With the number of students attending universities in the UK at an all time high, it is small wonder that blocks of student accommodation are springing up in virtually every major town and city. In this article about mailboxes for student accommodation, we look at the criteria which need to be addressed by both client and contractor.
Internal Letter Boxes
Due to the size and nature of typical student accommodation developments, internal letter boxes in large entrance lobby areas tend to be the norm. There are a number of reasons for this.
Firstly is that of size, or rather quantity. Imagine a city centre block of 100 student cluster flats. Having a bank of 100 external mailboxes would be problematic. Available space? Not just for the post boxes themselves, but what about resident students all in an external area which could be a public right of way?
Secondly, external units nowadays tend to be compliant with the Homes Guide as set out by the Police initiative to design crime out of the built environment. This usually means a large capacity mailbox has to be specified. Meaning a bank of mailboxes is going to be at least double the size originally intended.
Which is why most mailboxes for student accommodation developments are located in the internal lobby area. It also creates a focal point for the lobby area. A meeting place for the student community.
Student life can be stressful.
Cluster flats, shared post boxes
It is commonplace for students to share a cluster flat. Usually an apartment with a trendy open plan kitchen diner and lounge area, shared bathroom and washing facility and 3 to 6 bedrooms with internet access. So, if students can live together it stands to reason that a shared post box makes sense. A building with 600 students would in theory only need between 100 and 200 post boxes.
There would naturally be the requirement for additional post box keys. Generally ordered at the same time as the post boxes, these can also be supplied retrospectively by your supplier. If not, contact us at Post Boxes UK – we have ways and means. 🙂
Delivery to site
Wow! It never fails to amaze us how often mailboxes for student accommodation are either forgotten about or ordered right at the last minute. Clients who want 200 bespoke sized units in a non-stock finish for delivery by the end of next week.
OK that’s stretching the truth somewhat, but clients demanded it and we listened. As a result, Post Boxes UK offers an Express Delivery Service. We can supply banks of mailboxes to any RAL finish within 2 weeks. Even bespoke dimensions, it really is no problem – just a case of punching a couple of different numbers into a machine, and away you go.
With most mailboxes for student accommodation being delivered during the months of June and July, it is now when architects, contractors and developers need to give consideration to the types of postal box systems specified.
Mailboxes for Student Accommodation – Call an authority
Should you have a requirement for a mailbox system for your student accommodation project, contact the experts at Post Boxes UK on 0121 288 0838 and speak to one of our technical sales team. They will talk you through the options available and put forward a solution tailored to your specific budget and design criteria.
