Research, Scholarship &
Quality Office
The Open University
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
United Kingdom
MK7 6AA
14 July 2015
Dear New Student,
Welcome to the Open University!
My name is Abdullah Al Mamun, a postgraduate research student here at the OU and I am currently
looking after the role of accommodation adviser. First and foremost, I would like to congratulate you
on your offer of a place as a full-time postgraduate research student at the OU!
Open University is the largest academic institute in UK in terms of student number with over 200,000
students registered at present. However, almost all of these students (except the post graduate
research students) are enrolled in distant learning courses, which mean they are not based on
campus. As a result, unlike most universities in UK, Open University doesn’t have any student
accommodation/residential hall on campus. So, the best way to arrange accommodation is to
privately rent a house or a room in a shared accommodation. That’s when my role begins as
accommodation adviser, to help find the best suited accommodation for you with information and
guidelines, as you will find few in this letter.
Research students are based on the main campus of the Open University at Walton hall, Milton
Keynes. There are few good residential areas around the university within walking / cycling distance.
Many of our research students also live near the city centre and in old town Bletchley both of which
are just few miles away from the university and have a direct bus connection. We are aware that
many of you will relocate with your family and thus it’s not just your convenience but all of your
family’s convenience you have to consider before choosing an appropriate accommodation. Please
find some useful links for information about school and childcare in Milton Keynes on the overleaf. If
you are moving to Milton Keynes for the first time, we recommend that you arrange temporary
accommodation for the first week or so of your stay here – that way you will have a chance to look
around and find something more permanent to suit your needs. You may also find some useful
information about finding permanent and temporary housing on the overleaf.
There are few property agents working in the surrounding residential areas (please see overleaf),
through which it is often easiest to find appropriate accommodation. However, you are likely to have
to pay a little more for the convenience. For this you will usually be asked to provide confirmation of
your status as an OU student. Tracey Bean-Williams, Manager of the Research Degrees Team, can
provide this if needed, but she cannot do so without your expressed permission because of the Data
Protection Act. It is therefore essential that you let her have this permission as soon as you begin
negotiating with an agent. You can either write to Tracey at the address above or send an email to
research-degrees-office@open.ac.uk. On that note, please do let the Research Degrees Office know
of any changes to your postal address, email address and/or contact telephone number before
starting your studies, to ensure that you do not miss out on vital information. Again, you can do this
by sending an email to the address above.
If you have any queries or would like any further information, do please feel free to get in touch at
student-accommodation-advisers@open.ac.uk. Alternatively you can contact the Research School
(email research-degrees-office@open.ac.uk or phone 01908 654882), who will be happy to help you
and/or pass on messages to the appropriate people.
We are looking forward to welcome you on campus soon!
Accommodation adviser, Abdullah Al Mamun
student-accommodation-advisers@open.ac.uk
Moving to Milton Keynes
Helpful information
 If you can’t get to Milton Keynes before starting your studies, it might be best to plan to stay in
temporary accommodation when you first arrive and then choose your own permanent
accommodation after having settled. The best sources of information about accommodation
in Milton Keynes are:
http://www.rightmove.co.uk
http://www.mk-lettings.co.uk/
http://www.spare-room.co.uk http://uk.easyroommate.com
http://www.mkweb.co.uk/
If you have any trouble finding temporary accommodations, or would like any advice about
where you can stay, again please don’t hesitate to contact me.
 Make sure that before you start your accommodation negotiations you have the necessary
paperwork to satisfy landlord or agency requirements. This may include references of
character; previous rental behaviour; proof of studentship income and/or bank references
and/or details of other supplementary income.
 Make sure that when you begin negotiations over accommodation with an agent that you
provide the Research Degrees Office with your permission to pass on details of your student
status to the agent.
 If you are moving your family to Milton Keynes with you, you probably know there are many
other issues to consider. If you have any more specific questions please contact the
accommodation advisors or the Research Degrees Office. Contact the Milton Keynes
Council for advice on school admissions if you are transferring your children into local
schools. The website for admission to schools in Milton Keynes is:
http://schoolsfinder.direct.gov.uk/schoolsfinder/
The Childcare Information Service website is:
http://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/children-young-people-families
The advice telephone numbers of Milton Keynes council admission service for primary
school, secondary school and childcare is 01908 253338
 Make sure you get a written agreement of rental terms from your landlord including details of
non-rental charges you may be liable for before you move in.
 Make sure to complete a full inventory check of your property (with the landlord) and a written
record of any utility meter readings at the time that you move in and ensure that it is signed
as a true record by both you and the landlord. It is often useful to take photos too.
 Make sure you get a council tax exemption certificate from the Research Degrees Office when
you start your studies, that you register with MK Council Tax Department and confirm your
exemption status as a full-time student.
The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England & Wales and a
charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302).2