Living with a host family is a wonderful opportunity to learn and understand about life in the UK.
Here are some general points to help you make the most of this.
- Your hosts invite you to live with them in their family home. This is very different from living in a hotel! You will need to behave as a polite and respectful guest.
- You should speak to your host family about the “rules” of the household; for example, the best time to use the bathroom, what time they eat dinner, your room will be cleaned, use of the phone etc.
- You should always ask permission from the family before you use their telephone. They will ask you to pay for calls you make.
- Please ask permission from the family before you invite anyone else into their home.
- You are invited to eat your evening meals together and this is a great time to talk to them and to learn about the English way of life.
- If you are going to miss the evening meal, please phone your host family to let them know. Even better, tell them in advance so they can plan their shopping and cooking.
- Your hosts are concerned for your welfare. They work with Kings to help and support you. We may talk to each other about how you are doing.
- Remember that your hosts, and you, will sometimes need some quiet time and privacy.
- Your hosts will wash your sheets and towels as part of the cost of your accommodation. They can also wash your clothes but this will be charged extra. The Accommodation Officer can give you details of costs per week.
- If you want to stay away from your host family's home overnight and you are 16 or 17 years old, you must ask permission from the college. This is an important safety rule.
- If you are 18 years or over, you do not need permission from the college but you should always tell your host family where you are going. Please give them your mobile phone number.
- If you enter the house late in the evening, please be very careful not to wake anyone and close doors very quietly. Please note, if you are under 16 you will need to return to the house by no later than 10.30 and you will not be given a house key.
- If you are ill, tell your host family or phone the college so that we can help or call a doctor if necessary.
- Please ask your host family for permission each time if you want to invite friends back to the house. Overnight guests are not permitted.
- Please provide all your own toiletries (soap, toothpaste etc). You should not use your host family’s!
- If you break or damage anything, please tell your host family. These things happen sometimes!
- If you are over 16, your host family will give you a front door key. Make sure you understand how to lock the house properly. Please take great care with this. If you lose your key, you may have to pay for a new lock.
- Please remember it is extremely important to communicate with your host family! Talking to them is nearly always the best way to solve problems.
- If you have a problem which cannot be solved by talking to your host family, you can talk to the Accommodation Manager at the college.