Unacceptable Behaviour
The Advice Centre is here to support students, often at times when things feel stressful, urgent, or overwhelming. We understand that frustration can run high, particularly when issues involve the University, a landlord, or another organisation.
This policy exists to make sure the Advice Centre remains a safe and supportive service for everyone including students seeking help and the staff providing it. It is not intended to discourage complaints or feedback, but to ensure that all interactions remain respectful.
Abusive or aggressive behaviour
This includes physical or verbal behaviour, language, or actions that make staff or other students feel frightened, threatened, or unsafe.
- Advice Centre staff may end a phone call if the student becomes abusive or aggressive.
- If emails or written messages are abusive, offensive, or aggressive, we will explain that we cannot continue to engage with correspondence written in that way.
- If physical violence is used or threatened, the police will be contacted.
Unreasonable behaviour or demands
Students are welcome to raise concerns and make complaints. However, behaviour may be considered unreasonable where it includes:
- Continuing to pursue an issue after being clearly advised that the Advice Centre cannot assist
- Repeatedly contacting the Advice Centre about the same matter without new information
- Sending a high volume of messages about multiple issues at the same time
- Demanding issues are resolved within unrealistic timescales
Managing access to the service
In some cases, a student’s behaviour may make it difficult for staff to support other students fairly or safely. Where this happens, we may need to take steps to manage how the service is accessed.
This may include:
- Asking the student to contact the Advice Centre only by email
- Limiting contact to specific days or times
- Temporarily pausing contact with Advice Centre staff
- Withdrawing access to the Advice Centre and SRC support in general
Complaints
Any student who wishes to raise a complaint about the Advice Centre or its decisions may do so through the SRC complaints process.