space where everyone feels comfortable having honest conversations.
  • Be willing to compromise – Adjust your expectations and work together to find solutions that work for everyone. 
  • Stay calm and respectful – Try to see things from your flatmates’ perspective. Everyone has different backgrounds, habits, and routines. Understanding their needs will make it easier to work through any issues.   

Often, a quick chat can sort things out before they turn into bigger issues.  

If you need any advice or support with an issue, please speak with the Hall Team or your Student Residence Advisers (SRAs). They would be happy to help you.  

8. Concerned about a student 

If you are concerned about the wellbeing or safety of a UCL student, please complete the Student of Concern Form to inform Student Support and Wellbeing Services, providing as much information as you can. 

As well as completing the form, you can speak with your Student Residence Advisers (SRAs) and Hall Team during office hours to let them know about your concerns. 

If you have concerns that a student is in immediate danger of hurting themselves or others, phone 999 or the NHS Crisis Team.

If you have called 999, and you are on campus, please let Security know that emergency services are coming so that they will be able to wait for them and accompany them to your location. Call Security on +44 (0)20 7679 2222, (222 from an internal phone) or use the SafeZone app (press the blue button for Security). 

For more information, review UCL’s guidance on what to do if you’re concerned about a student’s wellbeing or safety.