Planned Building Enhancements
Academic year 2025/26

Mackinder Hall, Stenton Hall, and Childs Hall will undergo planned building enhancement works during the academic year 2025/26 to improve elements of the building fabric in terms of appearance, resilience, and continued performance. This supports our ongoing commitment to providing our residents with safe, compliant, and well-maintained accommodation.

Compensation will be offered to students in rooms impacted by the planned building enhancements for the duration the buildings are affected. The compensation will be a percentage reduction in rent on a fair and reasonable basis reflecting the level of disruption each building is likely to experience.

Due to the nature of the work not every building and room will be impacted in the same way. As such, the following will be offered:

• Directly impacted rooms – a 10% discount on rents for the duration of impact. 
• Partially or indirectly impacted rooms – a 5% discount on rents for the duration of impact. 

No compensation will be offered to residents in unimpacted rooms. Residents receiving compensation will be reimbursed retrospectively at each instalment date, once the duration of impact has been determined. Credit will be applied to the account within 28 days of the end of each rental period.

Throughout the planned building enhancement works, residents of Mackinder Hall, Stenton Hall and Childs Hall can be assured that they will remain entirely safe to occupy. The project team will ensure that general access routes and all fire exits will be kept open and fully accessible. The works will be carefully managed minimising any disruption.

The current programme of works commences 28 July 2025 and is scheduled through to the end of summer 2026.

Please note that there is no planned building enhancement work to Stenton Townhouses. 

Why are building enhancements taking place? 

Planned building enhancements are required to improve elements of the building fabric in terms of appearance, resilience, and continued performance to achieve its purpose and life expectancy. This supports our ongoing commitment to providing a safe, compliant, and well-maintained accommodation for our residents. 

How long will the building enhancements take? 

The current plan is to commence building enhancement works from end of July 2025 and complete by Summer 2026. As the programme detail develops, UPP will share information with students about when and where works will be taking place in their building. At present we anticipate work being undertaken simultaneously across all the blocks such that it can be completed as quickly as possible, and residents can benefit from the improvements in year. 

Will AY2024/25 residents be affected? 

At present, we do not anticipate any impact to the 203 AY2024/25 51-week residents at Quainton and Sonning, Childs Hall. However, should this change, further information will be provided about the nature and duration of impact as well as compensation arrangements. 

Will it be safe for me to live in Mackinder Hall, Childs Hall and Stenton Hall whilst the work takes place? 

It is completely safe for residents to live in Mackinder Hall, Childs Hall and Stenton Hall during the works. The project team will ensure that general access routes and all fire exits are always kept open and fully accessible, managing the works carefully to minimise any disruption. There will be dedicated, regular management presence on site during the works.  

Will the planned building enhancements be carried out every day? 

The daily work programme is still being defined; however, we expect that work will take place Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm. Any changes to this will be communicated with you.  

What level of disruption can I expect? 

A tolerable level of noise is anticipated but disruption will be kept to a minimum and monitored closely on a periodic basis. Scaffolding may obstruct the view from your window when work is being carried out on the block you live in. We will give you advance notice and abide by a strict pre-agreed protocol with student privacy, welfare and wellbeing in mind including being sensitive to students with specific requirements. 

Will access to floors, doors and fire exits be blocked? 

Access or movement within the buildings will not be impacted during the planned building enhancement works. Fire exits will not be blocked under any circumstances.  

What works are planned internally?

Essential works are scheduled to overhaul doors within student flats, alongside repairs within service risers and above ceilings.

We understand that construction activities, especially within shared living spaces, can be inconvenient. To help address this, each affected student will be supplied with a £15 food voucher, which offers flexible access to meal services and helps to offset any disruption caused by the work.

Will my privacy be at risk? 

When the external works are carried out, measures will be taken to preserve privacy e.g. translucent security film may be applied externally to windows of the buildings being worked on. The film allows you to look out of your window but will prevent people from seeing in, further details on these measures will be communicated to you in due course.  

Will work stop during the exam period? 

The current plan is to complete the planned building enhancement as efficiently as possible by working through the year, however work will be paused during the quiet period for exams and study to avoid disruption and inconvenience during this time. 

Will arrangements be made for residents with specific needs? 

Additional engagement will take place with any residents having specific needs to ensure their requirements are met. 

Will I receive any compensation for the disruption? 

Compensation will be offered to students in rooms impacted by the planned building enhancements for the duration blocks are affected. The compensation will be a percentage reduction in rent on a fair and reasonable basis reflecting the level of disruption each elevation is likely to experience. 

The planned scope of work means not every block elevation and room will be impacted in the same way. As such, the following will be offered: 

• Directly impacted rooms - a 10% discount on rents for the duration of impact.  
• Partially or indirectly impacted rooms – a 5% discount on rents for the duration of impact.  

No compensation will be offered to residents in unimpacted rooms. 

For residents receiving compensation, it will be payable retrospectively at each instalment date, once the duration of impact has been determined. The credit will be applied to the account within 28 days of the end of each rental period.

We will share specific information about specific impact to rooms closer to programme commencement so residents are aware of what level of compensation they will receive.  

Who can I contact if I have any questions or issues when the works are taking place? 

Please contact the helpdesk (reading.helpdesk@upp-ltd.com) if you have any feedback, questions, or concerns. A complaint handling process will be in place for the planned building enhancement works.