Exeter College, part of Oxford University, is located in Oxford, UK
Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe / Bloomberg
Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe / Bloomberg
National closures across the UK have left many college students returning home for the holiday trapped to pay the rent for empty rooms at the school.
The added (and in many cases, expensive) frustration for British students is fueling the threats of rental strikes.
What has angered them is the timing. In December, the government said it would relax Covid’s restrictions during the Christmas holidays. Many students followed the safety protocols established by the government and its universities and returned home.
But last week, officials announced a blockade banning most students from returning to campus. For many, this will mean starting the new college period (which in most cases would begin after the announcement of the closure) from home, even though they still pay for accommodation at the school.
Their problems run parallel to students around the world during the Covid-19 pandemic. Last year many were abruptly told to come home and study online. The United States threatened to limit student visas. And this fall, many universities tried to open face-to-face classes, only to see outbreaks erupt.
“If you paid for any other service and it didn’t happen, you would be reimbursed,” said Katie O’Kelly, a master’s student at University College London.
The 23-year-old signed a 12-month contract for a private rental room in London last year. He went home for Christmas, assuming he could return to his accommodation after the holidays. But the sudden announcement of lock rules means your rented room is still empty because it’s in Berkshire, an hour away from town.
O’Kelly estimates he will pay a total of £ 7,200 ($ 9,700) this year in rent for a room that has so far been used much less than he imagined.
Similar frustrations push thousands of students across the country to threaten strikes. Organizers say about 15,000 have joined the Rent Strike Now campaign, which encourages students to withhold rent from accommodation they can’t use during the closing of Covid.
On Monday, Unite Students, the UK’s largest private student accommodation provider, announced a 50% discount on rent for eligible students for four weeks. (In Britain, it is not uncommon for students attending public universities to live in dormitories run by private companies).
Some universities have also begun to respond. University College London said it will not charge rent to students who are unable to return to dormitories or other accommodation managed by the university. The University of Manchester, Cambridge and the University of Exeter have said the same.
The problem is that the country’s student accommodation market is fragmented. This makes it difficult to demand change unilaterally. Private companies like Unite Students provide 25% of housing in the UK, but 20% of students rent directly from their universities. About 25% are neighborhood students and 30%, including O’Kelly, live in private homes with multiple residents, often run by small homeowners.
“Now is the time for the government to seriously consider the financial implications for students and institutions and what support they will offer,” said a spokesperson for Universities UK, a representative organization of British universities. said in a statement sent by email.
Last week, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson suggested at a press conference that the government was considering some form of support.
“I think we have to look very hard at the agreement that the students are reaching,” he said. “We need to see what we can do more to support students and help them in a very, very difficult time.”
If and until this happens, this is what experts say students who are trapped in limbo should be aware of:
- Understand the terms of your lease. Be sure to check your lease, as some agreements have “exit” clauses that allow tenants to reduce their leases.
- Contact the owner. It is worth talking to your landlord to explain your situation, as they may agree to give you a discount or present an alternative payment plan. If you don’t ask for it, you don’t get it. Keeping a polite conversation can also keep the temperature low, which may not happen if you start threatening to withhold rent.
- Check if you meet the requirements for student help. The government provides a fund of up to £ 20 million to help students studying in England who need support during the pandemic. Many universities also offer funding for hardship.