Adding a conditional clause to my rent contract

Magonkio

I’m a student currently in the process of signing contracts for a house. I’m very concerned about signing given all of the uncertainty about the situation in the future, as I might end up paying thousands of pounds for a house I can’t occupy. Is it feasible to ask the agents/landlord to add a clause to our contract to reduce our rent somewhat in the case that we can’t move in at the start of the tenancy due to lockdown restrictions? 

boxer234

Is this for September? You can certainly ask but who knows what the answer will be.  I think this is going to be a really difficult situation for a lot of students.  Have you spoken to the university? 

Magonkio

Yes this is for September. The last time I spoke to the university about something similar they told me that since it’s private renting and the government haven’t put anything in place for this there isn’t much they can do. As I’m being pressured to sign the contract, my choices are sign the contract and potentially lose thousands of pounds, try and negotiate, or don’t sign and lose my deposit and the house. I’m not sure how to negotiate this or if I even can. 

greatcrested

Has the uni given any indication whether there will be teaching next Sept? I accept they are unlikely to know for sure of course....

You can,of course, ask for a clause such as you propose, or indeed for a 'get-out' clause in the even that teaching does not go ahead- but the LL is unlikely to agree. Just as you want flexibility, he will want certainty!

Comms69

Magonkio said:

I’m a student currently in the process of signing contracts for a house. I’m very concerned about signing given all of the uncertainty about the situation in the future, as I might end up paying thousands of pounds for a house I can’t occupy. Is it feasible to ask the agents/landlord to add a clause to our contract to reduce our rent somewhat in the case that we can’t move in at the start of the tenancy due to lockdown restrictions? 

There are no restrictions on you moving now. Why would you anticipate this would suddenly change?

AdrianC

Comms69 said:

Magonkio said:

I’m a student currently in the process of signing contracts for a house. I’m very concerned about signing given all of the uncertainty about the situation in the future, as I might end up paying thousands of pounds for a house I can’t occupy. Is it feasible to ask the agents/landlord to add a clause to our contract to reduce our rent somewhat in the case that we can’t move in at the start of the tenancy due to lockdown restrictions? 

There are no restrictions on you moving now. Why would you anticipate this would suddenly change?

^ This.

You can move in.

You might not wish to, if the university is not teaching, but that's different - and would be your choice not to.

sharpe106

You could ask but why would they agree to it? It makes no sense for them you either want it or you don’t. If you don’t they will try to find someone else without risking it not being occupied.

Semple

Comms69 said:

Magonkio said:

I’m a student currently in the process of signing contracts for a house. I’m very concerned about signing given all of the uncertainty about the situation in the future, as I might end up paying thousands of pounds for a house I can’t occupy. Is it feasible to ask the agents/landlord to add a clause to our contract to reduce our rent somewhat in the case that we can’t move in at the start of the tenancy due to lockdown restrictions? 

There are no restrictions on you moving now. Why would you anticipate this would suddenly change?

My interpretation of the OP post is what situation they would be in if the country suffers another wave/resulting lockdown again next year.

@.OP most of your rent i assume would be covered by your maintenance loan? As long as you don't withdraw from the course i don't believe SLC will stop paying the loan, even if the universities have to close for a short duration. Students are probably in the lucky situation here that you've pretty much got a guaranteed finance commitment from the government. 
If you're not taking the maintenance loan, or the loan only covers part of your rent payments, then you need to plan/consider what you would do to pay for it... i.e. savings/part-time job. This is just one of the many challenges of being an adult, and that thousands of other renters (who might not get any form of loan or help for rental costs) will also be going through.

need_an_answer

As a parent of a student who has just paid the final term of a rental agreement although they are not living there I  feel your frustration.
Legally the private LL can and most likely will hold you to anything you sign now.
The student finance payment is available and whilst its galling to have to use it for something that you might not need to use it does ease the financial uncertainty a little.
Have you contacted the uni yet to find out what their current plan could be....I have been advised that there is the potential for distance learning during the first term .next academic year so potentially you or other students might not be in the market for student accommodation until later in the year.

My student offspring has now finished uni awaiting some form of graduation so it wont apply to them next year but looking in the town where there uni is placed there is plenty of student accommodation as yet still unrented for next year.In previous years this would have been secured months ago.

Personally I  would be inclined to hold off signing anything until you know for certain that you will actually have the need to use it