University Private Halls COVID-19

ahj2000

I am looking for advice on a rather unspoken about topic. 

I live in private rented halls at university and due to the university closers and advice to return home, I am no longer living there. However, due to the contractual agreement I am required to continue paying the next rent instalment but I will no longer be occupying the premises (at my own will). I am aware that university halls do not now require students to pay 3rd term rent. 

Is there any advice for what I can do in this situation?  Even getting lower rent would be a better outcome than none. 

neilmcl

Who's giving advice to return home. You could just as easily be safe and isolate/distance yourself from your halls.

mattyprice4004

If it's a private rental, you're tied to your contract - as above, you can safely self-isolate there. 
For now, you leaving is your choice - ask the landlord if they'll take a reduction in rent, but they don't have to offer anything. 

micmal

Hopeful for some compassion regarding this.  My son was advised to return home when university closed in March, he is now faced with paying £2000 for a room that he wont use from April - September.  He does not recieve the maintenance loan and will now have to apply for it to pay for an empty room or face being in breach of contract.
I agree with original poster, even some discount would be better than nothing.

Jeremy535897

It is not an unspoken about topic on this forum. There are dozens of threads on the same subject. The advice, as confirmed by Martin Lewis last night, is that students who rent from private landlords are treated the same as any other tenant. They have to pay the rent they are contractually obliged to pay. The first thing to do is check whether your lease has some sort of break clause in these circumstances, but that is very unlikely. The second thing to do is ask whether your University has any help forthcoming. The third thing to do is ask the landlord for some sort of reduction, but as the landlord will have no chance of renting elsewhere, they are likely to be unhelpful.
You can read the Government guidance to landlords and tenants here:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/876500/Consolidated_Landlord_and_Tenant_Guidance_COVID_and_the_PRS_v4.2.pdf

Flugelhorn

one of my children is in a private hall and has opted to stay there during all this, despite uni advising people to leave if they a) wanted to b) were able to (many from abroad)  - from what she says there are quite a few people there still and hence the place has to continue functioning / be staffed / heated  / cleaned etc etc 

silvercar

Some of the larger private hall operators, like Unite, are offering reductions. You need to speak to them and ask. There is no obligation for them to do so and students are still entitled to their student loan/ grants for next term.

olgadapolga

My daughter's university halls have decided not to charge the final term's fees for those students who left before 27th March. For those still there, they have halved the fees. My daughter was expecting to pay in full whether using the room or not because she signed a contract agreeing to pay for the full year. 

Her halls have also made comments about moving the students around to make best use of the flats (each flat has four rooms and a shared kitchen) and to free flats for NHS staff if required. Whilst I support the idea in principle, I'm not too sure how this would protect the students who would be moved. That's rather like a person from outside of my household coming to live with me. Would this be in accordance with the guidelines?