It's important to be able to gather with friends

We understand the importance of being able to gather with your friends to socialise and share experiences as part of your University life. At Heriot-Watt, we offer a wide range of spaces specifically designed to facilitate such activities and encourage a sense of community and belonging.

Student Union offers bookable social spaces for birthday parties and other gatherings, providing an opportunity for students to come together and celebrate special occasions. Oriam offers bookable spaces for sports and recreational activities, allowing students to engage in physical activities and connect with others alike. Chaplaincy can also offer alternative place for smaller casual event such as game night or movie night, and you can also book to use some of their musical instruments 😊 

If you live in one of our traditional halls, then there should be either a social lounge or a study lounge in your building. Some traditional buildings even have both study and social lounges!

If you live in the contemporary building, your kitchen should be large enough to host a small gathering and some kitchens are even equipped with sofas and a coffee table. We need to make sure that these lounges are clean and tidy and fit to be used by all residents in the building. We do not operate a booking system, but we do expect everyone who is using the lounge to follow our terms & conditions below:

• You cannot use study lounges for social gatherings. Please report anyone who is using the study lounges inappropriately to ResLife. 
• You are responsible for familiarising yourself with all accommodation and University rules, policies, and procedures; and the terms set out within your Accommodation Contract. Breach of such terms and conditions may result in financial, disciplinary and/or academic action. 
• The person organising the gathering is responsible for ensuring all guests and visitors abide by the terms and conditions. In the event of any damage or disciplinary action, if the responsible parties cannot be identified, depending on the seriousness of the damage, the cost to repair or replace the damage will be shared with every resident in the building. 
• Students are expected to maintain an acceptable level of noise that does not disrupt other residents in the building, at all times. Excessive noise may cause noise complaints and subsequent attendance by our SafeGuarding Team. If you are given an initial warning and fail to adhere to expectations, you will be asked to leave the lounge immediately and the incident may incur financial and/or disciplinary action. Extreme disruptions or violations may result in the immediate removal of certain or all persons within the lounge without warning
• The condition of the lounge must be left in its original state after use. No food or drink is to be left in the lounge, and any rubbish is to be placed in the bin, which must be taken out at the end of your gathering.  
• If the lounge remains in an unsatisfactory state for a prolonged period, we have reserved the right to restrict access to the lounge until those responsible steps forward or until further instructions are given.
• As a condition of using the lounge, students and guests must treat University Staff, and each other with courtesy and respect - with zero tolerance to unacceptable behaviour. 
•  Please familiarise yourself with the nearest fire exit. If the fire alarm sounds during your booking, you must vacate the building and proceed to the nearest fire assembly point immediately. 
• The University and University Staff are not responsible for any personal property taken inside or left in the lounge during your booking. 

We kindly request that all residents respect these terms and conditions to ensure the continued enjoyment and usability of the communal spaces.

 If you have any questions or issues about the lounges, please email the ResLife team on reslife@hw.ac.uk