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With all your consumer queries
I LIVE in East Renfrewshire and care for my mother who lives alone. Changes to local lockdown restrictions on visiting other households could be quite problematic for our situation. I am unsure of whether I can visit her now or what I can/ cannot do. Would you be able to advise? THE tightening of restrictions applies to social gatherings in households in the affected areas.
This has happened due to the increase in the number of cases of Covid-19.
As you care for your mother, your visits to her would be deemed “essential visits”.
As a precaution, you should limit the amount of contact with other people, and wear face coverings where appropriate.
Maintaining a distance of two metres with others (and your mother, if appropriate), as well as regularly washing and sanitising your hands, can help to prevent the spread of the virus.
These restrictions could be applied to additional areas in Scotland in the coming weeks.
However, ensuring that government advice is followed will help to reduce the spread of the virus.
These restrictions are vital in ensuring the health and safety of the most vulnerable members of society.
I hope this clears up the situation for you.
I LIVE in the north of Scotland and have enrolled to study at university in Glasgow this year. The university has informed me the first semester will be taught entirely online due to coronavirus. However, I have already signed an agreement for student accommodation in the city. Can you help? THIS situation will depend on if you have moved in yet.
The Scottish Government has made some changes to the legislation on purpose-built student accommodation and ending tenancies, with notice periods reduced due to the current situation.
Students who entered into agreements and lived in properties prior to May 27, 2020, will need to give their landlord seven days’ notice that they will be leaving the accommodation.
Students who entered into agreements and lived in properties on or after May 27, 2020, will need to give 28 days’ notice that they are going to leave the accommodation.
If you have not yet moved in, you should speak with the accommodation provider and highlight your circumstances, explaining the changes to your course and plans to move.
If you have paid a deposit and are experiencing difficulty in getting this back, speak to the manager of the accommodation, who may be able to assist.
If you are still having difficulties, you can make an official complaint to the accommodation service that you are renting from.
Holding deposits are taken by some universities and deducted from the instalment or total amount of rent that is due.
If the holding deposit is not deducted from any rent due by the landlord, then your landlord should have registered this money with a tenancy deposit scheme within 30 working days of the start of the tenancy.
If this has been done, you can go through the process of claiming the security deposit back through the scheme it is registered with.
Good luck on starting the next stage of your studies and I hope you can enjoy the full student experience when this is all over.