Uni chiefs wait for Government
A NOTTINGHAM university’s position on student rent payments over lockdown remains unchanged despite another institution offering payment breaks.
Those living in accommodation run by the University of Nottingham and some trusted providers will not have to pay rent for five weeks over the lockdown if they are studying subjects with delayed starts.
But Nottingham Trent University (NTU) says it is waiting for the Government to make a decision on the issue after negotiations with Universities UK – the organisation that represents higher education institutions in the UK.
NTU’S position has remained unchanged despite some students deciding to hold a rent strike.
A University of Nottingham spokesperson said: “We appreciate that the sudden news of the latest lockdown has caused considerable anxiety for everyone.
“We will be offering a support package for students in university-owned or leased and managed accommodation which aligns accommodation charges to the
Government’s current advice on which courses currently deliver in-person teaching.
“Students who are not studying on a programme that currently allows them to return for in-person teaching and are not using their room will not be required to pay accommodation fees from the start of term – January 10 – up to and including the date they start to occupy their room or the projected restart of in-person teaching on February 13, whichever is earlier.
“Students studying on courses that have been advised by the Government to return for in-person teaching and those that return to their accommodation for any reason before February 14 will be liable for their full accommodation fees.
“This applies to students with accommodation contracts for university halls, Dagfa, Varsity, and UPP (Broadgate Park, Albion House & Cloister House), but we are liaising with private and third-party accommodation providers to see if they are able to support students in a similar manner.”
Another nearby institution, the University of Loughborough, also says it will offer rent breaks to its
students in halls.
But a spokesperson for Nottingham Trent University said: “We understand student concern around rents for accommodation.
“These arise directly from decisions taken by Government and at his press briefing on Tuesday the Prime Minister said that he would look into the issue.
“Universities UK is in discussion with Government and we judge it is sensible to await the announcement of the Government’s position. The Government needs to show leadership to find a solution that is fair to all students; at NTU, only a minority of our students are in accommodation operated by or on behalf of the university.
“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.”
The National Union for Students has also called for students to get “rent rebates and the opportunity to leave tenancies early”.