Bring Back Parcels to UNITE Accommodation

As of December 2008 all UNITE student accommodation properties no longer accept or sign for parcels. This essentially means that nearly 40,000 students living in UNITE accommodation cannot receive parcels, as they are simply sent back to the courier's depot.

UNITE say security and lack of storage are the reasons for this change, but as couriers have access only to the reception, they should have prepared for this. Without the ability to "buzz" people into the properties UNITE must provide alternative means for parcels to reach their paying tenants.

Courier companies will not and do not ring the parcel's recipient when they arrive, as UNITE say they should in their newsletter. The parcels are simply sent back to the courier's depot, which isn't often near by. Royal Mail are being flooded with undelivered parcels, to store in their depots and are less than pleased.

Short of students changing their bank card's billing address to that of a friend living in a house, or waiting patiently from 8.30am to 5pm at UNITE's reception on the "estimated day of delivery", students are otherwise unable to receive parcels while living in UNITE's accommodation.

UNITE have taken away an essential service that you would expect in any other accommodation, and have offered no compensation. We are still paying the same rent, yet we are deprived of this important utility.