The quality of Foss Studios is really disappointing and I definitely do not recommend booking it. I first chose Foss because of the air conditioner considering I can use it both in summer and winter, but the air conditioner is actually useless because it automatically shifts to the opposite mode (from heating to cooling in the winter) and the staff have not told me to lock the mode until I asked them and I suffered the whole winter constantly turning on and off the AC. When it comes to summer, it is not that hot in the UK but even though it is quite cool outside, opening the window cannot make the air circulate and it is still somewhat hot in the room. Besides, I am so afraid to open the window the whole day because the spiders or bees will come into the room. Everything in the bathroom is also terrible. Firstly, the automatic light in the bathroom only turns on for about 5 minutes, and it is impossible for me to take a shower (especially when I have to wash my hair) without reopening the door to turn on the light. Secondly, the first day I checked in and took a shower, the drain was completely blocked. I don't know why the staff did not check the drain before and when I called the maintenance, he pulled out a lot of hair, which was super disgusting. Thirdly, the water temperature controller of the shower was also broken. It was either hot like boiling water or super cold. I told the reception once but he said it was just because too many people showered at the same time, which was not the case because I complained three times and they finally came to check out, realizing that it was broken and replaced with a new one. But I had been taking an insanely hot shower for about four months. The worst thing is that the whole department has the silverfish issue, and in winter the silverfish will just fall from the wall. I can see silverfish on my desk almost every day everywhere. They put a bomb that is supposed to kill all the insects in the room but the effectiveness only last for about a month. I asked for changing the room but they did not allow me even though they promised me. But my tenancy will end in only two months and I do not want to waste the energy to complain about the same issue again and again. Also, I can see 3-4 spiders on the ceiling above the staircase every day but no one cleans them. The design of the whole building is quite terrible. The facilities are of poor quality and require constant maintenance. I just don't think the studios are worth the price.
When I first moved into Foss, I had a really positive experience. There was always someone on Reception and 24/7 security. A lovely man called Dan used to work there and he organised some fantastic social events at the start of the year. It helped me to meet people in the accommodation and the other two Hello Student buildings nearby. While Dan worked there, he made all the difference; always on hand to help and make up for the shortfalls of the management, the reduced and then absent security, and the poor quality of the rooms and facilities. However, when he left, these shortfalls all became much more noticeable and I would say without hesitation that the high rent is, as a result, completely unjustified. The management are sometimes friendly and helpful but largely seeks to do the bare minimum and become cold if you expect anything further. I knew of another tenant who, upon leaving Foss, asked for a parcel she was notified about to be forwarded to her. Despite having gone above and beyond by working for Foss, her request was refused on the basis that the post office was a mile away when, in fact, it is just up the road – about 2 minutes’ walk. After a recurring incident, I contacted the reception via email and noted that the 24 hours’ notice provision required of landlords or their agents was not being complied with. I was told that “there was no need to invoke our legal obligations” and made to feel like I had been a nuisance despite the fact that, as a young woman, an older man walking into my room while I was in a towel with little warning was somewhat concerning. Safety is a primary concern for many students, and their families. Foss appealed to me because of the excellent security they had and was in place for the start of my tenancy. However, this soon disappeared. Some residents who used to be paid to work on reception were instead employed as “community ambassadors”. This entails being paid an absolute pittance to be on call for long shifts, including throughout the night in case people lock themselves out etc. Frankly, I would not be surprised if this work was illegal on the pay that they were getting and it definitely requires investigation. Further, the resulting lack of security for residents was poor and placed undue pressure on the employed residents to handle situations outside of their remit. Equally, it increased the likelihood that 111 might be called even where it was not appropriate to do so in the absence of another point of contact. While it would be quite easy for Foss to take the attitude that students are (almost always) legal adults and therefore do not require looking after, many students are still young and living away from home for the first time. Moreover, there are only studio flats in Foss so you don’t necessarily have someone watching out for you in the way you might if you had housemates. Foss has to undertake a basic duty of care for its residents and, in my opinion, the security changes mean that it now fails to do. On top of all this, the rooms and facilities are poor. The other two Hello Student buildings are far superior in this respect, having been refurbished by the company/newly built. In contrast, Foss retains the same layout and poor-quality furniture as was instated by the previous owners (Fresh Student Living). This includes a yellow chair that everyone possesses covered with stains and marks from previous tenants and a large wardrobe to compensate for the fact that you have one tiny kitchen cupboard. (Inevitably, you end up using the wardrobe – or bookshelves – to store your groceries which is hardly ideal.) The facilities within the rooms are shocking – a microwave/oven combination which is no substitute for an actual oven, a tiny fridge-freezer, and a push-tap sink in the bathroom which is completely impractical. Percy’s and Samuel Tuke’s have gyms and cinemas that you can hire out. Foss has no gym and a small lounge that is hardly ever used because the facilities are limited and the furnishings uncomfortable. I understand that, out of context, some of this review might be easy to dismiss as having overly high standards etc. However, given the cost of rent and some of the disparities between this property and others owned by Hello Student, I think everything said here is quite reasonable. (Though, having friends in the other properties, I understand that they have their shortfalls too.) My only positives by the end of the year were the location (it is easy walking distance to both the City Centre and The University of York) and there is a small grassy area with a couple of picnic benches which are sometimes nice to sit at.
