Student rents during the Covid-19 crisis

chez1975

My daugther is in student accommodation at university and is due to pay the rent in April which is over £1000. The accommodation is not run by the university but the university is closed and most of the students have left due to the situation. The company that owns the accommodation have said that this is not there fault and they are waiting for further confirmation from head office. I have seen there is a clause in student tenancy agreements a 'force majeure' but it is rare. My daugther as tried to access the agreement but cant find it. Is there any information/help on this during this crisis. None of the students are there and the university is closed. All of there items are in the student rooms and will have to be moved during the summer break but if we are in lockdown and it extends to this period what can they do??
Need some clarification on this please

ditty1234

My son is having the same problem in a privately owned house, he won't be going back till September, and have just emailed landlords as he will be paying out for an empty room and utilities for 5-6 months.

Jeremy535897

It seems there is no help as it is not the renter's fault the university has closed.

Jeremy535897

I mean it's not the landlord's fault.

Design2inspireU

I am in the same situation where my son paid £1580 deposit last month for new accommodation(private landlord) for his 2nd year at Manchester Uni.  Monthly payments of £450 commence 1st July, with no way of paying them as his Easter job has been cancelled along with any summer work he had secured.  My worry now is I signed as guarantor.  I have just been laid off from my job as worked for a small firm and my husband is very likely to only hold on to his for another week or two depending on his company decision to carry on trading.  We have contacted his existing landlord(private) regarding his 3rd term and they have not responded as £1100 is due for his final term. The new accommodation provider claims he has signed the contract showing T&C's which I understand but surely how do they expect anyone to pay facing this unprecedented countrywide situation. 
A previous post quoted 'force majeure' , is this possible to enforce can anyone out there who may have experience legally suggest what I can possibly do? Both my son and I are sick with worry about the financial implications this could have on our family.

[Deleted User]

I would not pay the bills and let them sue - which will be many months away.   It's more important right now to have money available to you in the bank.  But, obviously, I am not a lawyer!

TheFrontDoor

I'm in the same situation. My last payment of my rent is due the end of April in private accommodation. However, my university has shut down and now moved to digital learning. I am not residing at the property but will still have to pay over £1500. How do I get out of my contract? Shouldn't the government be helping? 

loiselliestevenson

I am in the exact same situation and am due to pay at then start of May, I am in private rented accommodation but people who are staying on uni campus accommodation have been informed that they do not have to pay the final rent payment. Seeing that I will not be living there for the rest of my contract isn’t there any advice that can help?

chez1975

The student accommodation is a private company and my daughter as been told by them they are waiting for head office to see what the situation is,  no mention of this from the government yet but there is alot of students in the same position 

Ribradford1

I sympathise totally and in a quandary as to how to proceed.
 My son returned to our home address in Northern Ireland and  left his private rental accommodation on the day, but prior to, lockdown being announced. The Coronavirus Act 2020 now prevents all but essential travel. To return to his student accommodation in England would in my opinion require him to break the law.
  We have contacted the landlord via the letting agency but they still want the rent for the final term, some £1200. 
I have offered to pay half of this amount but as yet have received no response. In their response to my initial enquiry regarding termination of the tenancy they frequently refer to these current times as abnormal and unprecedented.  
I can't find a break or ' force majeure' clause in my sons tenancy agreement but the common in law doctrine of ' frustrating a contract ' must surely be worth looking at. Once the University effectively closed surely the common purpose of the tenancy agreement is lost. These are indeed abnormal and unprecedented times which are gradually pushing  people towards court to receive fair and equal treatment. I have no legal qualifications and  like many in the same boat would  welcome advice from those who's knowledge in this field is licenced or certified.

silvercar

Design2inspireU said:

I am in the same situation where my son paid £1580 deposit last month for new accommodation(private landlord) for his 2nd year at Manchester Uni.  Monthly payments of £450 commence 1st July, with no way of paying them as his Easter job has been cancelled along with any summer work he had secured.  My worry now is I signed as guarantor.  I have just been laid off from my job as worked for a small firm and my husband is very likely to only hold on to his for another week or two depending on his company decision to carry on trading.  We have contacted his existing landlord(private) regarding his 3rd term and they have not responded as £1100 is due for his final term. The new accommodation provider claims he has signed the contract showing T&C's which I understand but surely how do they expect anyone to pay facing this unprecedented countrywide situation. 
A previous post quoted 'force majeure' , is this possible to enforce can anyone out there who may have experience legally suggest what I can possibly do? Both my son and I are sick with worry about the financial implications this could have on our family.

I would expect that students will start the Autumn term as planned. So being on a good footing for his new landlord is important.
Ideally you should ask your employer to furlough you rather than lay you off, same for your husband. Your son could be looking for a replacement temporary job.
It is a difficult situation. What happened to your son's loan for this term? Could that be used to pay the rent?