Leicester University forcing student to pay for a term's accommodation they don't need

Sporanza_topside

My son is being forced by Leicester University into paying for a whole term's accommodation, as his course lectures end at the end of March, with only a few exams he'd like to travel to later on in the year.

He has no need to use student accommodation after March but that they're adamant he has to pay until July.

When my eighteen year old son started his foundation year he was not given the year's time table until weeks after, not leaving much time for any student to withdraw their tenancy if they spotted this rule in their tenancy terms and conditions.

(Removed by Forum Team), the accommodation officer, refuses to acknowledge that student accommodation is linked to when their courses end, but if they do want to leave their only given the option to withdraw from their education.

I'm writing to you as this seems financially and morally very harsh on students but also question whether it's legal to force a year's rent on a tenant?

Many thanks for any interest anyone has in this.

silvercar

Presumably you signed up for the contract for the full academic year when you chose to take a tenancy.

Sporanza_topside

The assumption was that he'd get a full academic year's tuition. Not just two thirds of the year and no option to get out of the expense of a term's tenancy.

elsien

as above, if that’s what he signed up to that is what he needs to pay. The chances of them filling the vacancy for the last part of the academic year are fairly remote.

Emmia

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6659415/leicester-university-forcing-student-to-pay-for-a-term-039-s-accommodation-they-don-039-t-need

Your son could remain at uni to study for his exams, and use the room.

The room can't really be re-let as your son wishes to use it when he's doing his exams and, the rental contract you or you son signed is presumably for the whole year.

The course I did at uni averaged 10 - 12 hours of tuition (classes) each week. We were supposed to study for 35-40 hours a week, with the difference being made up of self directed learning.

Isthisforreal99

Struggling to see where anyone was forced to do anything. Contract was signed till end of term so no surprise they want paid.

Also, it's bad form to name individuals and may lead to your post getting pulled.

Woodstok2000

Student accommodation would be linked to academic term dates for the year, not to individual courses. Why would the university want to have to handle multiple tenancy end dates every year, and have accommodation sitting empty more than they had to?

Sporanza_topside

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81920944#Comment_81920944

Oh I don't know, to incentivise them to provide students with an entire years education?

Woodstok2000

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81920948#Comment_81920948

Are you saying they're not providing the required standard of education? I thought this was a housing question. You need to be clear what your issue is.

University isn't just about lectures, there's an expectation for self-study, and your son will still have access to university staff and lecturers, libraries and resources etc. Yhe university would probably argue He should be staying there to revise.

Sporanza_topside

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81920959#Comment_81920959

Don't, this isn't about you. Please re-read the initial post if you're confused.

If you go on holiday and pay for three weeks of glorious sun, then the tourist agency announce your only flight back home is on the second week, you'd want to know why you're forced to pay for a hotel for three weeks.

And no, I'm not talking about holidays now.

Woodstok2000

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81920970#Comment_81920970

If I signed a lease for an academic year of accommodation, I wouldn't expect to be able to terminate that lease at a point of my choosing.

Your son (or you) have signed up for accommodation for a set period, and a specific educational course. Both those things are being delivered, and although you might not agree that a revision period prior to exams is necessary, its certainly not unusual and definitely not reason to allow you to escape your obligations elsewhere.

To pick up your analogy, if I booked a three week holiday, I wouldn't expect Jet2 to fly me home after 2 weeks because the hotel didn't run a disco every day in week 3.