Students who were due to move into the private accommodation at Riverside Quay were forced to find temporary accommodation after the flats were not ready in time for the start of term.
Over 200 students were told that their accommodation at Riverside Quay would not be ready for Fresher’s week, as construction still needs to be completed.
Some students were informed one week before Freshers, whilst others learned of this when they arrived at the building and some learned the news while travelling to Stirling.
The university has housed some of the students and others have been housed in hotel rooms paid for by Glasgow based Maven Capital Partners, who have partially funded the project.
Riverside Quay, which is located at the corner of Shore Road and Forthside Way, is operated by Fresh Student Living and is one of the first private student accommodations to be built in Stirling, and has been funded by Maven Capital Partners, Hong Kong based IP Investment Management, and has received a boost in funding from the Royal Bank of Scotland.
The development has been criticised for its rent prices earlier this year by the student union’s Housing Officer Cian Ireland.
Ireland has further criticised Fresh Student Living over accommodation not being ready in time,
“I have talked to a few of the students affected. It’s clear that the communication from Fresh Student Living to their tenants was appalling, especially considering international students have been affected.
“I hope that Fresh Student Living will appropriately compensate tenants for this, and if they don’t, I look forward to working with tenants to get compensation.”
Fresh Student Living have issued a comment about the delay,
“We are really excited to welcome students to their new home at Riverside Quay, which is brand new for this year. Due to some finishing touches with the building work, our official move in date has been slightly delayed.
“Our students’ safety and welfare is our number one priority so we are working in collaboration with the University of Stirling to provide temporary accommodation for those students affected.
“We apologise for the inconvenience caused and our accommodation team will be on hand to offer support and practical help to all students.”
Ogilvie construction have said that they are focusing all efforts to have the work completed as soon as possible.
Colin Anderson, a partner at Maven Capital, said: “As a result of some further work that needs to be undertaken on Riverside Quay completion of the project is subject to a short delay. The building contractor Ogilvie Construction is expending all efforts to ensure that this is achieved as soon as possible.
“In the meantime, a programme of communication has been put in place, led by Fresh Student Living, to contact students so that they can be offered alternative temporary accommodation within the Stirling area, at our expense, to minimise any inconvenience to them and their studies.
“It is currently anticipated that students should be able to move into Riverside Quay on a phased basis commencing next week, assuming that the contractor obtains the necessary consents and permissions in the intervening period.
“Our key objective remains to ensure that a high-quality development that meets the needs of students is delivered as soon as possible.”
Featured Image: The Stirling Observer
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