Is the “La Garidelle” student residence in Avignon dilapidated?
The atmosphere is certainly different from that of last year when a petition had been transmitted to denounce the concerns of heating. Since the anger has gone down, the problems not entirely. The “La Garidelle” university residence
in Avignon, located between the campus and Porte Saint-Lazare, remains under increased surveillance by the Crous. The 70-unit building is the residence where the apartments are the largest among the six other sites in Avignon. On site, the tenants offered generally satisfactory living conditions with the exception of the heating and insulation. The Inter’Asso student federation points to an under-investment on the part of Citadis on “La Garidelle”.
The testimonials are similar. When we question the tenants of the building, the vast majority insist on the problem with electric heaters. “You have to turn them on to the maximum so that they heat up as little as possible”says a student who adds “the heat does not stay in the apartment”. The tenants, most of them from the Erasmus program, recognize that they must organize themselves permanently: “we sometimes leave the towel dryer on to warm up during the shower”. Especially since the university residence “La Garidelle” is special. The electricity contracts are individual. Each occupant must take out a subscription in addition to the rent, which is unique on the scale of the six other Crous residences in Avignon.
The impotence of the Crous
Faced with these findings, the Crous d’Avignon recalls that it is not the owner of the building on rue Saint-Bernard. “We are limited”, admits the director. Corinne Roy nevertheless indicates that she has asked Citadis, the owner, for certain radiators to be replaced. “We are more in a role of supporting students”, adds the director. A referent student in each residence will soon be trained in eco-gestures in order to raise awareness among all tenants. Corinne Roy who wants to temper: “the residences in Avignon, it’s not the horror”.
The Crous has no not really much leeway in this story. According to our information, the rental agreement signed with Citadis lasts until 2036. “We pay an annual fee, part of which is for major renovations”, underlines the director of the Crous d’Avignon. For now, the amount of the fee is not known. But to hear the Inter’Asso Student Federation there is urgency: “There are several works to be carried out on this residence. Citadis, the private lessor, is a bit soft and long on this file.”
The fear of underinvestment
The Crous has made its calculations. “The last works date back to 2015 and since then there is nothing left”we recognize in the offices of Avignon. “We must change all the faulty heating systems or even better insulate the residence. That is the problem. Citadis has the money from the Crous but it can redistribute it throughout its fleet and not just La Garidelle where we assist in investmentsThomas Vite list of the Inter’Asso student federation.
On this last point, the Crous refuses to comment and explains that it recently relaunched Citadis on the issue of works to be carried out in particular on the radiators. University services are also waiting for communication of the investment plan from the lessor. A document that could undoubtedly soften relations between all parties.
Radiators, insulation… the focus of Citadis
Pointed to the right in this case, Citadis, the development and construction company owned more than 60% by the communities (city of Avignon and department of Vaucluse mainly) is defending itself. Its director, Xavier Simon, specifies from the outset: “As the owner, Citadis is responsible for major maintenance and the CROUS for routine maintenance.” Even if he does not say it clearly, he sweeps away accusations of underinvestment on the residence of “La Garidelle”. “Since 2012 Citadis has invested 576,000 euros in particular in the replacement of rolling shutters and windows, the replacement of bathtub sinks, the repair of floors and ceilings, the change of radiators. In addition to this, maintenance costs are also incurred for amounts ranging from 3,000 to 35,000 euros per year since 2012, i.e. 137,000 euros of additional interviews”details the director.
With regard to radiators, Xavier Simon announces that a inventory was carried out within the dwellings during September and October 2022 in order to identify the type of renovation to be proposed. “It was decided to change all the radiators in the residence. A business consultation was therefore received during the month of October and the order for an amount of 20,000 euros was placed at the end of the year. “the intervention of the selected company is scheduled for week 3 or 4 of January”, he adds. Lastly, on the insulation of the building on rue Saint-Bernard in Avignon, Citadis is studying the possibilities of improving it as part of the renovation of the facade in the course of 2024 for an initial amount of 84,000 euros.