Pressure Grows for Rent Refunds
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An increasing number of students in England are looking to withhold their rent from universities because they are unable to use their accommodation.
Students are demanding a rent rebate but the decision on whether to provide refunds does not in many cases lie with the universities but the underlying owners instead.
Late last year, University of Manchester did decide to offer a 30% rent rebate for the first half of the academic year, following protests over a lack of support.
Organisers behind the Rent Strike Now campaign argue that the new lockdown means students are still paying for halls they are unable to return to, prompting further frustration.
Campaigners have suggested students are withholding rent from more than 40 universities, whilst those attending institutions not yet part of the campaign have said they will organise similar challenges.
Nottingham Trent University has urged the government to find a solution that is fair to all students, adding that only a minority of its students are in accommodation operated by or on behalf of the university.
The university said: "We do not want a repeat of the situation in the summer term of 2020 where most of our students were reliant on the goodwill of private accommodation providers who did not always do the right thing."
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Article by
Head of Research at StuRents
Richard leads the StuRents research team, providing proprietary, platform-driven insights to help stakeholders make better-informed decisions about the market.
