Paying for uni accommodation before loan/grant

jillymit

My son has just had his accommodation confirmed at Kent and his room fees are due on the 19th of September.
His Student loan and grant is not scheduled to be paid until the 28th.
Will he have to find the money or do the universitys make allowances for students awaiting finance?
This looks like it's going to be the case every term!
I've searched for for this and coudn't find the answer anywhere so thought someone on here with some experience may be able to help.
He'll obviously ring them on Tuesday and ask but I'm worried that we don't have the money to help him out.
Any ideas people?

whitfreak

I'd be surprised if you were not able to defer until the loan/grant came though. Although you might have to keep them informed, should the loan/grant be delayed for any reason.

Anyway, in the Getting Started pfd (http://www.kent.ac.uk/gettingstarted/download.html), page 12, it says that if you pay the whole year's accomidation fee before 28th September you get a discount of 2%. So I'd be surprised if the first terms fee was due before then.

Term doesn't actually start till the 28th, its just freshers week (or welcome week as they call it) starts on the 19th..., So I hope your son as a little bit of cash saved, or access to an overdraft sorted to cover his expenses in this week.

jillymit

Thanks for info Whitfreak, that sounds promising.
He's going to give them a call on Tuesday, I'm sure he won't be the only one with this issue.
He had his accommodation application confirmed with information about fee due dates all of which are between a week and just over a week before his grant / loan payments go in to his bank which obviously got us a bit unsettled. :eek:
Yes, he's got a bit of cash stashed to keep him going untill he finds a job but not enough to pay his first term accommodation.

Lokolo

Its a little bit odd.

Student loans are usually paid on the first week of term.

Is your son being asked to pay for accomondation before he starts uni or is his student loan being paid after he starts?

MissPop

I'm in a similarish situation - my loan payment is due on 5/10, but my rent is due "on or before" 3/10 I won't be able to put it on my student credit card or overdraft, as both have a relatively low limit, which certainly won't cover the ~£1500 that is due!

sugarcultsweetie

My private halls (I'm going into 2nd year) had the first rent installment scheduled for the 1st September - recently I got an email saying that they now realised most of us are relying on a later student loan payment, and we can pay just £300 and defer the rest of the rent for a few weeks.

Point is - make a noise! It's always worth asking, and if you're upfront about it, they can't get angry/charge you for late payments...

hbloomers

My bf had the same problem. His was due on 31st August, with term not starting until 21st September or so.

I think its like that at every uni though, tbh. I had the problem last year. My payment for January was due almost a fortnight before my loan came in. I couldn't pay that one though, but they give me an extension until after my loan was payed in.

Hopefully you'll get it sorted. If you can prove to them when the loans etc. come in, and offer to pay a percentage that you can afford before then, hopefully they will understand. Have you paid a deposit to secure the room? If you have, they might be a bit more understanding.

jillymit

Lokolo wrote: »

Its a little bit odd.

Student loans are usually paid on the first week of term.

Is your son being asked to pay for accomondation before he starts uni or is his student loan being paid after he starts?

It's 'freshers week' so they will be in their accommodation for a week before the actual term starts.

jillymit

MissPop wrote: »

I'm in a similarish situation - my loan payment is due on 5/10, but my rent is due "on or before" 3/10 I won't be able to put it on my student credit card or overdraft, as both have a relatively low limit, which certainly won't cover the ~£1500 that is due!

He's hoping that the uni office is generous and he will be able to defer payment until it's in or pay a bit when it's due and the rest when it's in.
He's ringing on Tuesday so I'll let you you know what they say.

jillymit

I know he's really lucky to have been able to get a (loan and grant) to cover his fee and accommodation but it's just a shame that the dates and amount don't tally with the university.

The whole amount does cover his rent for the year but according to the confirmation letter the way it will be paid into his bank (in three chunks) means it's not enough for his first term, just about right for the second and over the amount he needs for the last term and every term it's too late for the rent due date.
Thanks for all the replies!

The_Student

I am off to Kent next month also, is your son going to Medway? If he is, like me, then the people who run the accommodation 'Liberty Living' have said it's due on the 19th and didn't tell me I could delay payment - due to the loan being paid around the 28th... It's kind of a pain in the butt, luckily I don't really have to worry though I know it's unfair for them to assume everyone can cough up that sum at such a short notice.

This isn't much help, but it's just to let you know you're not alone!