Students believe university accommodation poses threats to their health

A YouGov survey stated that 81 per cent of university students voted that their university accommodation was posing threats to their health.

Pyravi Mahendram a second-year Physics student, recalled of Jack Martin, “I guess the air quality was pretty poor as for security reasons the windows could only be opened ajar. The fact that a lot of students, including myself, went home after the two weeks of freshers, is quite telling.”

A possible lack in ventilation in certain accommodation blocks at Warwick could be posing severe health risks. Toxic Home Syndrome results from limited air circulation combined with exposure to air pollutants diffused through air fresheners, deodorants and laundry detergents.

The presence of such chemicals circulating rooms has been alleged to increase respiratory and dermatological diseases.

However, Adam Smith, a second-year Politics student from Jack Martin, stated: “As an asthma sufferer, I was quite pleased with the cleanliness of Warwick accommodation as I do experience quite severe breathing issues when dust accumulates through a lack of cleaning.”

The cleaning services at the university may reduce some of the threats posed through limited ventilation however this does not rectify the presence of undesirable chemical circulation.

First-year German student, Alex Ball, said: “Even with high standards of hygiene, illness in accommodation is near unavoidable, simply because you are mixing with so many new people. However, improved hygiene especially in the kitchen, would probably help to stop people getting ill so frequently”.