Waiting for Internal Moving at SiO
SiO received approximately 4,000 applications for internal moving last year, some of which were due to conflict within shared flats. However, receiving the desired internal moving offer may take a long time.
One of the risks associated with applying to student accommodation, especially shared flats, is that you might end up not getting along with your flatmates. Universitas has spoken to students who have had unfortunate experiences with their shared flats and who consequently applied for internal moving.
– I got housing assigned to me in late July. I immediately applied for internal moving, because the housing assigned was not one of my choices, says Kesha Soni, a BI student studying BBA who moved to Sogn Student Village in August 2020.
Although she was satisfied with the housing facilities, the house was located far away from her school in Nydalen.
— Sometimes I have to come back home late at night. There will be no buses, she adds.
On SiO’s internal moving webpage, it is indicated that the probability of getting accommodation varies among the different student houses. Small, central student houses are more competitive, while bigger student villages like Kringsjå or Sogn would be more likely places to get internal moving applications approved.
The time it takes to process internal moving applications is uncertain. The waiting time varies greatly.
– They didn’t get back to me, so I decided to call them after a few months, says Soni.
– They just keep me waiting
However, according to Soni, she was given no concrete answers from them. Because of the seemingly infinite waiting for internal moving, Soni is now planning to move to a private flat.
– If they don’t have an available apartment and if they reject my application, then I could move forward. They just keep me waiting. That is the thing I do not like, says Soni.
Another reason for Soni’s desire to move out is conflicts arising from coordinating the shared living space. Soni’s student accommodation is a flat shared among 7 students. In the Autumn semester of 2020, Soni shared the flat with 6 other girls.
– There is only one bathroom, one toilet, one shower, and one kitchen between 7 girls. I thought it was a little bit too much for me to handle. I like to have some personal space. There would be some issues between the girls — for example, the cleaning routine and buying toilet paper, Soni says.
If they don’t have an available apartment and if they reject my application, then I could move forward. They just keep me waiting. That is the thing I do not like.
Kesha Soni, BI student
Tense conflicts
The conflicts within an apartment sometimes can be tense and complicated. A master’s student «Amala» (pseudonym) tells Universitas about her unpleasant experience in a student apartment, like food being stolen, and bullying from a senior student coming from the same South Asian country as herself. The identity of the informant is not revealed as she fears personal conflict.
Amala says to Universitas that her food, stored in the shared kitchen, had been stolen several times by another roommate. Also, Amala was asked to perform the roommate’s share of the cleaning duty.
According to Amala, the misbehaved roommate took advantage of her country’s culture of senior superiority. She also did not feel comfortable with reporting her misbehaviour because they are from the same country.
The misbehaved roommate almost triggered a physical fight in the apartment in the spring because of her habit of stealing food, before Amala moved in, she tells Universitas.
Amala moved out from that apartment when she completed the subletting and she started a new contract with SiO in September 2020.
In Amala’s former apartment, another student applied for internal moving because of the conflicts there. The student rejected the internal moving offer because at the time the misbehaved student was packing to go back to her home country, according to Amala.
The state of the internal moving queue
Universitas reached out to SiO to find out more about the process of internal moving. Head of SiO Housing, Gunn Kirsti Løkka informs that last year (2020), SiO received 25,000 applications for student housing, and amongst those approximately 4,000 applications for internal moving. Currently, SiO Housing has around 800 applications for internal moving.
On questions regarding the waiting time:
– The waiting time and process of internal moving depends entirely on when the desired type of housing becomes available, Løkka replies.
– Sometimes internal moving can be possible on the same day but waiting time for the most popular locations or housing types are usually longer.
Our experience is that direct dialogue between residents often contributes to the best solution.
Gunn Kirsti Løkka, Head of SiO Housing.
According to SiO Housing, as far as possible, applicants for internal moving will be given priority, regardless of nationality. However, due to short tenancy, students who are here for one semester on exchange programs with housing guarantee will in principle not have this opportunity, since their contract is too short.
– In the case of a conflict, we would encourage residents to try to find a solution on their own, Løkka recommends. She goes on to say:
– Our experience is that direct dialogue between residents often contributes to the best solution. If the residents do not find a satisfying solution and want SiO’s assistance, we will try to contribute as an independent party.
