About the Properties and living at Eddington
1. Who manages the properties at Eddington?
All University-owned properties at Eddington ae mlet and managed by University Housing Services/The Accommodation Service . Estate management is undertaken by Portal Estate Management
The Accommodation Service Site Office is at 25 Eddington Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 1SE
Contacrt via email or via phone 07566 289667
2. What properties are available?
At Eddington, there are:
· One bedroom apartments
· One bedroom with study apartments
· Two bedroom apartments
· One room within a four bedroom shared apartment
Future phases may include different sized properties.
One bedroom apartments have an approximate average floor space of 52 sq m and include:
· One double bedroom
· Open plan dining/living room
· Bathroom
· For single people or couples
One bedroom with study appartments have varying sizes and include:
· One double bedroom
· One study space
· Open plan dining/living room
· Bathroom
· For single people or couples
Two bedroom apartments have an approximate average floor space of 65 sq m and include:
· One double bedroom
· One single bedroom
· Open plan dining/living room
· Bathroom
· For up to a maximum of three people (including children)
Four bedroom shared apartments include:
· Four single bedrooms each with ensuite bathroom
· Communal dining/living area
· For single occupancy only
· Bills included (Council Tax, electricity, heating and hot water standing charge and usage, broadband and water). A TV licence is not included.
3. Are the apartments furnished?
All of the apartments are fully furnished and no charge is made for the provision of furniture. The apartments contain:
· Double sofa and armchair
· Dining room table and 4 chairs
· Coffee table, desk and office chair
· Storage space
· Bed(s)
· Domestic appliances including a washing machine, tumble dryer and dishwasher
· Cooker
· Fridge
· Freezer
If you have your own furniture you would like to bring with you, you can do so. If you would like to remove any furniture we have provided, you will need to request and obtain prior permission from Lodge Property Services, and agree to transport and arrange professional storage at your own expense for which you will remain fully liable. The furniture must be returned to the apartment rooms in its original condition and location before the end of your tenancy.
Tenants will need to provide their own bedlinen, soft furnishings and crockery and tableware, as well as small electrical items such as microwave and kettle.
4. How much rent will I pay?
Rents at Eddington are standardised according to property type.
From 2024, rents range from £797 - £1201 per calendar month depending on property size.
Rent reviews take place annually. Changes to rent charged will be implemented on the anniversary of your tenancy agreement.
Rent is payable in advance on the 1st of the month and you will be asked to set up a direct debit as soon as you have accept the tenancy offer and paid your initial rent and deposit.
5. Are other household/ utility bills included in the price? Do I require Household Contents Insurance?
Rent for one and two bedroom apartments and a one bed with study does NOT include utility bills other than the heating and hot water standing charge. You will need to organise your own accounts for these services and pay for the following:
· Council tax
· Water
· Electricity
· Any telephone, Broadband and TV licence and subscriptions
· Heating and hot water usage (The standing charge for heating and hot water is included in your rent)
· Parking permit if requested (through Lodge)
Rent for a four bedroom shared apartment includes the following utility bills: council tax, electricity, heating and hot water (standing charge and usage), broadband and water.
Should I obtain Household Insurance when I move into my University-owned Property?
We very strongly recommend that you obtain Household Contents Insurance, including 3rd Party cover, when you begin your new tenancy. If you cause damage to the property through your own actions or inaction, or if damage is caused to your own possessions(even through no fault of your own), or if you cause damage to items belongings to others, you are likely to be held responsible for this. We further recommend that you include your bicycle, if you own one, in your policy details.
Council tax
Your council tax will be charged from your tenancy start date. You can find current rates here.
Water
Cambridge Water are the provider of water to your property and will bill you directly for your water supply.
Electricity
You will be advised at your check-in of the current electricity supplier for the property. Please inform Lodge Property Services if you subsequently change supplier.
Heating and hot water at Eddington: (CORE)
For one and two bedroom apartments, the rent includes the standing charge associated with the provision of heating and hot water. A variable charge for usage is an additional charge which tenants will pay directly to CORE by monthly bill.
Heating and hot water to the whole of Eddington is provided by a District Heating Network powered by an Energy Centre located on-site. The utility company is called CORE which has been set up specifically for this service and is part of the overall North West Cambridge Development.
A CORE account will be set up for you as part of your tenancy and you will be asked to agree and sign the CORE contract when you accept the tenancy – you can see an example contract here. For more information visit the Core website.
6. Can I view the apartment before I move in?
We cannot offer a viewing of your allocated home as our homes are not empty for more than a day or two. However we do have photographs and floorplans available to those that are made an offer to give you an idea of the space type and furnishings. Most of our apartments are similar in design and all contain the same type of furnishings. You are advised, if possible, to walk around Eddington to look at the development and its facilities before applying.
7. Is parking available on site?
The properties at Eddington do not automatically come with car parking spaces. This is because Eddington has been designed as a low-car community with a target of less than 40% of journeys needing to take place by single occupancy car. A range of initiatives to support sustainable travel are available.
If you do need a car, you can apply for a resident parking permit at £85 per month. Parking spaces are limited and we cannot guaranteed a space will be available. You will be provided with more information on how to apply for a resident parking permit once you have been allocated a property at Eddington.
On-street resident parking is not available, though a limited number of spaces are provided for visitors, with pay and display on street parking available in the local area.
8. Are there lifts/elevators in the apartment blocks?
Lifts/Elevators are installed in buildings with more than 3 storeys.
Apartment blocks with less than 3 storeys do not have lifts.
If you are unable to manage stairs, please tick the box for ground floor within the application process.
9. Are TV aerials provided?
There are no TV aerials on site. If you wish to watch television you will need to have an internet-ready TV or use a streaming service on another device, as well as a TV licence.
10. Will an internet connection / broadband be provided?
You will need to register for a broadband package with your chosen internet service provider from the below list (unless you are moving into a four bedroom shared apartment). It may take a while to order your package and have your system set up, so we encourage residents to make enquiries as soon as you are given a formal offer of accommodation.
Please note the mobile phone signal can be weak in some apartments unless you are near a window.
Eduroam is provided in external communal areas across the whole of Eddington. Eduroam is not provided within the apartments.
Eddington has been provided with FTTP Fibre to the Premises (sometimes referred to as Fibre to the Home FTTH) and is the fastest commercial internet infrastructure available in the UK.
Current Internet Providers (Fibre to the Home/FTTH) to Eddington are:
· BT
· Zen Internet
· Andrew and Arnolds
· Virgin Media
11. Can I keep a pet at the property?
Your tenancy agreement states that pets are not permitted. Recognised and specifically trained Assistance Animals (for definition of Assistance Animals please contact us) are only authorised with the landlord’s consent.
12. Am I allowed to smoke in the apartment?
Smoking is not allowed within apartments or in any communal areas at Eddington.
About your tenancy
13. How many people can live in the apartments?
One bedroom apartments accommodate up to two people
One bedroom apartments with study accommodate up to two people
Two bedroom apartments accommodate up to three people (including children) or a single applicant who wishes to share with one other eligible person in accordance with our sharers policy.
One bedroom within a four bedroom shared apartment accommodate single occupancy only
14. How long can visitors stay?
Visitors should not remain at the premises for more than two weeks without prior permission from Lodge Property Services.
15. Can I sublet or have a lodger at the property?
You will not be able to sublet the whole or any part of the property under the terms of your tenancy agreement. This includes AirBnB and other short-term room-letting services.
16. What facilities are available?
Eddington provides many facilities to support everyday life for residents and a wider community. These include:
· Sainsbury’s supermarket
· University of Cambridge Primary School
· Eddington Nursery
· Storey’s Field Centre community facilities
· Sports pitches, play areas, and parklands
17. How far is Eddington from the centre of Cambridge? Does it have public transport connections to University sites and other areas in Cambridge?
Eddington is approximately 2 km northwest of Cambridge city centre. It is very close to the West Cambridge site (across Madingley Road).
Cycling is encouraged and there are ample cycle paths and safe storage areas for bicycles at Eddington.
The Universal Bus service connects Eddington with the city centre and Cambridge railway station and Biomedical Campus. It runs Monday to Saturday at least every 20 minutes. It costs £1 per journey for University card holders.
Ubeego also has cars available for hire at Eddington. On arrival residents will receive complimentary Car Club membership along with details of transport links, such as the local bus and train services.
Travel planning assistance can be provided to help with journey planning in and around Cambridge, particularly to your workplace.
18. Is there a completion schedule for all construction on site?
Some construction work will continue beyond 2022 on new homes. As Eddington continues to grow and offer new facilities to its residents, there will inevitably be some construction noise for residents. Any works will take place within agreed working hours that have been approved by the Cambridge City Council planning committee when granting planning permission.
About the Application Process
19. What apartment type should I apply for?
If you are eligible to live at Eddington, you can express your preference for either a room in a 4-bed shared flat, one bedroom, one bedroom with study, or a two bedroom property based on your household size.
There is high demand for one bedroom and one bedroom with study properties at Eddington. Currently these units are mainly being offered to the high priority applicants who are new to Cambridge. This means that many applicants will not be successful in being made an offer. With that in mind, you may wish to increase your chances of being offered accommodation by choosing a two bedroom property if your circumstances permit.
20. Who is eligible to apply for Key Worker Housing at Eddington?
To qualify for housing at Eddington, applicants must be employed by the University or Colleges or one of the following Affiliated Institutions:
· Babraham Institute
· British Antarctic Survey
· Cambridge Assessment/Cambridge University Press
· EBI – European Bioinformatics Institute (Hinxton)
· MRC – Medical Research Council
· Sanger Institute
· Wellcome Trust
· University of Cambridge Primary School
Students (undergraduates, post graduates and Visiting Scholars) are not eligible to apply to live at Eddington.
Applicants must have a contract of:
· at least 18 hours per week
· Minimum employment contract of 12 months at the point of accommodation offer.
Upon application we will request a supporting offer letter stating your salary, working hours and contract length.
The eligibility criteria for Key Worker Housing at Eddington has been defined in the planning permission of the site which was agreed by the local authorities.
You must confirm that you earn below a certain threshold which is Spine Point 61 (currently is £64,914) or below (or equivalent for College/Affiliated Institution employees) and make a personal declaration that your household income is no greater than £80,000.
21. How are housing allocations prioritised?
Priority is automatically assessed and is based on the information that you provide in your application.
Allocations for available homes will be based on the following criteria:
1. Hard to fill post
2. New staff (less than 4 months from start date), new to Cambridge, coming from overseas
3. New staff, new to Cambridge, coming from the UK (outside of Cambridge)
4. New staff, prior knowledge of Cambridge, coming from overseas
5. New staff, prior knowledge of Cambridge, coming from UK (outside of Cambridge)
6. New staff, coming from the Cambridge area
7. University staff (not new starter)
8. Applicant working for an affiliated organisation
Applicants with a fellowship who are funded by a grant from elsewhere and not directly employed by the University of Cambridge are not University of Cambridge employees. These applicants will be treated with the same priority as those employed by Affiliated Institutions.
22. How do I apply for key worker housing at Eddington?
· Register with the University Accommodation Service. This will give you access to a range of properties, including privately rented accommodation and University homes. These are not just the homes at Eddington (North West Cambridge Development), which are managed by Lodge Property Services.
· Once registered, you may apply for University owned property by completing an online form. You may opt to select both market rent and key worker or only key worker accommodation. Please note that by opting only for key worker accommodation at Eddington, you may be limiting your chances of being made an offer by the University Accommodation Service elsewhere in Cambridge.
· The application form will ask you for personal and financial information to confirm that you are eligible to live at Eddington.
· You will be asked to enter a preferred ‘move-in’ date which is used to establish the start of your tenancy. You need to ensure that your ‘move-in’ date is kept current as otherwise your name will be removed from the waiting list. To optimise your chances of receiving an offer please ensure that your requested move-in date is at least one month in advance.
· We currently have a waiting list in operation and there is high demand, especially for one bedroom apartments. The waiting list changes daily as people join and leave the list, and therefore we will be unable to confirm your position on the waiting list at any point and are not able to guarantee that an offer will be made.
23. When will I know if I will get an offer?
Offers are made to within 14 days either side of your “move in date”. They can be made as little as one week or up to 3 months ahead. We cannot indicate whether you will be made an offer as the waiting list and availability of properties changes daily.
Formal offers with property details are made via email. The offer will include a plan of the actual apartment layout and images of a typical property for that block.
24. What happens when I receive the formal offer?
When you are offered accommodation, you will have 48 hours to accept or decline the offer.
Your tenancy start date may differ to the move-in date you specified in your application due to the number of people moving to Eddington at a similar time. This does not mean you have to move in on your tenancy start date but you will be liable for rent and associated charges from that point.
25. How much is the security deposit and will I get it back?
A security deposit equivalent to 5 weeks rent is required. This will be held separately with the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS). To accept the offer you will need to pay a holding deposit, which is equivalent to one weeks rent, however should you withdraw from the tenancy this may be retained.
An inspection will be undertaken at both the start and the end of the tenancy and the amount of deposit returned to you will depend on the condition of the apartment upon vacating the property and any outstanding bills for which you are responsible.
26. Can I decline an offer for housing at Eddington?
Yes, however if you refuse three offers, this will prohibit further offers being made to you.
27. Can I apply for a two bedroom property if I find someone to share with?
You may apply to share with someone else who is not a partner or family member. Only members of the University, College or Affiliated Institutions is eligible to share on this basis, and each request will be considered individually. Students are NOT eligible to be sharers in Eddington Keyworker housing.
The lead applicant is required to confirm that their employee salary is at or below spine point 61 on the University pay scale and that the household income (combined salary and income) is below £80,000 pa.
The application requires the name and details of the person with whom you wish to share your home and their eligibility must be confirmed before any offer is made. Financial arrangements between sharers must be confirmed before the tenancy commences. It is up to you to find a sharer as Lodge Property Services cannot assist in the matching process. But please note, as previously mentioned, that srudents are not eligible to be sharers in Keyworker housing.
After arriving at Eddington
28. What happens when I move in?
Once we have a fixed date for you to move in, our support team at Lodge Property Services will introduce you to your new home and highlight key features.
In addition, an online residents’ portal will also be available to help you familiarise yourself with your new home, with user instructions, local community news and information.
29. How long do tenancies last for?
As with all University managed accommodation, each tenancy agreement will last for a fixed 12 month period. If you continue to be eligible under the rental model for Eddington and satisfy the terms of your tenancy, we are able to extend your tenancy for another 12 month term, up to a maximum of five years.
30. Can I end my tenancy early?
You can request to leave your tenancy early. Your tenancy contract does not complain a break clause, and you will remain liable to pay rent, all utility bills and council tax until we have agreed and confirmed a date upon which your tenancy will end early, subject to the terms of our Early Leaver policy or until your tenancy ends as per your tenancy agreement, whichever date occurs first. A non-refundable tenancy variation fee of £100 plus VAT may be charged once you have formally expressed your wish to leave early.
To arrange to end your tenancy early, as with all other questions relating to your tenancy,please contact the University Accommodation Service at universityresidences@admin.cam.ac.uk and request details about our Early Leaver policy and procedure.
31. How often will rent reviews take place?
Rent reviews take place annually and will normally increase no more than 3.5% per annum (this may be rounded to the nearest £5). Rent changes will be implemented on the anniversary of your tenancy agreement. Tenants who stay for a fourth and fifth year will see their rent increase by a greater percentage increase.
32. What happens if I no longer qualify for subsidised housing because I leave the University or my income increases?
If your employment with the University, College or Affiliated Institution ceases before your tenancy agreement ends, or you are no longer eligible because your income (salary or household) is too high, you will no longer qualify for housing at Eddington. At that point your rent will increase to the market rent value of the apartment (as given in your current tenancy agreement) and you may be given notice that your tenancy will terminate early. At the point of your tenancy renewal you will be asked to re-confirm your salary and total household income to ensure it remains below the threshold.
Four bedroom apartments: Sharing at Eddington
1. How does the tenancy agreement work?
For four-bedroom apartments, each room has its own Tenancy Agreement which is independent to the other residents in the apartment. Your Tenancy Agreement is not affected by the tenancies of other residents in the apartment.
2. How are rooms allocated?
When deciding who is allocated a property, the priorities of different staff types apply. Allocations for the new residences will be based on point scoring:
1. Hard to fill post
2. New staff, new to Cambridge, coming from overseas
3. New staff, new to Cambridge, coming from the UK (outside of Cambridge)
4. New staff, prior knowledge of Cambridge, coming from overseas
5. New staff, prior knowledge of Cambridge, coming from UK (outside of Cambridge)
6. New staff, coming from the Cambridge area
7. University staff (not new starter)
8. Applicant working for an Affiliated Institute
The room allocations within apartments are done by a random ballot.
3. Can I pick which room I get?
It is not possible to choose which room is allocated to you.
4. I have a smaller bedroom/bathroom – do I pay less rent?
All four-bedroom apartment rooms have a standardised rent, regardless of variations between individual rooms.
5. Can I move to a different apartment?
It is not possible to move residents from one apartment to another during the course of a tenancy.
6. What happens if I need to move out early?
You can express your wish to leave your tenancy early. You will be liable to pay rent until a new tenant is found or until your tenancy ends as per your tenancy agreement, whichever date occurs first. A non-refundable tenancy variation fee of £100 plus VAT may be charged once you have formally expressed your wish to leave early.
7. How are bills divided?
As the rent for four-bedroom sharer apartments includes bills (council tax, electricity, heating and hot water, broadband and water), there is no need to divide these further. However please see below for more information on TV licences.
8. Can we switch utility provider?
The landlord Lodge Property Services has already selected and arranged for the utility providers for 4-bedroom sharer apartments. This has already been factored in to the standardised £675pcm rent. Therefore it is not possible to change utility providers unless Lodge Property Services approves the change.
9. Do I have to buy a TV Licence? Does my flatmate’s TV Licence cover my viewing?
Residents who have a TV in their room and/or who use a computer, games console, digital box or any other device to watch live TV on any channel or BBC programmes on iPlayer must, under UK law, obtain their own TV Licence. It is up to residents to arrange this and is not included in the rent.
However if residents wish to have a communal TV for all residents to watch they can buy one TV Licence between them to cover this. It is up to residents to arrange this and divide the cost between them. This does not cover any TV watched in individuals’ rooms.
Residents who do not watch or record television programmes as they are being shown on TV can register this with the TV Licensing Enforcement Division.
10. Can I have people to stay?
Sharer rooms in four-bedroom apartments are intended for single occupation. It is recognised that a resident may wish to have an occasional guest to stay overnight. As a broad guideline, you should not have an overnight guest to stay for more than two nights in any week.
Residents must accept full responsibility for their guests.
11. My flatmate is really messy/noisy/using my cupboard – what can you do to help?
Lodge Property Services is not able to intervene with disputes between flatmates, and rely on all residents behaving respectfully. We would recommend that all residents agree some house rules regarding noise, cleaning, guests, food storage and food preparation to minimise problems throughout the tenancy.
12. There is damage to the property, who pays for the cost of repairing it?
Any cost of any cleaning or damage within any communal areas will be automatically divided equally between all occupants in each apartment. If residents wish to divide this cost up differently between them they may do that themselves.
All residents are individually and wholly responsible for the cost of any cleaning or repairs required within their individual rooms.
