Student accommodation not providing advertised facilities.

diggingdude

Ask for a reduction, check your contract to see if they have a get out clause, consider legal action, but ... Speak to your university accomodation people 

Some will suggest suck it up and get on with it. I wonder if the landlord would suck up any damage done to property through frustration etc 

macman

Your contract probably has a clause that states that the facilities' offered cannot be guaranteed to always be available. in just the same way that a hotel sauna/gym/pool might not be available because of maintenance issues, cleaning etc. 

Anamox

If you feel like you're not getting what you paid for then challenge it, a polite letter or email to the management won't cause you any grief and the worst case scenario is they explain clauses in your contract that mean you're due nothing. Best case is they discount your rent. My only similar experience is staying in hotels that have ended up having advertised amenities closed and I've always challenged and received reductions/refunds reflecting the lack of amenities. 

Do you have bills/rent statements itemising how much of the rent goes towards the gym etc? If so then you a better idea of an appropriate reduction amount.

oldbikebloke

in case you are not aware, there are people across the UK having to do without things under Covid that are lot more important than inability to walk on to a balcony. The difference is they don't immediately reach for the "compo" button.

yes you have lost something for a period, why not just do your bit and take it on the chin?

jon81uk

oldbikebloke said:

in case you are not aware, there are people across the UK having to do without things under Covid that are lot more important than inability to walk on to a balcony. The difference is they don't immediately reach for the "compo" button.

yes you have lost something for a period, why not just do your bit and take it on the chin?

If you are paying extra for something it should be supplied. I understand if the gym/pool etc isn't available due to Covid.
But a balcony that is specifed as an extra cost item?
If you went to a hotel and paid extra for a room with a balcony you would expect to get one, or be refunded back to the standard room price?

AdrianC

jon81uk said:

oldbikebloke said:

in case you are not aware, there are people across the UK having to do without things under Covid that are lot more important than inability to walk on to a balcony. The difference is they don't immediately reach for the "compo" button.

yes you have lost something for a period, why not just do your bit and take it on the chin?

If you are paying extra for something it should be supplied. I understand if the gym/pool etc isn't available due to Covid.
But a balcony that is specifed as an extra cost item?
If you went to a hotel and paid extra for a room with a balcony you would expect to get one, or be refunded back to the standard room price?

The room has a balcony.

You cannot currently use the balcony, because the health and safety certification for it has not been completed yet.

If you were allowed to use it before then, and an entirely predictable incident arose, would you and/or your estate try to pursue the landlord?

jon81uk

AdrianC said:

jon81uk said:

oldbikebloke said:

in case you are not aware, there are people across the UK having to do without things under Covid that are lot more important than inability to walk on to a balcony. The difference is they don't immediately reach for the "compo" button.

yes you have lost something for a period, why not just do your bit and take it on the chin?

If you are paying extra for something it should be supplied. I understand if the gym/pool etc isn't available due to Covid.
But a balcony that is specifed as an extra cost item?
If you went to a hotel and paid extra for a room with a balcony you would expect to get one, or be refunded back to the standard room price?

The room has a balcony.

You cannot currently use the balcony, because the health and safety certification for it has not been completed yet.

If you were allowed to use it before then, and an entirely predictable incident arose, would you and/or your estate try to pursue the landlord?

Then the price of the rent should be lowered to reflect the fact the balcony cannot be used.
If the balcony can't be used then you effectively don't have a usable balcony.