Election post
In my role as the Hall Representative for Goldsmid House, I have made myself known to UCL Estates that I will not be pushed around on important issues nor go down without a fight. For example, I have
- Negotiated for a permanent solution for the lack of communal facilities in Goldsmid House
- Set up a petition to UCL Estates signed by 34% of all residents
- Sent an unholy number of passive-aggressive emails to UCL Estates
In dealing with UCL Estates, I have also familiarised myself with their habits, procedures, and weaknesses.
UCL Estates is heavily commercialised and prioritises profit before people. As Accommodation and Housing Officer, I will seek to hold UCL Estates to account, making sure that the student experience always takes precedent. To these ends, I hope to
- Address the chronic failures in maintenance and upkeep caused by UCL Estates' outsourcing model, including its contract with Circuit Laundry
- Pressure UCL Estates to increase student representation in all decision-making processes
- Urge UCL Estates to freeze rent in the face of rising inflation
Thanks to the amazing people at Goldsmid, I have had the best halls experience anyone could ever ask for. But I could not pretend for a second that living in an overpriced, undermaintained, and under-resourced hall of residence nearly three miles away from campus is what I expected for the price I paid.
As Accommodation & Housing Officer, I will continue to hold UCL Estates to account by bombarding their inbox with passive-aggressive emails and making sure that they are prioritising the student experience above all else.