Rent rebate petition launched for period accommodation not used
WITH concerns over the potential duration of restrictions the city’s Student Union has launched a petition calling for a rent rebate for the period accommodation is not used.
The petition statement, which has so far received more than 500 signatures, stated: ‘We demand immediate action from the University of Portsmouth on an injustice that threatens to severely impact our students. We are deeply concerned about the financial impact and inherent unfairness on students who are continuing to pay rent for their term-time accommodation despite being unable to return.
‘It’s obvious that Portsmouth students will be losing money paying for accommodation we cannot even travel to or use. This cannot continue.’
One of those to sign the petition was criminology with psychology student Sonia Osinska, 19. Sonia, who is still paying £99 a week for her Bateson Halls room, said: ‘I’ve been at home since the start of the second lockdown in November.
‘I did not want to return for the short period before Christmas as I was concerned about potentially transmitting Covid to family members at home. I don’t feel I should be paying the full fees for my accommodation and the university should be offering students some form of rebate. If I had known my university experience was going to be like this then I would have deferred until September.’