SAMS host family scheme

As a host, you'll play a vital role in providing a welcoming and supportive home environment, in line with the British Council Code of Practice for Host Families, ensuring our students feel like part of your family.

The British Council Code of Practice for Host Families

>Contractually all host providers are required to abide by the Code of Practice for Host providers:

>To encourage the student to speak English as much as possible in your home.

>To encourage the student to feel at home and to treat him/her/them as a member of the family rather than a paying guest.

>Not to host another student of the same native language at the same time, unless by special arrangement with both students and the University.

>To provide a clean and comfortable student room meeting the physical requirements laid down by the British Council (see below).

>To provide a home environment in which it is possible for the student to carry on his/her/their studies properly.

>To provide the student with a balanced and appropriate diet (if applicable).

>To show concern for the welfare, safety and security of the student during his/her/their stay.

>To provide adequate washing facilities and access to the bathroom as a member of the household, with bath/shower available daily.

>To maintain a close liaison with SAMS and so be in a position to help resolve any problems that the student may encounter during his/her/their stay.

>To respect the student’s different cultural background and be sensitive to the particular needs of the student.

>A laundry service – either access to a washing machine or laundry being done for the student – and the service provided must be clearly explained to the student.

>To provide free access to the internet.

>To provide a proper state of cleanliness and repair in the home.

The access to services provided will be clearly explained. This may include access to the bathroom, laundry service, access to house, smoking rules, use of the internet and home telephone line as well as usage of ventilation systems, heating and hot water.

In homestay, private home and residential accommodation the following will be made available to the student to ensure a comfortable living environment throughout their stay:

>A table or desk for private study.

>A sufficiently spacious bedroom with natural light, equipped with an adequately sized bed and adequate hanging and drawer space for clothes.

>Adequate heating and lighting.

>Two sets of bed linen and a good supply of blankets.

>A proper state of cleanliness and repair.

>Sufficient washing facilities and access to a bathroom, with baths or showers available daily.

>A key for the main property door as well as for the bedroom if the bedroom is lockable.

Health and Safety

The host agrees to provide and maintain:

>One smoke alarm installed in the room most frequently used for general daytime living purposes.

>One smoke alarm in every circulation space on each storey, such as a hallway and landing.

>One heat alarm in each kitchen.

>SAMS recommends one fire blanket to be kept in the kitchen.

>Have gas safety checks carried out annually on each property in full compliance with current gas safety (installation and use) regulations.

>Provide a working carbon monoxide alarm for each carbon-fuelled appliance.

>Have the electrical installation (including wiring, switches and sockets) checked and shown to be in a safe condition and good working order.

>Ensure all exit routes such as hallways, landings and staircases, as far as reasonably practical will be maintained safe, unobstructed and free from fixtures and fittings to enable safe evacuation in the event of fire.

>Ensure they respect the student guest’s right to privacy and will not enter the student’s bedroom, except in a genuine emergency, without permission.

>Members of the Homestay provider’s family will also not enter the room without permission of the guest.

How much do students pay their host?

Students pay rent in 4 week instalments based on current weekly payment rates for hosts:

>Catered Homestay: Room and half board at £170 per week (includes breakfast, dinner and weekend lunches)

>Self-catering Homestay: Room only at £120 per week. Self-catering provision must be available.

The student payment starts from the first date of occupancy. The last weeks of the student stay with the host will be paid on a pro-rata basis.

These amounts are reviewed on an annual basis, and families are notified of any changes in writing.

How will the payment be made?

Students pay SAMS for their accommodation and the host invoices SAMS for payment by the 15^th of every month. SAMS makes payments directly into the host’s bank account by the last day of each month, the first month will be for the number of total weeks the student has stayed in that month, each other month will be for 4 week period stay. In the month the student departs, that month’s payment will be for the balancing amount due.

The Host can request to receive a communication confirming the amount they will receive, the dates the payment covers, and the date on which the first payment will be made at the time the student checks in.

What are the implications to home insurance, council tax and income tax?

Full time students are not liable to pay Council Tax and therefore this should not affect the amount you pay as a host. For further information on Council Tax, please contact the Argyll and Bute Council Tax Office.

HMRC allow a certain amount of income to be generated through renting out a room within your home or having a lodger, without Income Tax becoming payable. However, as with all other sources of income, you should always discuss any income you will receive as a host with HMRC. 

It is important to check with your insurance provider whether or not there will be any impact on your policy due to having a student temporarily living within your household. Hosts are responsible for declaring they will have a student living within their household. 

What does being a host involve?

A student is far more than a tenant, and a host is far more than just a landlord.
The relationship between host and student is more like one of an additional member of the household on a temporary basis. When you welcome a student into your household, they may share mealtimes with you,

What are the implications to home insurance, council tax and income tax?

Full time students are not liable to pay Council Tax and therefore this should not affect the amount you pay as a host. For further information on Council Tax, please contact the Argyll and Bute Council Tax Office.

HMRC allow a certain amount of income to be generated through renting out a room within your home or having a lodger, without Income Tax becoming payable. However, as with all other sources of income, you should always discuss any income you will receive as a host with HMRC. 

It is important to check with your insurance provider whether or not there will be any impact on your policy due to having a student temporarily living within your household. Hosts are responsible for declaring they will have a student living within their household. 

What do I have to provide as a host?

The British Council has developed a code of practice for host families. It sets out the key responsibilities of a host and room requirements. Please see the “Host Responsibilities” tab for details.

As part of the application process, members of the SAMS Accommodation Team will conduct an initial inspection to check whether your house meets all the hosting criteria. Inspections can later take place as announced or unannounced visits. In accepting to be a host, you acknowledge that you could be selected as one of the hosts to be randomly inspected.

How many students can be hosted at a time?

Under British Council rules, the maximum number of students per property at any one time is three. If you have more than one student, they may be of the same nationality so they can provide support to each other at home if necessary. Please note, we expect students to be accommodated in single rooms unless they have requested to share (which is at the host's discretion whether to allow). 

How are the students allocated to hosts?

If you apply to become a host, we will ask for a range of information about; you, your home, your family, hobbies and preferences. Similarly, when a student applies for host accommodation, we ask them for information such as

>Medical issues or allergies

>Their dietary requirements

>Their interests and hobbies

>The kind of household they would ideally prefer (e.g. a family with children, a pet-free home etc.)

We will try to allocate accommodation as best as we can to match the requirements of both parties. We would not place a student who smokes with a host who has requested non-smokers only, and students with pet allergies would not be placed with a host with animals. However, we do not take things like personality, background or nationality into account. Therefore, we require the host providers to be flexible in relation to the kind of students they host.

When will the student arrive and how long will they stay with me?

We have international students arriving throughout the year.

There are most often opportunities to accommodate students on a semester basis (e.g. late August through to February or February through to mid-May) as well as a full academic year basis (e.g. late August through to mid-May).

Some students may stay with you over the Christmas and Easter break and may request accommodation throughout the summer holidays. You can choose what arrangement suits you best, tailoring it to adapt to your circumstances or varying arrangements with each new student.

What about meals?

You can decide whether you will be providing meals to the student staying with you. If you agree to provide meals, all we ask our homestay providers is to serve the student the same food that you normally eat. Trying the local cuisine is an important part of understanding a country’s culture!

The only exception is when a student is finding it difficult to adapt to Scottish food. We would then expect that hosts will try to make provision for the student, at least in the short term. An example of this might be a student who is used to a rice-based diet struggling to get used to eating more potato-based meals. It would be reasonable in a situation such as this for the host to provide rice for the student as an alternative on at least some occasions.

Our homestay application form provides an option to select the types of diets the host family would prefer to cater for. We then use this information to match hosts and students. Even where no preferences have been indicated by a family, we would always check with you in advance if a student we were considering placing with you had specific dietary requirements. Please check that your student does not have any food allergies or religious considerations to avoid any confusion.

What happens pre-arrival?

We will put you in touch with the student so you can communicate with them before their arrival. Students are provided with information on how to travel to Oban and are advised to inform their host of their arrival plans.

What should I expect on the day of arrival?

Please remember that students on their arrival may be exhausted from travelling and nervous about the new environment. Try to provide a welcoming atmosphere but also remember that they will need to rest and may not be very communicative.

They may also be shy at first. They will be getting used to a new country, new people, possibly a new climate, and might be a little homesick. Communicate the house rules to the student and remember to include rules on the use of the internet, house landline, laundry facilities, ventilation requirements as well explaining when heating and hot water is available. You should provide the student with a house key on their arrival.

What about communicating with my students?

During the first few weeks, we ask you to be patient and as welcoming to the student as possible. This will help the student to feel at home and settle in. Students may be from a warmer climate so may require more blankets as well as an explanation of your household rules regarding heating and ventilation.

What if there are problems or we have a complaint?

If you have concerns about how you and a student are getting along, or how the student is settling into your home, please contact accommodation@sams.ac.uk.  

If you are unhappy with your student and want them moved out of your home, again please contact us to discuss. If needed, we will make every effort to move the student within four weeks. In an emergency situation, we may be able to move the student sooner than this, but generally, we would expect the host provider to continue accommodating a student until we were able to find alternative accommodation for them.

Similarly, if a student asks to be moved due to dispute with their host, we will respond in a similar way and make alternative arrangements as soon as possible.

In either case, there would be payment implication and for the month when the student would move out you would receive pro-rata payment.

Do the students pay a deposit?

The student will be required to provide a small deposit, which SAMS will administer, it may be available in the unlikely event the student causes any damage within your home. You will need to contact the accommodation team immediately following student departure, at the latest, if you wish to discuss this as a possibility. The deposit amount is limited and is not guaranteed to cover the full costs of any such damage.

What if my student decides to leave unexpectedly?

If there is no dispute between you and your student, yet your student decides they want to leave mid-occupancy, then SAMS will make every effort to ensure they settle the remaining weekly payments due from the date they leave to the end of their agreed occupancy period, however this cannot be guaranteed. SAMS is not liable for any outstanding payments from the student.

What if my student is a no-show?

Hosts should be prepared for a number of eventualities that may stop a student from coming to stay. Reasons could include visa issues, education grades, personal circumstances or a last minute change of heart.

It is important to note that the contract between the host and the student in the SAMS Student Host Family Scheme is not binding until the student has enrolled at SAMS and physically arrives at the accommodation.

If your student simply does not show up without any communication please contact the accommodation team as soon as possible.

STUDENTS:

If you are a student who would like to learn more about the opportunities to live with a local family during your studies with us, please email your interest to accommodation@sams.ac.uk. 

APPLY TO BECOME A HOST:

The application process

When we select host providers, we follow a relatively straight-forward application process:

Stage 1: Enquiry and gathering all information you need

You will no doubt want to collect all relevant information before applying so please get in touch with the SAMS Accommodation Team for a copy of the handbook and to discuss any issues or questions before applying to become a host. Please email accommodation@sams.ac.uk for your copy of our handbook and application form. 

Stage 2: Apply to become a host

When you complete the application form, you will be required to sign it to agree to abide by the terms and responsibilities outlined and we will also request the bank account details to enable the payments to be made to you and to enter you on our payments systems.

We aim to work through the process as quickly and efficiently as possible and to inform applicants of the outcome promptly.

Stage 3: Home visit

Once we receive your application we will contact you to arrange a convenient time when we can come to look at your property. During a thirty-minute visit, we will make sure your home and its facilities is suitable for student use. We usually take a few photographs of the student bedroom, bathroom and the house surroundings to show the student where they will be staying before they travel here. 

Following a successful home visit, you will be asked if you wish to proceed. This being the case we will request references from the referees you provided.

Stage 4: Decision on your application

The decision on your application will be made within ten working days following the inspection. We will contact you in writing to inform you about the outcome.

Successful host applicants will be added to a scheme availability list. The placement of students with host families will depend on demand and suitable matches available. 

International student experiences of staying with local families: 

“Oban, you have a special place in my heart. I came here from Nepal (the land of Everest) and spent six wonderful months here. It was my first time abroad, but the warm hospitality of the Scottish people made me feel at home and cured my homesickness. I was especially lucky to have Donald Files as my landlord. He was kind, gentle, friendly, and awesome. He treated me like his son. We had so many memorable moments together: learning bagpipes, going to church on Sundays, having dinner together, exploring Oban in his car. He is truly an amazing person. I can honestly say that this was the best time of my life. Oban gave me so much memories and life lessons.” - Subash Yadav Ahir (ACES-STAR Master's student, Nepal).

"It was lovely spending the days in a beautiful place like Oban with a warm-hearted family, Fiona and Gus Brydon. I can't tell how much I enjoyed living with a Scottish family – a 'home away from home' and I’ll really miss them.” - Chaturangi Imihami Mudiyanselage (ACES-STAR Master's student, Sri Lanka). 

“We shared a lot of memories, from Scottish suppers to Christmas parties. I'm going to keep them with me, and I'm going to miss the wonderful pictures, the conversations, the gossip, and the laughs we've created.” - Hamid Raza (ACES-STAR Master's student, Pakistan). 

Host experiences:

“We really enjoyed having our student from Armenia stay with our family. My son especially loved learning about a new culture, new food and a new language. She became part of the family and we had lots of great adventures! I would recommend it to anyone who can. SAMS matched us really well and financially it’s been a huge help.” - Sine MacKay, recent SAMS student host.