Living in an independent hall

Find out how things work when living independently in a University apartment or flat. Read the rules and expectations to ensure a successful living community.

You can find full details about living in an independent hall and the rules and expectations in the Independent Living Handbook.

If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to speak to a staff member.

Hall events

Your hall organises regular social, cultural and sporting events and you’re encouraged to get involved. Events are a great way to meet new people and connect with others across the hall community. There’s something to interest everyone—from cocktail parties to inter-hall volleyball to movie nights.

Look out for event notices in the accommodation portal and on your hall’s Facebook page.

Your meals

In an independent hall, you’ll take care of all your own food shopping and cooking. Your flat or apartment kitchen comes with all plates, bowls, cups, cutlery, and kitchen equipment.

Some halls or flats may also have BBQs. Ask a staff member to unlock them for you. They will give you instructions on how to use them safely and clean them after.

Your room

Your room in your flat or apartment is fully furnished. See the lists of what’s in your room, what you need to bring and what you can’t have in your room on the Moving in page.

For security reasons, we recommend you lock your room whenever you leave it.

Keys and access cards

Be careful with your key and access card and always keep it with you.

If you lose your access card or room key, let us know. You’ll have to pay for a replacement—access cards are $30 and room keys $90. You are not permitted to make copies of these.

To reduce the risk of theft, lock your room whenever you leave it and don’t lend your room key or access card to anyone.

Locked out?

If you have locked yourself out, first try to contact a flatmate to let you in. If that doesn’t work, call the duty phone and a uniformed staff member will come to assist you as soon as they are able.

Right of entry

Staff may enter your room, including in your absence, to carry out repairs or maintenance or conduct room checks. If we need access, we’ll attempt to let you know at least 24 hours in advance.

We may also enter your room to check on your safety and welfare, ensure the wellbeing of other residents, and to attend to other health and safety concerns including an emergency

Residents must not obstruct any employee of the University, fire wardens, or authorised technicians in the performance of their duties.

Our staff will not permit any other person, including your friends and relatives, to access your room without your verbal or written permission.

Electrical appliances

Keep only smaller electrical items such as laptops, hair straighteners and lamps in your room, so you don’t overload the circuits and use too much power.

Other than hair straighteners, you must not have any appliances with open heating elements such as electric heaters, hot plates, and fridges in your room, unless you have permission from a staff member. Never use a BBQ indoors.

Your appliances must be safety checked at the beginning of the year and kept in a good, clean operating condition. To prevent fires and other safety issues, only safety-tagged appliances may be used in your hall or flat. There will be an electrician on site for a short time during Orientation Week, so take advantage of this if needed.

Flat meetings

Soon after you move into your shared flat or apartment, staff will help you set up a flat meeting. All residents should attend flat meetings, which are held a few times a year. This is an ideal opportunity to address small issues before they grow, and ensure your flat is functioning well and meeting everyone’s expectations.

Topics discussed will include:

• cleaning rosters
• damage
• agreed house rules
• health and safety
• noise
• support services available.

Cleaning and laundry

You are responsible for cleaning your own room and it’s important you do your share of the cleaning of the bathroom, kitchen and living areas of your flat. You’ll also need to defrost your freezer sometimes. It’s a good idea to create a cleaning roster so everyone is clear on what’s expected of them. You’ll also need to buy your own cleaning products, soap and toilet paper.

Bathrooms are particularly prone to mould and bad smells—make sure you use the extractor fan, open windows where possible, and hang your wet towels and bathmat up to dry.

If you are using the communal lounges at Everton Hall and Education House, you must tidy up after yourself and dispose of your rubbish when you leave.

Laundry facilities

There are communal washing machines and dryers available for your use. Read the care labels on your clothes and don’t put too much in the machine at once or it won’t clean well. And remember to keep your clothes looking good, wash your whites and lights separate from your darks.

If you need to report a problem with one of the machines, log a maintenance request.

Outdoor washing lines are provided in some halls and flats, otherwise use the dryer or an outdoor drying rack. Don’t use drying racks indoors as they contribute to dampness and mould in your home.

If you need an iron, there is one available in your flat and in all shared laundries.

Rubbish and recycling

Take your rubbish out when the bag is full. If you’re living in Education House or Everton Hall, put it in the skip outside. If you’re living in Kelburn Flats, your household will need to buy yellow council rubbish bags and put one out each week on the correct collection day for your street. There is more information about rubbish storage and collection on your noticeboard.

Some flats have compost bins and it’s important no meat is placed in these. Check your noticeboard for what you can and can’t compost.

We encourage you to recycle as much as possible. In Wellington you can recycle clean glass, paper and cardboard, cans, and any hard plastics that have the numbers 1, 2 and 5 in the triangle stamped on them. If you are in a Kelburn Flat, your glass goes in the green bin and everything else in the yellow-topped mini-skip bin or green council recycling bag.

Make sure you rinse or wash your recycling before you put it in the bin—someone has to sort it later.

There’s lots more information about rubbish and recycling on the Wellington City Council website.

Read more about sustainable living in your apartment or flat.

Urgent maintenance

Urgent maintenance involves things that need immediate attention, such as:

• broken doors or windows
• electricity outages
• floods or leaks.

On the rare occasion that any of these happen, they should be reported immediately to staff by calling the duty phone, and we will see that the problem is attended to as quickly as possible.

Bike storage

If you have a bicycle, you need to be considerate. Don’t keep bikes in your room, the common area, or stairwells. Not only could it cause damage, it’s dangerous and can block fire escape routes.

The University takes no responsibility for your bike while it is parked at our property. We recommend you insure your bike and keep it secure with a D-lock. Ask a staff member for further details about where to store your bike safely.

It’s best to park motorbikes or motor scooters close to, or on, your property to avoid theft. If you need a secure space, let us know.

Car parking

Parking is limited everywhere but there are a few options depending on where you live. You should ask about parking and related costs before you arrive.

You can park on the street at your flat if you have a resident’s parking permit from the council. Ask us to provide a letter of support to help your application for the permit.

Everton Hall has some visitor parking available—ask at the office if there is any space. Display the parking permit on the rear window of the car for easy identification.

Mail

You can find your postal address listed on the Useful contacts page. Remember to include your room or flat number in your address.

If you receive a letter, it will be placed in the mailbox at the office or in your common room area. Check and pick up your mail regularly.

Parcels delivered by couriers will be held for collection at the office and you’ll be sent an email telling you it’s there. Although we accept parcels from courier companies, we do not accept any liability if the item goes astray.

Social media

Make sure you have joined your hall’s private Facebook group to keep up to date with activities and hall chat.

Be respectful when you post on our social media pages. Don’t post anything that may be considered bullying or harassment, or discriminatory, offensive or harmful to others.

Permission to post

You should also make sure you have the permission of people if you are posting photos or information about them on your hall’s Facebook page and on your personal social media accounts. Posting without permission may be a breach of privacy and there can be legal repercussions. If in doubt, always ask the person concerned.

Running a business is not permitted

You are not permitted to conduct a business of any kind from your room, apartment, flat, or any other part of the hall except with the prior written permission of hall management.

Noise and quiet hours

Quiet time is from 10 pm on weeknights and 11 pm (10 pm for Education House) on Fridays and Saturdays. During study and exam times, quiet hours will be extended.

Be aware of how loud you and any guests are being. Others may feel unwelcome if you and your mates are making lots of noise in communal areas.

Guests and flat gatherings

You are welcome to host guests in your flat or apartment. Guests may stay for a night or two if a guest pass is signed by a staff member at least 24 hours in advance. Guests must not stay on a regular basis, and residents can have only one overnight guest at a time.

If your over-night guest is under the age of 18, you’ll need to get advance approval from the head of hall.

You are fully responsible for your guests’ actions while they are at your flat or hall. If your guest is found unaccompanied, intoxicated, or disorderly, you well be asked to remove them. If your guest causes any damage, you will be liable for all costs of repair, cleaning, or replacement. You must not let your guest use your key or access card.

Gatherings

If you’re going to have a get-together, plan it as a flat group and don’t leave anyone out.

Respect the conditions you agreed to in your flat agreement. You can only have gatherings on Fridays and Saturdays, and guests must vacate by the hall quiet time of 11 pm.

Neighbours are much more tolerant if you let them know about a gathering beforehand. Twenty-first birthday parties and similar large events are disruptive for the community and neighbours and should be held off site.

There are times when no guests are allowed which include Orientation week and when exams are on, and may include other times such as if there is an outbreak of illness.

Personal space

Living in a hall or flatting community, it’s important to be respectful of other people’s personal space and boundaries. If you’re unsure about what’s appropriate, you can find guidance in the Independent Living Handbook. Here are a few tips:

• keep at least a metre of space between yourself and someone you don’t know
• never touch someone without permission
• don’t go into anyone’s room without being invited
• in someone’s room, ask where to sit, don’t assume they will be happy for you to sit on their bed
• don’t overstay your welcome in someone’s room
• don’t borrow things from others without permission.

Alcohol, drugs, smoking and vaping

If you are 18 and over you may choose to drink alcohol in your flat or apartment, but you must do so responsibly.

You need to be mindful of noise and be considerate of other residents who may be trying to study or sleep.

You will be held fully responsible for your behaviour while under the influence of alcohol.

Guests under 18 are not permitted to consume alcohol in your hall or flat.

There are some totally alcohol-free periods during the year such as during study and exam times.

Read the full rules and guidelines around alcohol consumption in the Independent Living Handbook.

Drugs and party pills

The possession, use and distribution of marijuana and all other illegal drugs including party pills and herbal highs is forbidden. Drug paraphernalia is also not permitted in your hall or room. Residents found using or distributing drugs will face disciplinary action and the police may be notified.

Smoking and vaping

Your hall or flat and its grounds are smoke-free and vape-free environments. If you are found smoking or vaping, smoking materials will be confiscated and you may face disciplinary action.

Restorative community

University flats and apartments are part of a restorative community where everyone contributes to the common good and conflict and wrongdoing is handled in ways that promote accountability and repair.

A restorative community fosters positive relationships founded on mutual care, respect, equality, responsibility and honest communication.

Connection circles

Throughout the year, staff will invite you to participate in connection circles to strengthen relationships and improve communication in your flat or hall. Circles may be held for many reasons, including to:

• build positive relationships
• establish shared norms and values for your floor
• respond to conflict or problematic behaviour on the floor
• process a difficult community event or shared experience
• make decisions about group activities.

Circles are a great opportunity to get to know one another and to have a say in creating your flat culture.

A restorative process may be used to help repair relationships when there is a conflict or a resident has harmed another. The process is voluntary and involves parties discussing the issue and the responsible student(s) accepting responsibility for their actions and making amends.

Read about misconduct in halls.