Should delivery drivers be allowed into university accommodation?
Most universities say no — but then leave students to meet couriers outside. How to set a clear courier access policy that keeps everyone safe.
Most universities have reached the same answer: delivery drivers should not enter student accommodation. The harder question is what happens instead.
Why most universities say no
- Unknown visitors in residential corridors
- Tailgating and propped fire doors
- No audit trail of who entered and when
- Reception staff unable to verify couriers
The gap in most policies
Banning entry often shifts the problem to students, who are asked to meet drivers outside — sometimes late at night, in poorly lit areas, with drivers who can't find the building. That creates a new safeguarding risk for both parties.
A better policy: a designated delivery point
Give couriers one clear, lit, CCTV-covered destination per hall or cluster, with self-service insulated lockers. Drivers never need to enter, students never need to wait outside, and every drop-off and collection is logged.
Explore courier wayfinding and campus food delivery hubs.
Writing the policy
- State that third-party couriers do not enter accommodation
- Name the designated delivery point for each building
- Tell students which address and instructions to use when ordering
- Define who manages the hub and how issues are escalated