Unfair Student accommodation rental payments due to Covid 4th January -18 April 2021

bluecarlady

Has anyone else had their child come to them with this?

An amount collected from their bank account (in this case nearly £2000.00) to cover the rent on their uni accommodation room for January to April 2021 as they did not fill out some declaration.  

Would not mind seeing child pay but they physically have not been in their accommodation since middle of November 2020.

This is of course a situation unique to this year, Universities have never before issued rent waivers in such large numbers, but we are in a pandemic.

Tip for all if ever your child pays for their first terms rent using their 16 digit card number it's always wise to get a new card issued before the next rent installment is due.  Then the student is  in control of when the rent gets paid.

All I can say, our entire household are in an extremely delicate state of mind while we try to sort this out.

Even paid a fiver to just ask this afternoon but it was TBH a bit of a waste of money.  The lawyer handling said she had never heard of such a declaration.

Are we the only family out there struggling with this? 

Blue car lady

silvercar

First contact the uni accommodation office, if they have taken the money in error they should refund. They are part of the university so should deal fairly with students.

If all that is missing is a declaration then they may allow it to be completed late and submitted for the refund.

Advising that everyone changes cards whenever rent is due, is completely unnecessary. 

I don’t understand the £5 comment. What decent lawyer would give advice for £5?