Are there any rules about maintaining cleanliness and tidiness in common areas?

If you live in campus accommodation, a cleaner will come by once a week to clean the communal areas. This includes the kitchen, hallway and other communal areas such as the common rooms. The cleaning service provided by the Housekeeping Team does not include washing up personal cookware.

If you live in a self-contained flat, you will be responsible for cleaning your kitchen. 

While we understand that everyone has their own approach to cleanliness, as a Surrey Resident we expect the following standards to be maintained:

Shared Kitchen:

• Store food in cupboards, fridge, or freezer

• Keep cooking equipment in cupboards

• Wipe surfaces and clean up any spillages immediately

• Keep the hob, oven, and sink clean and free for use

• Wash up any dirty items promptly

Please correctly recycle by using the 4 bins to help you recycle:

• Glass waste bag for empty glass bottles and jars

• Green food waste bin for unpackaged food and tea bags

• Dry recycling bag for empty tins/cans, plastic bottles, and paper/cardboard

• 'All other waste' bin for everything else

If you are missing one of these bins, please contact the Estates and Facilities Helpdesk by email: efcshelpdesk@surrey.ac.uk.

Shared Bathrooms (only if applicable):

• Flush toilets and leave them clean after use.

• Rinse sinks and showers, removing hair and personal products

• Clear hair from drains immediately

• Wipe down surfaces if water, toothpaste, or products are spilled

• Hang towels and personal items neatly

• Open a window or use the fan to keep the bathroom fresh and mould-free

We encourage your flat to have an open and friendly discussion about maintaining these standards. This is a great opportunity to get to know each other and ensure everyone is on the same page about cleaning in communal spaces. We have put together rota templates to help you to set up a Kitchen Cleaning Schedule and a Bathroom Cleaning Schedule. Taking responsibility for your shared areas helps make campus living enjoyable for everyone. A vacuum cleaner, mop, bucket, dustpan and brush are provided for this purpose.

If the cleaner comes and finds the flat in an unacceptable state, they may refuse to clean it for that week. It will then be the responsibility of the flat to clean the communal areas.