Left uni but still paying rent

thedeckking

My son signed up to a room in a shared house in Leeds for the current year but has left uni and is now stuck paying the rent. We've tried everything we can to find someone to take over the room, but obviously most students already have somewhere for the year. 
Any advice on what we can do, the landlord is saying we can't pull out and have to find someone to take the room. 

DullGreyGuy

thedeckking said:

My son signed up to a room in a shared house in Leeds for the current year but has left uni and is now stuck paying the rent. We've tried everything we can to find someone to take over the room, but obviously most students already have somewhere for the year. 
Any advice on what we can do, the landlord is saying we can't pull out and have to find someone to take the room. 

Did they sign on a joint or separate tenancy? 
Is there any break clause?
Are Guarantors involved?

If its a joint tenancy, as ours was when I was a student, then everyone is fully liable for the full rent so if one doesn't pay the Landlord can chase any of them or all of them. Do you want his flatmates to pay his rent for him or is this a life lesson?

If it's a HMO then each person is individually liable for their share. His choice then is either pay up or see if the landlord is willing to sue him

ThisIsWeird

Have you been in touch with the Uni? They will almost certainly have a department dealing with finding places for their students, and you can bet there will be a steady stream of kids needing to move from unsuitable current properties, or even having to rent on an expensive weekly basis, desperate to find a longer-term rental.

Most Uni's will also have student Facebook pages to do the same - folk who are struggling to find a good place to rent.

youth_leader

My daughter went to Leeds Uni and had a lot of trouble finding a nice house share. I'm sure the Uni will be able to help you find someone to take the room over.

silvercar

Watch the council tax situation carefully. As a non student your son could find himself liable for council tax on the whole house, albeit with a single person discount. That is why you sometimes see places offered with the leaving ex-student subsidising the rent of the replacement.

saajan_12

thedeckking said:

My son signed up to a room in a shared house in Leeds for the current year but has left uni and is now stuck paying the rent. We've tried everything we can to find someone to take over the room, but obviously most students already have somewhere for the year. 
Any advice on what we can do, the landlord is saying we can't pull out and have to find someone to take the room. 

Legally as between son and LL, the LL is right - assuming he's signed up to a fixed term tenancy, son is responsible for the rent for the duration.
- If its an individiual tenancy for just son's room, then while legally the LL could find a replacement and only charge son upto that point plus readvertising costs, the reality is they'll have the same struggles you do. 
- If its a joint tenancy then the LL wouldn't even be able to terminate son's "portion" or find a replacement as the other housemates have a right to stay there uninterrupted. 

So the only realisitic option is finding a replacement - is there a uni support department who help link people here?