Cleaning support and inspections
Primary responsibility for keeping your room (and ensuite facility if you have one) clean and tidy day-to-day lies with you. In self-catered residences the primary responsibility for keeping the communal kitchen and other areas clean and tidy on a day-to-day basis falls to all the residents of the flat. Please do not put pictures or posters anywhere other than on the notice boards. You will be charged for damage to the paintwork caused by nails, pins, Blu Tack™ or Sellotape™.
There is however a dedicated Facilities Management Cleaning teams who will provide a clean and safe environment within your accommodation on arrival in which to live and study and throughout your time in most residences. The focus of these teams is the cleaning of communal spaces outlined in the sections below. However, it may not always be possible to maintain the normal service level standards when staff are on training courses, annual leave or absent due to illness. We will endeavour to maintain a service in the event of any absence and you will be notified if there is a change to the service.
The University has designed a useful Cleaning Guide which offers useful tips and advice to help you keep your accommodation and communal facilities at a high standard of cleanliness, ensuring a pleasant living environment for all. The weekly cleaning rota template is a highly recommended tool to use. Feel free to print off copies and use them to help plan for the week ahead.
If a flat is reported by cleaners to be consistently inaccessible, or if standards of day-to-day cleanliness are below a reasonably acceptable level, the University may serve notice on the residents, requiring improvement by a specified date. If the required standard has not been met by the time of the follow-up inspection, the University may close the facility temporarily while it is professionally cleaned. The reasonable and properly incurred cost of such cleaning will be divided amongst the residents in the flat as an additional charge.
Cleaning, including vacuuming, takes place during the day. Residents who choose to sleep during the day should keep in mind that some noise in the communal areas is unavoidable.
At Clydesdale Court, King Edward Court, James Owen Court, Nancherrow and in all studios, there is no cleaning service provided within the room and flat. The University will clean communal stairwells and corridors only in these residences.
The Cleaning Team normally work at varying times between the hours of 9.00am to 3.00pm Monday to Friday. Cleaning services will not be provided at weekends, bank holidays or on university closure days.
The friendly, helpful and qualified cleaning team will guide you on how to keep your accommodation clean and safe during your stay; key lifeskills which will stand you in good stead for the future.
Cleaning team members will make themselves known to you in Freshers’ Week. They will direct you to communal cleaning equipment, tell you what you can expect from them and ensure you receive a copy of the cleaning and equipment information.
We do not provide cleaning service in your bedroom and you will need to clean your bedroom (and ensuite facility if you have one) yourself. Please refer to the Cleaning Guide video on the right of this page.
Information about our cleaning services can be found on the Catered Cleaning Commitment 2022 This details the level of service you will receive and what we expect.
Areas which will be cleaned daily, Monday to Friday:
- Communal utility rooms - which includes removal of a reasonable amount of rubbish and recycling from kitchen use (not from bedrooms), also the cleaning of surfaces
- Entrances
- Corridors
- Stairwells
- Lifts
- All communal bathrooms, toilets and showers (where appropriate) are cleaned as per the schedule displayed within your accommodation
Please help us to help you by:
- Ensuring that your bedrooms, communal areas and utility rooms are kept in a clean, safe and tidy condition
- Taking rubbish and recycling to the bin stores provided on site on a daily basis. Please separate your recycling into the appropriate waste bins
- In communal toilets, showers and bathrooms, kindly remove personal belongings after use
- If you have been provided with cleaning equipment please use them and follow the written guidance given in the cleaning guide (see below)
The following cleaning equipment can be found in the utility area however, you will need to provide your own cleaning products:
- Bin liners in rooms on arrival
- A vacuum cleaner
- A mop and bucket
- A dustpan and brush
- Disinfectant wipe tub
If you have any queries concerning the cleaning services please contact the residence reception.
We do not provide a cleaning service in your bedroom and you will need to clean your bedroom (and ensuite facility if you have one) yourself. Please refer to the Cleaning Guide video on right of this page.
Information about our cleaning services can be found on the Self Catered Cleaning Commitment 2022. This details the level of service you will receive and what we expect.
If you have any queries concerning your cleaning responsibilities or the service provided in your communal areas please contact your residence reception.
Areas which will be cleaned weekly in self-catered flats with shared kitchen area (excludes residences listed below) are:
- Kitchens - please remember it is the residents’ responsibility to wash up and remove rubbish. The cleaners will not carry out their duties if they are obstructed from doing so by dirty dishes, pans etc
- Entrances
- Corridors
- Stairwells
- Lifts
- All communal bathrooms, toilets and showers (where appropriate) are cleaned twice weekly.
Please help us to help you by:
- Ensuring that your bedrooms, communal areas and utility rooms are kept in a clean, safe and tidy condition
- Taking rubbish and recycling to the bin stores provided on site on a daily basis. Please separate your recycling into the appropriate waste bins
- In communal toilets, showers and bathrooms, kindly remove personal belongings after use
- If you have been provided with cleaning equipment please use them and follow the written guidance given in the cleaning guide (see below)
The following cleaning equipment can be found in the kitchen/lounge area however, you will need to provide your own cleaning products:
- Bin liners
- A vacuum cleaner
- A mop and bucket
- A dustpan and brush
If you have any queries concerning the cleaning services please contact the residence reception.
No cleaning service
We do not provide cleaning services in the following accommodation, except for cleaning of communal corridors, stairwells and entranceways on a weekly basis.
- Birks Grange Village studios
- Clydesdale Court
- Holland Hall studios
- James Owen Court
- King Edward Court
- Lafrowda studios
- Nancherrow
You will be expected to keep your own accommodation clean and will need to provide your own cleaning equipment and products.
Information about cleaning support can be found on the Studio and Ensuite Flats Cleaning Commitment 2022.
In James Owen Court and Nancherrow flat residents will also be responsible for cleaning the communal areas within the flat and you may find it useful to use a Cleaning Rota with your flatmates and to read the Cleaning Guide below.
Inspections and Charges
Regular inspections of bedrooms, kitchens and communal areas will take place to ensure standards of cleanliness are being maintained. At least 24 hours’ notice will be given of these inspections. Where the levels of cleanliness are not acceptable you will be advised on what steps you should take and the date for the re-inspection.
If inspections reveal a breach of your accommodation agreement you will be given a reasonable opportunity to put things right.
If you fail to rectify matters that have been drawn to your attention, or if the level of cleanliness is persistently not of an acceptable standard, staff may be employed to provide a cleaning service or put right other breaches, and the reasonable and proper cost incurred will be charged to you. Any costs will be added to your student account and throughout the year you can check your recent transactions and balance with the University of Exeter by accessing your online statement. This can be done by logging into your iExeter account and clicking on the ‘Student Record’ and ‘Finance’ tabs.
Room inspections will be carried out following your departure, but if you would like to have a room inspection prior to departure then please contact your residence reception approximately one week before you intend to leave to see if this is possible.
A resident has a responsibility for keeping their bedroom and other communal areas clean and tidy. Residents will be advised in writing if, on inspection, their rooms have not been left in an acceptable condition and will be given the opportunity to remedy the situation within a given timescale.
The charges indicated below are a guideline only and this list is not exhaustive. Where necessary additional cleaning will be charged at £16.00 per hour (includes administration charge). Charges will be imposed if no/ inadequate attempts to clean by residents have been made or if communal areas have been wilfully left in a mess.
| Area to clean | Charge |
|---|---|
| Bedroom | £40.00 |
| Ensuite facility/shower/ bathroom clean |
£35.00 |
| Bedroom carpet clean | £45.00 |
| Complete kitchen clean | £110.00 |
| Entrance/corridor clean | £35.00 |
| Removal of bottles (build up) | £0.50 per bottle |
| Internal clean of microwaves | £10.00 |
| Removal of graffiti | £35.00-£100.00 |
| Fridge clean | £25.00 |
| Defrost and clean freezer | £45.00 |
| Oven | £45.00 |
| Hob/grill clean | £35.00 |
| Cleaning of bodily fluids | £30.00 |
| Removal of rubbish | £10.00 per bag/box |
| Removal of stickers/posters/drapes/ blue tack™/fairy lights/other small items |
£10.00 |
The charges listed below are for the removal of items which should not be in University accommodation.
| Item(s) for removal | Charge |
|---|---|
| Small electric appliances | £12.00 |
| Fridge | £20.00 |
| Furniture | £20.00 |
| Candles | £10.00 |
| Bicycle from residence or bike shed | £20.00 |
| To reset safe code | £16.00 |
All charges will include an administration charge and VAT where applicable. Please note that the University is unable to store items for you and you will need to arrange for storage with a private company.