Ghosts among student room concerns

While the majority of sixth-form pupils getting their results today will be gnawing their fingernails over their grades, some have been wringing their hands over rather more bizarre concerns - such as whether their accommodation at university could be haunted.

New students are usually worried about the price of beer, whether they're going to make friends and where the nearest late-night pizza parlour is.

But some youngsters have been posing some rather more taxing questions to staff at Unite Students, which provides homes for 44,000 students across the UK.

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Concerns of a spiritual nature

One female student destined for university in Nottingham was worried about ghosts and wanted assurances her room was not haunted.

When staff asked her to elaborate, she asked if the room "had ever been occupied by ghosts or spirits".

A male student heading to Huddersfield thought the accommodation he was considering was ablaze after he looked at it on Google Earth and spotted what he thought was smoke.

He rang staff, saying: "Before I go and view, can you reassure me it is not on fire?"

And another female student wanted to know how close the nearest graveyard was. Unite Student staff used mapping tools to reassure her that the closest graveyard was some distance away.

Get your questions in early

Richard Smith, Unite Students managing director, said: "We do all we can to make sure our properties are a home for success for our students.

"These are some of the more entertaining examples of the huge volume of requests we get, but I'm very glad that in each case we were able to set the student's mind at rest.

"There's a lot to be said for getting your questions in early, as competition for places means rooms get taken up early."

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