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Student Accommodation need to cancel at last minute

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lknights1987
lknights1987 Posts: 77 Forumite
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in House buying, renting & selling
Hi

My friend who was due to start university in Birmingham next week has had a phone call from them letting her know that her course has been cancelled. She has quit her job and signed an agreement to rent a room in student accommodation but now she is being told she can't cancel the agreement unless she finds someone else to move into the property.

The same thing happened last year. The university phoned her to cancel the course telling her they had over booked with students and that she will be booked onto the course a year later. They have told her the same story again this time round.

Where does she stand in this matter? Will she have to pay for the rent even if she doesn't live there ?
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  • WibblyGirly
    WibblyGirly Posts: 470 Forumite
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    I've never heard of courses being over booked with students.
    Can she choose another course? Seems odd they would do this to her twice and she accepts it.
  • 00ec25
    00ec25 Posts: 9,123 Forumite
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    lknights1987 wrote: »
    Where does she stand in this matter? Will she have to pay for the rent even if she doesn't live there ?
    technically yes, university accommodation operates those rules

    however, as it is the university which has cancelled the course I would think she has a good case for appealing to "the university" over the decision of the accommodation office to impose the "normal" contract terms re her rent

    get her to speak to the student union (even if she isn't a student?) or even the university's own student advice centre
  • Red-Squirrel_2
    Red-Squirrel_2 Posts: 4,341 Forumite
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    That's very odd and I wouldn't take that lying down.

    Is this a normal undergrad course that she applied to through UCAS?

    Maybe post on the student board for advice on getting them to honour her place?
  • davidmcn
    davidmcn Posts: 23,596 Forumite
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    00ec25 wrote: »
    technically yes, university accommodation operates those rules

    however, as it is the university which has cancelled the course I would think she has a good case for appealing to "the university" over the decision of the accommodation office to impose the "normal" contract terms re her rent
    It's not clear to me from the OP that the university is also the landlord.
  • 00ec25
    00ec25 Posts: 9,123 Forumite
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    davidmcn wrote: »
    It's not clear to me from the OP that the university is also the landlord.
    fair comment, my default is that first years are "in" not "out" but then again not every university operates to that "standard" and I am of course also assuming she is a UG not a PG
  • ThePants999
    ThePants999 Posts: 1,748 Forumite
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    Never mind the accommodation - I wouldn't take a second postponement lying down! If they postponed her course last year, she should have been at the front of the bloody queue this year - she should go and make a fuss!
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,323 Forumite
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    It does sound a bit odd. Can't they even offer an alternative course? Does she have the required examination results?

    It seems strange because the caps that were in place for student numbers were dropped a couple of years ago (so how could the course be overbooked last year) although apparently student numbers have now dropped.

    https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/aug/14/nervous-universities-await-clearing-as-student-applications-fall

    Nothing explains how the course could have been overbooked last year and cancelled this year. I would have thought, if university accommodation she could get her accommodation fees returned. I just had to pay a deposit of £250 for my son's room. Don't see how university can charge her for the whole year if the course has been cancelled. If private rental (unusual for first year, most students live in the first year) she will have more problems.

    But I am sorry, what you have been told doesn't make sense on a number of fronts. Is she doing a postgraduate course?
  • Out,_Vile_Jelly
    Out,_Vile_Jelly Posts: 4,842 Forumite
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    If it's a private LL, then yes she's liable.

    But they should definitely be pursuing this with the university as something is not right here.
    They are an EYESORES!!!!
  • Guest101
    Guest101 Posts: 15,764 Forumite
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    lknights1987 wrote: »
    Hi

    My friend who was due to start university in Birmingham next week has had a phone call from them letting her know that her course has been cancelled. She has quit her job and signed an agreement to rent a room in student accommodation but now she is being told she can't cancel the agreement unless she finds someone else to move into the property. - Just don't move in. The tenancy never starts and the rent isn't due.

    The same thing happened last year. The university phoned her to cancel the course telling her they had over booked with students and that she will be booked onto the course a year later. They have told her the same story again this time round.

    Where does she stand in this matter? Will she have to pay for the rent even if she doesn't live there ?
    -I'd speak to NUS about this. Something doesn't sound right.
  • eddddy
    eddddy Posts: 16,440 Forumite
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    I find it very hard to believe that a university would do that once - let alone twice. Are you sure that you have the whole story?

    You say a 'university in Birmingham' - is it Birmingham University?
    Important information about your student contract with the University of Birmingham

    ...
    If changes to your programme are made after you have accepted your offer, the University will try to give you early notification of those changes and minimise their impact by offering suitable alternative arrangements, helping you find an alternative programme or University or providing compensation where it believes there is a fair case to do so.
    ...

    Link: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/undergraduate/requirements/terms.aspx

    I really don't believe that any university would just phone a prospective student two weeks before the start of term and just say "Sorry, the course is cancelled/over booked, you can't come!".
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