Clayhill to fine students who lock themselves out of their bedrooms or flats

Kingston University’s Clayhill halls of residence has implemented a ‘lockout’ fee where students will be charged for losing their keys or locking themselves out starting from Monday January 23.

The fine will be £10.00 per lockout, plus an £11.75 administration fee. The rules are being implemented because too many students are accidentally locking themselves out when going to the kitchen or laundry room. The charges are detailed in the residence’s Halls Licence but not in the original contract.

“How many lockouts? Too many. That’s why we’re doing it. Basically it’s in the contract, it’s there in Number 15 clear as day, it’s right and we’re entitled to do it,” said a Clayhill receptionist.

“There’s been so many lockouts, we feel the need to do it because it’s getting ridiculous now.”

Many Clayhill residents feel the lockout fee is unfair due to the conditions the halls of residence is ARE in and that all are being targeted for the mistakes of a few.

Lucas Coyte, filmmaking student and Clayhill resident, said: “It’s getting ridiculous. They’re trying to find many ways of fishing money out of us and it’s like maybe we should start charging them for the crap that we’re getting. The first two weeks I was here, I had no hot water.

“It’s totally unfair that they get to charge us for small things but we get practically no compensation for the stuff that they do.”

Some students say they have been much more careful since the announcement of the rule on the KU Clayhill 2016/17 Facebook page, and many said that they have only misplaced their keys during the first few weeks after moving into their flats.

“So many people are complaining that they haven’t fixed everything that needs fixing,” said Marcia Knight-Latter, creative writing and psychology student. “We’re paying to stay here and it’s not even 100 per cent and now we’re having to be let back into the rooms.”

“I know how it sounds, but trust me it’s all in the contract, it’s more than fair. I’ve been on both sides, so I know,” the Clayhill receptionist said.