FINANCE INFORMATION 2013/14
ACCOMMODATION SERVICES – BIRMINGHAM CITY UNIVERSITY
General information about paying your residence fees
This section is designed to give you all the financial information you need for your
stay in Birmingham City University accommodation. Please read it thoroughly and
contact a member of the Finance Team if you have any queries. Contact details are
provided at the end of this document
All transactions for accepting an offer of accommodation, payment of the advance
payment and payment of residence fees will be completed online for the 2013/14
accommodation/academic year.
Charges for accommodation
The residence fees are calculated annually as part of the University budget process,
which is managed by the Vice-Chancellor and approved by the Board of Governors.
Charges for accommodation are determined by the policy that halls of residence
should break even and that the charges should reflect all costs, including borrowing,
and that sufficient funds for the estate should be maintained at a reasonable level.
Advance payment
When the University makes an offer of accommodation, part of the acceptance
procedure requires an advance payment of £350 by credit/debit card. You will be
asked for your card details during the acceptance process. Failure to provide this
payment will result in the accommodation being withdrawn.
The advance payment is used towards your first instalment of rent. However, this
payment is not refundable if you cancel your accommodation requirement unless
your cancellation is made under the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling)
Regulations 2000 – see your Licence Agreement.
If you do not have a credit/debit card please contact a member of the Finance Team.
Please be aware that this will delay your acceptance significantly.
How to pay your residence fees
Payment of residence fees is by direct debit, either in three or nine instalments.
When you accept your offer of accommodation you will be asked to provide details of
your UK bank account.
Please read the section “What happens if I fail to pay” at the end of this section for
how failure to pay your residence fees may affect you.
Three instalments – The total amount for the duration of your Licence Agreement
(minimum 40 weeks), is divided into three instalments, the advance payment of £350
will be deducted from the first instalment.
Payment by direct debit for the three instalments will be debited from accounts on the
following dates:
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27 September 2013
10 January 2014
2 May 2014
Nine monthly instalments – The total amount for the duration of your Licence
Agreement is divided into nine instalments, the advance payment of £350 will be
deducted from the first instalment (please note that these instalments will not equate
to four weeks’ rent). The nine instalments only apply to a minimum 40 week licence
(September - June). For licence agreements that are less than 40 weeks (eg Nursing
students), the number of monthly instalments may be different. The first instalment
may be higher than the remaining instalments.
Payment by direct debit for these instalments will be debited from accounts at the
end of each month, but we cannot guarantee the same date each month.
Depending on how you will be funding your residence fees, please ensure you
choose the correct method of payment when you accept your offer of
accommodation (eg students being funded termly would normally choose to pay by
three instalments).
Please note depending on your method of payment some students will see that the
payments for each instalment may be different to other students, however this will not
affect or increase your overall cost of accommodation for the term of your Licence
Agreement.
What happens next when paying by Direct Debit?
In order to comply with direct debit guidelines, the University will register the account
holder’s bank/building society details within three months from date of receipt. A
letter is sent to the account holder to confirm details of the amounts due and the
payment dates. If a letter is not received by the week prior to the term starting, please
contact a member of the Finance Team in Accommodation Services.
When you pay by direct debit, the residence fees will be deducted from your current
bank/building society account automatically, as long as there are sufficient funds
available. Your bank may charge you if there are insufficient funds to meet the
scheduled payment.
Accommodation staff are not advised of when student loans are credited to students’
accounts. Payment by direct debit will still be requested from your bank, even if you
have not received your loan. It is your responsibility to ensure there are sufficient
funds in your account on the date the direct debit is due to be paid.
Sufficient funds
You must ensure that there are sufficient funds in your account up until you are
certain that the money has been debited from the account. If, for any reason, you find
you do not have the funds to cover the full value of the payment, please inform a
member of the Accommodation Services Finance Team before the payment due
date.
The first few weeks at University can be expensive, particularly if you are moving
away from home. Besides paying for your residence fees, there will be other
expenses such as books, stationery, food and travel as well as entertainment. It is
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essential that you budget carefully so that you can live comfortably and without worry
during your first few weeks.
What happens if a direct debit payment fails?
If, for whatever reason, the direct debit payment fails (for example the direct debit
instruction may not have been received by the bank or there may be insufficient
funds) the University will write to the account holder (with a copy to the student if they
are not the account holder) requesting payment by an alternative method. You may
be asked to pay a fee of £20 to cover the cost of requesting and processing the
alternative payment. If it is the bank’s fault that the direct debit failed, you are still
liable to pay the £20 charge to the University, but may then try to recover this sum
from the bank.
Should this payment remain unsettled, the direct debit will be cancelled and a
Birmingham City University invoice raised. If you are paying by nine monthly
instalments, the invoiced amount will be for the total amount due not just for the
unpaid instalment.
The University does not re-present failed direct debits.
Late offers
If you receive a late offer (after 16 September 2013), you will miss the direct debit
deadline for the first termly/monthly instalment. However, you can pay the first
instalment by an alternative method (bank draft, credit/debit card or bank/building
society cheque) and set up a direct debit for the remaining instalments.
Important information:

Direct debits can only be processed through UK current accounts from banks
or building societies.

Direct debits are accepted from accounts other than students, for example,
parents or guardians.

A Birmingham City University receipt will not be sent when paying by direct
debit. Evidence of payment will be on your current bank/building society
account statement.

To meet the deadline date for amendments, all amendments to a direct debit
instruction must be received by the Accommodation Services Finance Team
more than 14 days prior to the date of payment. This is to avoid payment
being processed to the wrong account, possibly resulting in a charge from the
bank/building society.

The cancellation of a direct debit must be notified to Accommodation Services
Finance Team more than five working days prior to the date of payment to
avoid the payment being requested from the bank.
If your licence agreement is for less than 40/41 weeks for example, Erasmus
students
After deducting the £350 advance payment, the total amount due for the duration of
your Licence Agreement is payable at the start of the term. Payment must be in
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pounds sterling. The following methods of payment are acceptable: cash, personal
cheque/bank draft, credit card, debit card or bank transfer.
If you are an international or EU student
If you do not have a UK bank or building society account, payment is to be made by
cheque, bank transfer, bank draft or credit card for the first instalment. Future
instalments are to be paid by direct debit once you have opened a UK bank or
building society account. Due to UK Border Agency rules, the University is only
allowed to accept money for accommodation for University owned property (this
excludes the Opal 1, Jennens Court and Unite halls of residence and all private
sector apartments and houses).
Other payment methods
For any student unable to pay by direct debit, payments of residence fees are due on
the following dates:
For 40-week licences:
14 September 2013
6 January 2014
28 April 2014
For 41-week licences:
8 September 2013
6 January 2014
28 April 2014
For 42-week licences:
1 September 2013
6 January 2014
28 April 2014
Payment must be in pounds sterling and the following methods are acceptable: credit
card, debit card, bank transfer or bank draft.
Discount for payment in full
A 2.5 per cent discount is available for payment in full at the start of the year. To
qualify for the discount, you must pay residence fees for the period September to
June on or before the day of arrival. The amount to be discounted will be refunded,
please refer to the section below which provides more information about the refund
process.
This discount only applies to 40- 41- or 42- week accommodation Licence
Agreements. The discount will be re-applied to your student accommodation account
in the event of early departure from halls of residence.
When paying by bank transfer
Set up the transfer with your bank to pay direct to the University’s bank account.
Remember to ask your bank to quote ‘Accommodation Fees’ your student ID number
and your full name on the transfer. All payments to the University must be in pounds
sterling. Payment of all bank charges is the responsibility of the student. Please be
aware it can take two to three weeks for the University to trace your payment, once it
has been transferred to the University’s account.
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If you are paying your accommodation advance payment together with tuition fees,
please ensure the two payments are clearly itemised separately on the bank transfer
form.
After you have made your payment, you must complete all details in Sections 1-3 of
the Notification of Payment by Bank Transfer Form and promptly fax a copy of the
form to Accommodation Services on + 44 (0)121 331 5377 and to the University’s
Finance Department on + 44 (0)121 331 6349.
The Notification of Payment by Bank Transfer Form can be found online at
http://www.bcu.ac.uk/international/discover-bcu/fees-finance-scholarships/depositpayments click on the link “Download a copy of the Notification of Payment by Bank
to Bank Transfer document” halfway down the page.
All transfers must be made payable to:
Account name – Birmingham City University
Account number – 78069467
Sort/branch code – 60-02-35
IBAN number – GB36NWBK60023578069467
Swift number – NWB KGB2L
University bank contact details: NatWest, 1 St Philip’s Place, Birmingham, B3 2PP
Receipts
Payments you make to Accommodation Services by cash, cheque and credit/debit
card, paid in person will be receipted and you are advised to keep the receipt for the
duration of your stay in the accommodation. Payments made by direct debit are not
receipted.
Student loans
If you have not already submitted an application, you must contact your Local
Education Authority (LEA) immediately. Even if you think that you will have to pay the
full tuition fee, you should still apply to your LEA so that you can be assessed for a
student loan.
If your loan is delayed, it is your responsibility to keep in weekly contact with the
Accommodation Services staff and to provide evidence of your delay in writing from
the loans company. Failure to provide evidence or keep in contact will result in
Accommodation Services taking further action.
Other miscellaneous charges
You will be contacted by Accommodation staff if you are to pay for any other
miscellaneous charges. You will be given a deadline date by which payment must be
made. In the event of non-payment an official Birmingham City University invoice will
be raised to cover the charge plus a charge of £20. Any dispute must be raised prior
to an official University invoice being raised. Examples of miscellaneous charges:
damage, cleaning, replacement keys, etc.
Refunds
If, during your stay in accommodation, you are due a refund of monies, you must
apply to the Accommodation Services Finance Team. If the refund is agreed, an
application will be completed by Accommodation Services and sent to the
University’s Finance Department. It can take several weeks to process a refund and
depending upon the time of year could take longer.
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Debtors – Refunds of overpayment or payment returns of any kind will not be
released to students or customers with outstanding unpaid invoices or fees owing to
the University. The University reserves the right to deduct any such items at source
from any refund due prior to issue.
Minimum refund value – Refunds will not normally be considered for values less
than £20.
Return to payer – Payments received by the University on behalf of a student or
customer need to be returned to the original payer. Requests for the University to
refund third parties will need to be supported by the original payer’s written
authorisation instructing the University to do so, providing details of the recipient and
the relationship to the student or customer.
Refund authorisation – Refund/credit requests for issue to students or customers
will need to be processed by Accommodation Services and forwarded to the
University’s Finance Department with the relevant documentation and appropriate
authorisation from the relevant budget holder. All refunds and credit requests are to
be authorised by the relevant authorised signatory within Finance prior to processing.
Refunds over £3,000 – Refunds to an individual where the value is £3,000 or more
will need to be collected in person from the University’s Finance Department with
relevant identification whenever possible or practical. When this is not possible, a
signed agreement is required before the refund is issued to comply with guidance
issued regarding Money Laundering Regulations.
Refund method – The University’s preferred method of issuing refunds is currently
via BACS or cheque. An alternative method of refund (for example, CHAPS or
SWIFT payments) may be considered, but any administration charges incurred will
be deducted at source from the refund value. Cash refunds will not be available
under any circumstances.
Refund currency – All refunds will be issued payable in pounds sterling. Requests
for payment in other currencies may be considered, but cannot be guaranteed. Any
administration charges incurred will be deducted from the refund at source.
Extenuating circumstances – All claims, requests or cases of extenuating
circumstances for credits or refunds to be applied outside this policy and liability
parameters should be referred to the Accounts Receivable Manager for
consideration.
Where to go for financial assistance
The University will make every effort to assist students who face financial difficulties
and who have unpaid overdue fees.
If you are facing severe financial difficulties, you can contact the Student Finance
section of Student Services by telephoning +44 (0) 121 331 6387 or emailing
studentfinance@bcu.ac.uk to request advice about any other sources of finance that
may be available to you.
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The Advice Centre, Students’ Union
The Advice Centre offers a full debt counselling service as well as support and
guidance to students, no matter how big or small the problem. Emergency
appointments are available on the day or contact Student Services in advance to
book an appointment by telephoning +44 (0) 121 331 6850.
What happens if I fail to pay?
Students who remain in default of the payment terms specified in the Licence
Agreement, the Terms and Conditions and the fee payment policy after all recovery
attempts have failed to produce a payment may be affected by some or all of the
following penalties imposed on their student record:

Suspension from the module, course, project, research and all aspects of the
chosen method and subject of study

No entitlement to attend or participate in lectures, classes, teaching, tutorials
or learning instruction of any kind while penalties are in operation

University services assisting with any research, thesis or other work will be
suspended

No access to library services and IT services

Awards certificates will be withheld

No invitation issued and no attendance allowed at awards ceremonies

Delays may be incurred in course progression if this is dependent on
evidence or written verification/validation or achievements or results

Delays may be incurred in the release of final awards and validation of work
by Examination and/or Assessment Boards and Panels
In addition, Birmingham City University will not provide any written confirmation
of:
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
University attendance

University references

Transcripts

Examination results or grades of achievement

Visa endorsement or validation required by any individual, organisation or
third parties seeking confirmation or clarification of any matters relating to the
University and the student

The University will not arrange, oversee, supervise or validate any student
placement with an external organisation

Re-enrolment will not be permitted
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
The debt may be referred to a solicitor, debt collection agent or other external
organisation to recover the debt as instructed by the University
Students will be notified by the University if penalties are imposed. Once applied, all
penalties will remain in effect until fees have been settled in full.
The University may also terminate your accommodation Licence Agreement on the
grounds of overdue payments. This means you will be required to vacate your
accommodation and if necessary court action will be taken to gain possession. The
financial liability will remain until the end of the Licence Period.
Keep in touch
If you are experiencing financial problems and are having difficulty paying your
residence fees, please keep the Accommodation Services Finance Team informed of
your financial situation. Keeping Accommodation Services informed on a regular
basis enables us to offer you the assistance you require.
The Accommodation Services Finance Team is based in Howes Building on the City
North Campus and can be contacted on the following telephone numbers:
+44 (0) 121 331 6785
+44 (0) 121 331 5189
+44 (0) 121 331 6782
+44 (0) 121 331 6930
Or by email: accommodationfinance@bcu.ac.uk
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