Help us reach our campaign target: Become a member
The Bristol Cable

UPDATE: Housing association U-turn means Bristol Uni students spared £1,500 rent payment

First year students at the University of Bristol were told they had to pay rent despite the university closing down because their halls were run by a private provider.

Coronavirus in Bristol

A large housing association has made a U-turn on demanding rent payments, which will mean roughly 500 first year students at Bristol University won’t have to pay rent for the summer term if they’ve moved out of halls because of coronavirus.

After students effectively had their first year cut short – with many moving home, teaching being transferred online and assessments cancelled or scaled back – students at Woodland Court and Deans Court were told they would still have to pay roughly £1,500 each.

This is because these two halls are run by housing association A2Dominion. By contrast, Bristol University had announced that students living in university-owned accommodation would not be charged for their final instalment of rent if they moved out. 

The university had written to A2Dominion asking them not to charge students if they decided to not return to Bristol next term. A spokesperson for A2Dominion told the Cable on 9th April: “As it stands, in May we will be charging students rent.”

But now, following negotiations with the university, A2Dominion have backed down from their position. Nicki Morrison, their director of residential services, told Inside Housing (£): “Following constructive talks with the University of Bristol, we have successfully reached an agreement that means we will not charge students who do not use their accommodation for the rest of the academic year.

“We are pleased that we have been able to agree terms that will help to support students in Bristol through this difficult time.”

Bristol University welcomed the news that A2Dominion had followed the example of the other accommodation providers in waiving rent payments. 

Anna Webb, a first year anthropology student, recently left Woodland Court to move back home to Dorset. She previously told the Cable about worrying about how she would cope financially after losing her part-time job and facing the £1,500 rent payment. 

Get essential coronavirus updates, twice a week

She said A2Dominion had informed students today that an agreement had been made, but they didn’t say what they had agreed or provide any more details. It appears a deadline for students to apply for rent relief is yet to be set.

Webb also spoke of the frustration of being placed in halls not run by the university and living in poor conditions. Almost 30 students from Woodland Court have made an official complaint to the university, seen by the Cable, which sets out the “unfair and unjust treatment” of residents, who say they were kept in the dark about the halls being run by a private company. 

The complaint also listed problems with the halls, which cost £166 a week to rent, such as lack of hot water, strong smells of sewage, broken appliances not being fixed for extended periods, and lifts not working for students with restricted mobility.

The other university in Bristol, the University of the West of England (UWE), announced on their website that students living in halls will be released from their accommodation contract for the final term if they let the university know they’ve left their rooms. Those living in UNITE accommodation have been offered a similar deal.

Some living in private student accommodation are struggling to get similar deals. More than 100 students went on rent strike in protest at Digs letting agency demanding rent in full, despite many students now being out of work, and their next loan payment not coming until late April. UWE students also contacted the Cable about moving out of their accommodation in March but are being told by their provider Mansion Student that their rent payment of almost £2,500 would be due in June.

A University of Bristol spokesperson said: “We know many students will not be returning to their accommodation in Bristol at the start of the coming term. In these unprecedented circumstances, we do not believe such students should be expected to pay rent.

“We therefore welcome the news that following talks with the University, A2 Dominion have made the decision to follow our lead – and that of other accommodation providers – and waive rent for students not using their accommodation for the remainder of the academic year.”

Comments

Post a comment

Mark if this comment is from the author of the article

By posting a comment you agree to our Comment Policy.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related content

‘Academic and support staff are suffering – it’s time for universities to dip into their rainy day funds’

University of Bristol staff deserve a pay rise after years of real-terms cuts, so why won’t it lift salaries? Recent growth is unsustainable, and investing in pay could help not just workers but local businesses and the city.

Bristol student who took her own life had mental health disorder ignored, judge rules

Natasha Abrahart’s parents argued that her university failed to make allowances for her social anxiety disorder.

‘Simply inconceivable’ university didn’t owe duty of care to student with severe social anxiety, court told

Natasha Abrahart, a physics undergraduate at the University of Bristol, took her own life the day before she was due to give a presentation.

The clinical psychologist specialising in sexual assault: ‘I’ve not had any clients with positive experiences of reporting’

With sexual violence under the spotlight again at Bristol University, a psychologist with clients who are survivors of assault speaks out.

Bristol Uni staff strike again to protect their pensions, pay and conditions

Despite the disruption to their degrees over the last 18 months, some students are backing their lecturers’ action even if it means more missed learning.

Research by University of Bristol Students’ Union reveals half of respondents have experienced sexual harassment

Survey findings released today put the thorny issue of consent back under the spotlight at the University of Bristol.

Join our newsletter

Get the essential stories you won’t find anywhere else

Subscribe to the Cable newsletter to get our weekly round-up direct to your inbox every Saturday

Join our newsletter

Subscribe to the Cable newsletter

Get our latest stories & essential Bristol news
sent to your inbox every Saturday morning