Student private accommodation legal threat

svanders

My daughter is in first year at University in Nottingham Trent and her third term rent at Nova was due. As university halls didn’t charge students, we enquired what was Nova’s position. They basically said if you had lost your job or been furloughed the you get a 3 month extension. If not then you have to pay the entire sum. Luckily I have not lost my job and can make the payment. However, because my daughter moved back home during the lockdown and is still at home following then university closure - I made a goodwill payment of £1,500 leaving a balance £304 subject to them responding to my email with regard to a reduction for services/utilities and a rebate for no water at the premises on the 9th/10th March 2020 (not lockdown related). They have failed to respond to my email and have now sent an email threatening legal action and adding the costs to the o/s rent. I understand that Nova student accommodation is owned by Italian investors and wondered if anyone else has had similar issues with private student accommodation. They are within their rights per the terms of the contract but feel Nova  are treating tenants and guarantors unfairly is this difficult time.

princeofpounds

Only the contract matters. Your daughter still has use of the accommodation, she is just choosing not to be there. Unfair... maybe, but life is unfair. 

letsbetfair

Worth speaking to the advice centre in her students' union. They may be better placed to negotiate with the landlord (and I'm sure your daughter won't be the only one in this position).

greatcrested

Either your daughter and Nova stick to the legaly enforceable contract they signed ie Nova provides accommodation and your daughter pay whatever rent and other bills the contract stipulates, or

your daughter and Nova agree some other new arrangement between themselves.

saajan_12

svanders said:

My daughter is in first year at University in Nottingham Trent and her third term rent at Nova was due. As university halls didn’t charge students, we enquired what was Nova’s position. They basically said if you had lost your job or been furloughed the you get a 3 month extension. If not then you have to pay the entire sum. - okay, thats nice as a goodwill gesture. They are due the entire sum (though can't evict etc for some time if they don't get it immediately) Luckily I have not lost my job and can make the payment. However, because my daughter moved back home during the lockdown and is still at home following then university closure - and? Unless Nova are restricting access, daughter has use of the accommodation. If she chooses not to use it, that doesn't affect the tenancy agreement. - I made a goodwill payment of £1,500 leaving a balance £304 - if by goodwill you mean paying what you owe, then well done? subject to them responding to my email with regard to a reduction for services/utilities -was there a separate amount for services / utilities? If so, what was the agreement surrounding that? If not and it was just one all in figure, then they don't owe you a reduction. Daughter is free to use the utilities etc. and a rebate for no water at the premises on the 9th/10th March 2020 (not lockdown related). - what was the issue? If there was a repair issue etc, which was subsequently fixed, then that's the end of it. Properties have issues sometimes, provided they fixed it promptly, there's no rebate due. They have failed to respond to my email and have now sent an email threatening legal action and adding the costs to the o/s rent. -the outstanding rent, you / daughter owe anyway. They are limited in which legal costs they can charge you, but you can easily avoid that by paying up. I understand that Nova student accommodation is owned by Italian investors and wondered if anyone else has had similar issues with private student accommodation. They are within their rights per the terms of the contract but feel Nova  are treating tenants and guarantors unfairly is this difficult time.

Daughter / you need to pay the rent as you agreed. Whether she chooses to use the accommodation or not is a personal choice and doesn't affect the rent liability. If there was a specific agreement about utilities / services based on usage etc, then please quote it. If it was just an all in rent amount with utilities etc included, then you owe the full amount and are welcome to use the utilities etc. As for the water for 2 days, the value would be miniscule, and if they fixed teh issue promptly, then not sure you even have a claim. 

The legal costs etc can all be avoided if you pay what you owe.