Forster Court, 7 Charles Babbage Road

We hope you enjoy your stay at Charles Babbage Road. If there is anything missing or broken in the apartment, please let the Housing Office know immediately so that we can make your stay more comfortable. We generally have someone carry out minor repairs on a monthly basis, so it is important that we have the details as soon as possible. Please complete a Housekeeping Request Form to notify us of repairs.

Remember!! If we do not know something is broken, we cannot arrange to have it fixed.

Cleaning & Linen

There are laundry facilities at your disposal in one of the buildings. Please see the below map for where the laundry facilities are located.

Our housekeeper will come once a week every Tuesday to clean the apartment. As much as possible the cleaners have been asked not to move your belongings. This means that surfaces will only be fully dusted/cleaned if they are left clear.

Beds will be prepared for you on arrival but not thereafter. One set of linen and towels are provided and will be replenished upon request. To request clean linen or towels please fill in a https://www.newton.ac.uk/form/housekeeping on a Monday or Thursday and the items you have requested will be delivered the following day.

There is a linen basket in every apartment. Please leave your dirty linen inside the basket on the day it is being replaced and the housekeeping team will remove the dirty items.

We provide all the houses with toilet paper, dishwasher liquid and garbage bags on arrival, as a courtesy. We will not provide them during the whole period of your stay.

Hot water and heating are powered by electricity and heating costs are incorporated into the rent charged by the Institute to avoid having to invoice participants at a later date.

We read the meters on a regular basis and ask all tenants to be mindful of the cost of heating using the guidelines given below. We may be forced to increase your daily rent if your electricity bills grow to an unexpected level.

Control timers for hot water and heating are in the living room cupboard (alongside the main electric trip switches). Hot water booster switch is in the bathroom cupboard (next to the hot water cylinder). For full instructions click here.

Heating – Using the timer

• Go to the timer clock for ‘Heating’ – make sure the trip switch (on the right) is ON (up)
• The timer uses a 24-hour clock. Turn the knob in the centre of the clock dial until the current correct time is set against the small black pointer – the main dial displays the hours and a smaller display shows minutes. Please note that the dial moves in a clockwise direction only.
• The blue segments around the dial represent 30-minute periods of time.
• When the segments are set IN (towards the centre of the dial), this is the OFF position.
• Decide the times that you would like the radiators to be ON – click the appropriate blue segments OUT (away from the centre of the dial) – this is the ON position and the radiators will be heated. As the timer moves to an ON time, the clear box to the left of the dial will go red to confirm that the power is being sent to the radiators. Should the box remain clear, turn the small blue switch at top left next to the dial.
• Make sure that each radiator is switched ON at the wall switch.
• Make sure the switch on each radiator is ON.
• Set the thermostat on the radiator to 22 degrees (the standard setting).
• Make sure the small dial is pointing to the ‘Sun’ position.
• A small green light shows that the radiator is ON and working.

Radiators

The heating can be controlled in several ways. The main alternatives are:

1. Using the timer controls
2. Using individual radiator controls and not the timer (setting the thermostat to come on when the temperature drops below e.g. 20 degrees)

The towel rail in the bathrooms is not a radiator; it is only for warming towels. The towel warmer will come on when the heating is on. There is no switch, due to the building regulations in force at the time of the original build.

Using individual radiators:

• Make sure that each radiator is switched ON at the wall switch.
• Make sure the switch on each radiator is ON.
• Set the thermostat on the radiator to 20 or 22 degrees (the standard setting) – DO NOT TURN THE THERMOSTAT TO 30deg. AS THIS MAY DAMAGE THE UNIT.
• Make sure the small dial is pointing to the ‘Sun’ position.
• A small green light shows that the radiator is ON and working.
• Turn OFF the switch at the wall if an individual radiator is not required, or turn off all radiators if you do not require heating. Turn the wall switch ON when you require hearing. You will only use electricity for radiators that are on.

Do not cover any of the heaters with clothes etc. as this could cause a fire.

Hot Water

It works exactly the same as the heating but using the timer clock for ‘Hot Water’.

These properties have a telephone on the internal University system, which requires users to dial 9 to get an outside line.

Internal calls to any University of Cambridge number are free of charge. You only need to dial the last five digits. For example, the Institute Reception can be called using 35999.

Internet

All properties have wireless internet access, if you do not have Eduroam credentials please contact the housing team or reception to request an access ticket for UniofCam wifi.

The University has provided helpful guidelines which describes Emergency Arrangements.

The door to your house is self-locking. Please make sure all windows and doors are securely shut before leaving the apartment; and this is particularly important for apartments on the ground floor.

A code is needed for access to West Cambridge site and buildings. It will be provided on arrival on the reverse of the location map.

There is plenty of space for storing bicycles. You have to register your bike with the Custodian’s Office (8:30-9:15 or 4:45-5:30) on arrival, where you will be given an identification number. This can be removed when you vacate or sell your bicycle. Please, do not put bicycles inside the buildings.

Information on hiring bicycles can be found on the notice boards in the Institute offices. If you require any information before you arrive, please contact Reception (+44 1223 335999) or you can visit the following websites:

• Station Cycles
• City Cycle Hire

There are a number of shops close to your accommodation. The nearest convenience shop can be found at the start of Histon Road. It is a small convenience shop, but very well stocked.

The closest supermarkets are Sainsbury’s Sidney Street, and Sainsbury’s Eddington Avenue. The former is normally open 07:30-23:30, except Sundays – and bank holidays – when it closes at 17:00. The latter is open from 07:30-10:00, except Sundays when its hours are 10:00-16:00.

If you have a credit / debit card with a UK billing address, you can also order food to be delivered from some stores such as Iceland, Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury’s and Tesco but you must be at home to take delivery.

There is a traditional and “colourful” Market in the city centre where you can find various stalls selling fresh vegetables, crafts, books or even a watch repair service.

Emergencies

In the event of an emergency dial 999 and ask for the Fire, Ambulance or Police as appropriate.

Please also inform the Housing Office on 01223 765730 (out of hours 07879 116707).

Please be aware outside office hours we are only able to offer support for emergency situations. For example, a burst water pipe or a fire alarm. Unfortunately we are not able to offer help with internet problems or other non emergencies. Please note that calls made outside office hours that are deemed not to be an emergency will be charged at £50.

Doctors

Huntingdon Road Surgery
1 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DB.
Telephone: 01223 364127
Monday to Friday 8:15-13:00 & 13:45-18:00

NHS non emergency
For health advice and reassurance, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 111.

Taxis

Taxis can be booked in advance and all service the airports and train stations.

CamCab
01223 704 704

Panther
01223 715 715

A1 Cabco
01223 31 31 31

Porter’s Lodge at Churchill College

Outside of office hours, keys to accommodation are held at Churchill’s Porter’s Lodge.

71 Storey’s Way
Cambridge
CB3 0DR
United Kingdom

01223 336000
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