Options for swapping, leaving and summer accommodation

Room Swaps

The majority of students who move into halls of residence settle in well, and come to feel at home in their new room. However, we understand that there are situations in which a student may want to change their accommodation.

We have two room swap opportunities in each academic year. These will be in October and February once empty rooms become available. Students will be contacted via email as soon as more information becomes available.

Most issues such as maintenance problems or friction between housemates can be solved without anyone needing to move. Please ensure you have spoken with your hall team or the Brookes Lettings team to see how they can help you. Students can also contact the wellbeing team at Oxford Brookes for advice and support.

Leaving your accommodation

It is important to remember that contracts with both halls of residence and Brookes Lettings properties are legally binding. We do not recommend accepting one if you think you may shortly change your mind. However, we understand that students’ circumstances can change and we aim to help if possible. Please check our advice below if you no longer wish to live in our accommodation.

Cancelling your contract with Brookes

This information refers to Cheney Student Village, Clive Booth Hall, Clive Booth Postgraduate Centre, Crescent Hall, Friar Court, Harcourt Hill Hall, Paul Kent Hall, Warneford Hall, Westminster Hall and all Brookes Lettings houses.

If you no longer want your room but you will be continuing with your course:

Once you have accepted the contract it belongs to you - it does not matter whether or not you have picked up the keys and moved in. However, you are welcome to advertise for another full-time Brookes student to take over the contract from you. The student must not already have a room contracted to them. When you find someone, contact us to arrange transferring the contract. There will be an admin fee of £32.50 charged for the transfer.

You may wish to begin by advertising your room on Facebook via the Brookes Union's Housing Group.

If you are withdrawing from the university or deferring your place:

As part of the academic withdrawal, you will be asked to give details of your accommodation and notify us of your leaving date. Your contract will end 28 days after the date of your official withdrawal from the University.

Please ensure your keys are returned to your hall. If you retain your keys, you will continue to be charged. You will owe rent for the period of time that the room was contracted to you. If you have overpaid rent, the extra will be refunded.

Early Termination in Exceptional Circumstances Guidance

When you sign up to your tenancy agreement you are signing for the whole contract period. This is known as a fixed term contract and you are responsible for paying the rent for the full contract. There are limited scenarios where where you can exit your contract early explained in our guidance Early Termination in Exceptional Circumstances Guidance document.

Cancelling your contract with another accommodation provider

As well as Brookes housing and halls of residence, we also offer halls managed by the companies Unite Students and A2Dominion.

These partnership halls have their own contracts, and their own terms for ending these contracts. Please check your contract, or contact the relevant company directly to find out the terms of cancellation, before accepting your room.

Summer Accommodation

Would you like to stay in Oxford after your current hall contract has finished? If so, we offer a number of summer hall options.

We will contact all eligible students in April with more information. Please note that the summer halls can vary between years.

If you are looking for summer accommodation for 2 weeks or more, please wait for the Accommodation Bureau to contact you with your options.

If you wish to take over, or leave a contract in Cheney Student Village or Clive Booth Postgraduate Centre, rooms can be found and advertised via the Brookes Union Housing Group.

We advise students to start looking and advertising from April onwards.
We will contact students living in these halls to remind them of their options.
All summer take-overs must be carried out via the Accommodation Bureau to ensure that your contract is legally transferred.
Please note that whilst we offer this option, we cannot guarantee that you will find a replacement student and therefore you will still be liable for the remaining length of your contract.
Students are also welcome to advertise through word of mouth and via other method.

For more information please contact accomm@brookes.ac.uk who will be happy to advise.