Student University Accomodation during Coronavirus

JayneLR

This is my first time posting and have the following issues:
1. My son is at Leeds Becketts uni in private rental accomodation. He came home before the lockdown for a visit and now cannot return to collect items he will need over the next few weeks. The tenancy ends in June - as for 1000's of students - moving out and maybe into other accomodation will become an issue if lockdown remains.
2. He is paying rent for accomodation he will not use. Some uni's are not taking payment for the final semester. What about those in private rentals. Many have lost the jobs they had to supplement their living. 
3. Whilst there is some online tuition what about a reimbursement of university fees. Students are paying for services not delivered.

sajmal2980

JayneLR said:

This is my first time posting and have the following issues:
1. My son is at Leeds Becketts uni in private rental accomodation. He came home before the lockdown for a visit and now cannot return to collect items he will need over the next few weeks. The tenancy ends in June - as for 1000's of students - moving out and maybe into other accomodation will become an issue if lockdown remains.
2. He is paying rent for accomodation he will not use. Some uni's are not taking payment for the final semester. What about those in private rentals. Many have lost the jobs they had to supplement their living. 
3. Whilst there is some online tuition what about a reimbursement of university fees. Students are paying for services not delivered.

My childs accommodation habe said the rent is still payable for the next semester, Urban Sleep in Liverpool.  
I contacted the landlord of her accommodation for next year and they haven't said if they will change or cancel the contract depending on whether university is open, the same issue with them. This is a nightmare. 

Jeremy535897

Unfortunately I don't think there is, apart from asking the local authority.

silvercar

tomkfly said:

Hi, I am 81years of age and my wife is 69, so we are self isolating. We have a 21year old daughter in her final year of a degree course, who is living in private student accomodation. When her rental agreement ends it is unlikely our self isolation will have ended, so she will be homeless unless she is allowed to remain in her current accomodation. If she is allowed to remain in the accomodation she wouldn’t be able to afford the rent. Is there any provision for students in this position?

What happens at the end of the contract? In practical terms, the landlord can't evict under the new legislation, so she could remain in her accommodation. If that is the case, she still has the obligation to pay rent, so would need to claim local housing allowance. If she has no income, then she should also claim universal credit. What were her plans for the future?
The other option is for her to strictly self isolate for her last 14 days in her student accommodation and then move home to be with you. If she has been strictly self isolating for 14 days she is unlikely to bring the virus with her. for further protection she could self isolate within your home, as many people are finding they need to do.

silvercar

JayneLR said:

This is my first time posting and have the following issues:
1. My son is at Leeds Becketts uni in private rental accomodation. He came home before the lockdown for a visit and now cannot return to collect items he will need over the next few weeks. The tenancy ends in June - as for 1000's of students - moving out and maybe into other accomodation will become an issue if lockdown remains.
2. He is paying rent for accomodation he will not use. Some uni's are not taking payment for the final semester. What about those in private rentals. Many have lost the jobs they had to supplement their living. 
3. Whilst there is some online tuition what about a reimbursement of university fees. Students are paying for services not delivered.

1. On a practical level, one trip to collect items seems a necessity.
2. For students, they will still receive grants/ loans for next term. For everyone else who has lost their job and isn't being pad under the furlough scheme, they will need to claim universal credit along with local housing allowance.