Accommodation requirements for under-18 students

As an accommodation provider, you will be responsible for providing a safe and suitable environment. You will also be responsible for the health and wellbeing of any U18 student residing at the premises.

Under your responsibilities, without limitation, you must:

• Provide both single sex and unisex accommodation options
• Provide only single sex multi-share apartments for U18 students
• Provide U18 students with a security pass to your premises and their room 
• Provide a weekly linen service or suitable and sufficient onsite laundry facilities to U18 students
• Ensure that your premises are clean and tidy
• Ensure that there is a designated person to:
  • manage U18 students
  • take responsibility for the general welfare of U18 students
  • be the first point of contact for both U18 student residents and UNSW personnel
• Ensure that there are Residential Advisors (RA) living on your premises with:
  • no less than 1 RA to 35 U18 students per floor accommodating only U18 students
  • no less than 1 RA to 30 U18 students per floor accommodating a mix of U18 and over-18 students
• Ensure that there is a dedicated staff member responsible for U18 student matters
• Ensure that access to your premises is monitored using a log book and access cards
• Maintain 24-hour security, including CCTV cameras and onsite security staff
• Enforce a curfew from 10.00pm to 6.00am and have documented procedures to follow up with U18 students who fail to comply
• Prohibit smoking and non-prescription or recreational drug use on your premises. Where alcohol is permitted, you must ensure that U18 students do not have access to alcohol.

As an accommodation provider, you must:

• Have an online booking system to enable U18 students or their agents to apply for a place at the premises.
• Send an email to the nominated contact person when an U18 student pays their security deposit and confirm the relevant booking reference number.
• Offer documented orientation materials to U18 students, including clear and accurate information, without limitation, about:
  • their rights and obligations as a resident at the premises
  • applicable pricing, when and how payments are due and any up-front payment requirements
  • any conditions relating to refunds of accommodation fees paid
  • any conditions for terminating accommodation arrangements, including penalty-free termination for U18 students that turn 18
  • who to contact in an emergency.
• Ensure that each U18 students has scheduled an airport pick-up for their arrival date. You will be responsible for confirming arrival details with UNSW if you don't hear from the student.
• Have a standardised invoicing process with rules for the number of weeks an U18 student should be charged upfront. This should be included in your policies.

As an accommodation provider, you must immediately:

• Notify UNSW Protective Services of any identified risks or critical incidents suffered by U18 students, including, without limitation:
  • accidents
  • serious illness
  • medical emergencies
• Notify the appropriate UNSW contact assigned to an U18 student of any:
  • issues relating to the student that would require UNSW to notify the government under the national code
  • unexplained absences of the student
  • concerns about the health, safety and wellbeing (physical or mental) of the student
  • concerns about the student's ability to cope with the demands of their courses at UNSW
  • serious misconduct by the U18 student.

In circumstances where:

• An U18 student submits a request to UNSW to terminate their accommodation agreement as permitted under the agreement, you must:
  • facilitate the process upon UNSW's request
  • make any necessary arrangements to shift the U18 student and their belongings to their new accommodation
  • arrange any refund due
• UNSW requests the termination of a student’s accommodation agreement in accordance with the agreement, you must:
  • action the termination within the timeframe requested
  • make all arrangements to shift the U18 student and their belongings to their alternate accommodation (both temporary and permanent)
  • follow all reasonable directions of UNSW
  • be responsible for all costs involved with moving the student.

As an accommodation provider, you must facilitate any inspection of your premises requested by UNSW.

As an accommodation provider, you must:

• Ensure that U18 students are not permitted to stay away from the premises without the prior written consent of their parent or guardian (which must be confirmed by UNSW)
• Not accept consents directly from an U18 student
• Submit requests for U18 student absences to UNSW for approval no later than close of business on the Wednesday before. You must submit requests in writing to the U18's nominated contact person.

Please note: The maximum temporary absence permitted is two nights. This may only take place on Friday and Saturday nights during the term.

UNSW will confirm all approvals for a temporary absence in writing.

You must have documented policies, procedures and protocols readily available to current and prospective U18 students, their families and agents. You must also provide a copy of your policies and procedures to UNSW upon request.

This includes, without limitation:

• The pricing for services you provide, including what, when and how to pay
• Termination options and conditions, including relevant refund conditions
• Training of personnel, in relation to their responsibilities associated with providing accommodation services and pastoral care for U18 students
• Restrictions or prohibitions on smoking, alcohol and non-prescription or recreational drug use on the premises
• Student misconduct
• Critical incidents and 24/7 emergency services
• Approval of absences for U18 students 
• Relocation of U18 students as necessary.

As an accommodation provider, you will:

• Deliver a report to UNSW every month detailing the following matters:
  • Any breaches of curfew by U18 students
  • Any U18 student welfare concerns
  • Copies of correspondence to U18 students and their parents regarding breaches and concerns.
• Deliver a report every six months to UNSW detailing the following matters:
  • A list of the Working with Children Checks and criminal record checks completed by personnel
  • The details of any new processes or policies
  • Confirmation of any actions taken in response to any issues arising from an inspection carried out by UNSW.
• Deliver an availability report to UNSW when requested.

As an accommodation provider, you must:

• Ensure that any personnel who may come into direct contact with U18 students:
  • Have a current Working with Children Check (WWCC) and clear criminal record check
  • Have received suitable training (for example, mental health, first aid and pastoral care training)
  • Are aware of your obligations.
• Provide necessary training to all personnel.
• Implement appropriate policies, practices and codes of conduct to ensure a child-safe environment.

As an accommodation provider, you must:

• Provide UNSW with updates about accommodation availability at the premises upon request. Your updates must include the:
  • number of beds available
  • number of U18 student beds available
  • period of time the beds are available.

• Make an appropriate range of accommodation packages available to UNSW. These packages must suit the needs of UNSW students and intake dates across the year.
• Meet with UNSW upon request to determine the range of packages to be offered to students in the following year. These should include a mix of:
  • 6-month packages
  • 12-month packages
  • program-length packages with a duration of one term/semester for Foundation Studies students (where possible).