Banned & Prohibited Items In Halls

Posted 11 months ago

Read this to ensure that you do not bring any contraband

For the safety and security of all residents, the following items are not allowed in your hall. Please read thoroughly to ensure that you do not bring any of the following – or risk confiscation and/or disciplinary action!

The following items should not be brought into halls: 

  • Pets (including live food for pets e.g. insects for reptiles)
  • Mini fridges/freezers/coolers
  • Plugged-in electrical fairy lights (battery-powered ones are fine) 
  • Heating appliances (portable heaters, gas/oil burners or other fuel-burning devices)
  • Cooking appliances in your bedroom
  • Candles and incense sticks (including fragrance burners and shish pipes)
  • Electric blankets
  • Washing machines, tumble driers and dishwashers
  • Any additional furniture
  • Any explosive materials (including fireworks)
  • Any weapon (such as knives, martial arts weapon and air weapons) 
  • Any item that has been made or adapted to cause injury
  • Darts and dartboards
  • Chip pans, deep fat fryers, grills, inside BBQ trays -  do not use any method of cooking which involves “deep-fat” frying
  • Clip-on desk lights
  • Any open flame device
  • Socket cube adapters
  • Irons
  • Any personal electrical equipment not complying with the safety standards
  • 3D printer in the bedroom 

Bicycles and cars

  • Bicycles are allowed on campus but are not allowed inside your hall. Please use a bike shed. 
  • No vehicle (e.g car, lorry, caravan, motorbike, boat or similar item) is permitted to stay overnight on campus with express written permission from Safeguarding (contact carparking@hw.ac.uk). This does not include the Scottish Borders Campus, overnight parking is available for residents at Jean Muir Student Village, free of charge. 

Drugs

Students are reminded that possession of illegal substances is a criminal offence and possession with intent to supply is a more serious offence. Students found to be using, or in possession of, or knowingly allowing any illegal substance, including cannabis, nitrous oxide and legal highs, in their halls of residence are in breach of their accommodation contract.

Any drug related offence will be dealt by the University’s Conduct team and your accommodation contract may be terminated by the University.

In addition to the above, students are asked not to

  • Interfere with electrical wiring, sockets or equipment
  • Overload any electrical circuits by using too many electrical appliances at once
  • Put anything harmful or which is likely to cause blockage in any pipes or drains
  • Throw or drop anything whatsoever from windows or balconies of theresidence or any other part of the property
  • Remove from, affix to, change, damage or attempt to repair the structure or decorative finish of any part of the residence or the contents
  • Smoking anywhere inside the accommodation. There are designated smoking areas outside the halls. Please be advised that smoking indoors and tampering with fire fighting equipment (smoke detector, fire extinguisher, etc) will lead to disciplinary fine up to £250 and may lead to expulsion from halls. 

There are some exceptions...

Rice cookers 

You can bring appliances such as a rice cooker, coffee machine or toastie maker to use in the kitchen, but only if they conform to the appropriate British Standard and have been purchased in the EU. These are not to be used in the bedrooms, and if cooking appliances are found in your bedroom they will be confiscated.  

Medically required fridges 

If you need to store refrigerated medicines in your room, you must contact the Wellbeing team and provide supporting medical evidence prior to arrival to campus.  

You can contact the Wellbeing team on studentwellbeing@hw.ac.uk and disability@hw.ac.uk.

PAT testing 

If you have an electrical item over 12 months old or bought outside of the UK or EU, the item will need to be PAT tested before use. PAT testing will be available on campus at the start of semester. This will be advertised on social media (@HWUReslife) in advance.

Confiscation of unsafe electrical items

If our staff notice that you have an electrical item without the correct CE safety mark, we will remove it immediately. We will leave a notice to contact the Residence Life team. The item will be stored until you move out when you will need to collect it within 14 days. We will dispose of any items left behind after 14 days. 

Correct CE marks: