In early 2017 we began discussions with our partner Leeds Beckett University (LBU), about how we might work more effectively with them to the benefit of the university and iQ, but most importantly the student residents of Marsden House, a 978-bed site just a short walk from the university and the city centre.
Working closely with the university, we took back one third of the rooms for iQ to market direct to students and committed to a programme of significant refurbishment of the entire site. Over the summer of 2017, the direct let rooms and amenity spaces were refurbished. This included the introduction of a ‘surgery space’ for the university’s Pastoral Care Services, allowing LBU personnel to regularly meet students on site to discuss any areas of concern they might have.
The additional two-thirds of rooms will be refurbished over the next two years, due for completion in summer 2019. Feedback from the university and students has been extremely favourable, and Marsden House now ranks as one of LBU’s most popular halls of residence.
iQ have been great partners for the last few years
David Collett, Director of Campus and Residential Services, Leeds Beckett University
Ensuring that the students who have chosen Leeds Beckett University have access to well maintained, comfortable and safe accommodation during their time with us. The management team, with their focus on customer service for both the students and their university partners, have given us the confidence to extend our nomination agreement with them to run until 2028. We look forward to being able to offer a friendly home-from-home to our students with iQ over the coming years."