A group of Lucy Cavendish students have received compensation after their house was left without reliable hot water and heating for over a month, in a dispute that briefly escalated into a rent strike.

For most of December and January, residents did not have hot water, which also prevented the heating system from working properly.

One resident contacted the College in January, writing: "As these issues remain unresolved after more than a month, and with the Lent term about to commence, we feel it is necessary to raise a formal complaint.”

Their email mentioned a “prolonged lack of a basic essential service – particularly during winter,” claiming that the lack of hot water disturbed dish-washing, laundry, and the house’s heating system. They went on to say that the temperature in the house averaged “around 13°C, for over a month”.

Lucy initially directed students to access communal shower facilities in other parts of the College, which residents complained were “approximately a 20-minute walk away”.

Later, a temporary shower trailer was installed, which residents described in their email as “substandard,” alleging the water ran for “only 30 seconds to one minute at a time,” required repeated activation, and was “extremely cold”. The student continued: “I have personally fallen ill as a result".

Lucy rents its Hinsley Lane accommodation from St John’s College. In an email to residents, the Lucy accommodation team confirmed that a “progress meeting” had taken place on 9 January between Lucy, John’s, and Collegiate AC, which manages the accommodation on behalf of John’s.

Later emails from the accommodation team clarified that the failure had involved the pump system, and that it was proving difficult to source “key replacement parts”.

Responding to the initial complaint, the College wrote: “We recognise the impact this situation has had … and are sorry for the inconvenience this has caused,” further stating that “the interim arrangements have not provided the level of amenity expected".

The College later offered 25% compensation to the affected residents, which was rejected. The student described the offer as “not satisfactory," and told Lucy that residents would remain on rent strike until their request of 75% compensation was granted, or they were given “a satisfactory answer” as to why this was not possible.

The rent strike has since ended. Residents told Varsity that they ultimately received 50% compensation for the affected period.

In a separate incident at Lucy, students were told on 16 January to delay their return to College due to a portion of the city experiencing water supply issues – those already on-site were asked, where possible, to vacate their accommodation for the weekend. The water supply was reported to be fixed early the following morning.

Lucy Cavendish College was contacted for comment.