www.thecourieronline.co.uk Monday 23 April 2012 Issue 1249 Free
TAKE ME OUT
Tom Nicholson learns the art of seduction
DID THE WIND SEE THE SURF? P.18-19
Lifestyle, p.14
VOLUNTEERS TO LIGHT UP OLYMPICS NEWS PAGE 3
Reviewed: Nicki’s Roman Reloaded Music, p.32
Multiple arrests after thefts in private halls A member of the security team at a Northumbria University student accommodation has been arrested on suspicion of burglary. The firm that runs Manor Bank accommodation, the UNITE Group, also operates the Magnet Court halls of residence on behalf of Newcastle University. A statement from Northumbria Police revealed that they were contacted on 9 April with reports that student belongings had been stolen over the Easter holiday. A 24-year-old man was arrested the same day. The Courier can disclose from an anonymous resident that missing items included mobile phones and laptops as well as a vast array of other high-value technological goods. Two 19-year-old women and an 18-year-old woman were also arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods. They were later released with cautions. Manor Bank charges students £145 per week over a 51 week contract, according to UNITE’s website. It is located near the Quayside beside the Tyne
Bridge and possesses 497 self-contained flats, shared between 4-6 people, as well as 29 luxury studio apartments, which include views over the River Tyne. Security-wise it boasts CCTV surveillance, swipe card access and an intercom system. However, testimonies have stated that the The firm that swipe card system runs Manor is often faulty and Bank accom- that members of modation, the the public can enthe premises at UNITE Group, ter will. also operates One resident the Magnet commented on Facebook: “I was Court halls doing a wash and of residence a homeless guy on behalf of walked in. It was Newcastle quite obvious that he was coming in University to nick clothes. He looked at me, went through the bin and walked out. Literally anyone can get in if they want to.” Residents had also discussed complaining en masse to the UNITE Group over a number of quarrels, besides the continued on page 7
No response or calls for mediation being made, a court date was set for Friday 13 April, costing Ogley a further £110. In attendance at the hearing, Ogley and flat mate Emily Wheeler, provided copies of all correspondence between Ogley and the landlord, including a list of all text messages both sent and received. Four witness statements, one from each former resident of the property, were also presented to the judge. Their landlord provided documentation that including an invoice from the company who had replaced the floors, stating that the kitchen and living room replacement floor had cost £750, the bathroom floor £950 and replacing broken doors £250. Speaking to The Courier Wheeler said:
“The judge almost didn’t let this invoice be used in court because it hadn’t been submitted before the court date. He also found it a bit ridiculous that the bathroom floor had cost that much. “We stated that we had not caused the water damage and that the doors had not been damaged enough to be replaced. In the end the judge decided that the damage had been caused by a leak that was not our fault, meaning that the landlord couldn’t claim any of the money he wanted from us.” Additionally, the judge ruled that the landlord had 30 days to pay the students the £1040 owed from their deposits, court costs and interest which had accumulated from their deposits, totalling continued on page 7
By George Sandeman News Editor
Students win legal battle over house deposits
By Helen Lam Online News Editor Four Newcastle students have won a legal battle against their landlord over house deposits. At the end of their two year tenancy of Doncaster Road in Sandyford, 21-yearold fourth-year Chemistry student Helen Ogley and her three flat mates were informed by their landlord that all deposits, totalling £1040, would be returned following the settlement of any outstanding bills. However, after the students made the payments they were told that they would be charged for the expense of repairing locks within the property.
Querying this claim, Ogley tried to contact her landlord but received no response via phone or email. Seeking guidance from the Student Advice Centre Ogley was then advised to take action to retrieve their money, the initial course of action being to write a letter to the landlord, No reply was received. Ogley then filed a claim at Newcastle’s Small Claims Court for the deposit money owed, at a cost of £70. The landlord replied to with counterclaim for £2500, citing compensation for the time he had spent defending himself. Further to this, he also claimed money for a water-damaged floor that needed replacing, which Ogley claims was due to a leak in the kitchen and bathroom.