Student Only Zinc Quarter

There isn't a gym, the walk from the bus stop feels isolated, and groups of people often gather nearby. The area made me feel unsafe, though I was never robbed or physically harmed. The flat was dirty when I moved in, with grime around the window, and the windows only open a little, leaving the room stuffy and poorly ventilated. Getting repairs was hard too. Replies were slow, and once I was told to buy my own plunger. Oil dripped from the cooker hood motor and nobody came to fix it after I reported it, which felt dangerous while cooking. The elevator kept breaking and was out of service for nearly two months straight near the end of my contract. That made everyday life difficult, especially since I had to move out on schedule with no flexibility. This was by far my worst accommodation experience. I wouldn't recommend it. There are much better places with proper maintenance, cleanliness, and safety.

The staff are outstanding and always ready to help, and we're close to campus. Maintenance usually shows up within two days, or straight away for urgent issues. I really like the main common room and courtyard, and would recommend living here. A few people have sat on the steps, but when I spoke to reception, they went and moved them along. Honestly, this is the best team and building I've lived in.

I paid £300 a week and came away feeling ripped off. During my year here, the shower pipes flooded for the first six months, the freezer kept stopping and ruining food, and I got an electric shock from a plug in the mains. The games room they promote on the website had a broken pool table and what was basically an old wooden table for ping pong. It was my least enjoyable year living anywhere. I don't understand how this was my only accommodation option for foundation year, and I would never recommend any Student Roost accommodation.

The receptionists are lovely, kind, and good at their jobs. Unless it's the middle of the night and your door has locked you out with your key inside, which happens often, and nobody is at reception, so you're left waiting hours to get back in. The cheap materials show everywhere. Things break and clog, and the quality is poor. In a 12-person townhouse, the vertical five-storey layout makes it hard for students to build rapport. It feels easier to hang out with people in prison. The place seems designed to make as much money from students as possible. I used to worry about living alone because of ghosts. After Zinc Quarter, I'd happily share a one-bedroom flat with a poltergeist. Living here was the real horror story, and you couldn't pay me to come back. If you're running out of time or think this is your only option, I promise there's always a better one.