Exeter College, part of Oxford University, is located in Oxford, UK
Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe / Bloomberg
Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe / Bloomberg
National lockdowns in the UK have left many students returning home for the holidays stuck there to pay rent for empty rooms at school.
The additional – and in many cases expensive – frustration for British students fuels the threat of rent strikes.
What pissed them off is the timing. In December, the government said it would ease Covid restrictions over the Christmas holidays. Many students followed security protocols set by the government and their universities and returned home.
But last week, officials announced a lockdown that would prevent most students from returning to campus. For many, that means that the new college term – which in most cases would begin after the lockdown was announced – would start from home, even though they still pay for housing in school.
Their misery matches that of students around the world during the Covid-19 pandemic. Last year, many were abruptly told to go home and study online. The US threatened to restrict student visas. And this fall, many universities tried to open in-person classes, only to watch outbreaks erupt.
“If you paid for another service and it didn’t, you would get your money back,” said Katie O’Kelly, a master’s student at University College London.
The 23-year-old signed a 12-month contract for a privately rented room in London last year. She went home for Christmas, believing she could return to her accommodation after the holidays. But the sudden announcement of lockdown rules means her rented room is still empty because she’s home in Berkshire, about an hour’s drive from town.
O’Kelly estimates that she will pay a total of £ 7,200 ($ 9,700) in rent this year for a room that has been used much less so far than she imagined.
Similar frustrations are forcing thousands of students across the country to threaten strikes. Organizers say about 15,000 have joined the Rent Strike Now campaign, which encourages students to withhold rent for accommodation they cannot use during the Covid lockdown.
On Monday, Unite Students, the UK’s largest private student accommodation provider, announced a 50% discount on rent for eligible students for four weeks. (In Britain it is not uncommon for students attending public universities to live in dormitories run by private companies.)
Some universities have also started to respond. University College London said it will not charge rent from students who cannot return to dormitories or other university-managed accommodation. The University of Manchester, Cambridge and Exeter University have said the same.
The problem is that the student housing market in the country is fragmented. That makes it difficult to impose changes unilaterally. Private companies such as Unite Students provide 25% of housing in the UK, but 20% of students rent directly from their university. About 25% are commuter students and 30%, including O’Kelly, live in private, multi-occupant homes, often run by petty landlords.
“Now is the time for the government to seriously consider the financial implications for students and institutions and what support they will provide,” said a spokesperson for Universities UK, a representative organization for UK universities. said in a statement by email.
Last week, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson suggested at a press conference that the government is considering some form of aid.
“I think we need to look very closely at the deal that students are getting,” he said. “We need to see what else we can do to support and help students through a very, very difficult time.”
If and until that happens, here’s what experts say students stuck in limbo should consider:
- Understand the terms of your rental agreement. Make sure to check your lease as some agreements have “getaway clauses” that allow tenants to shorten their lease.
- Contact your landlord. It’s worth talking to your landlord to explain your situation as he or she will agree to give you a discount or come up with an alternative payment plan. If you don’t ask, you don’t get it. Having a polite conversation can also keep the temperature down, which may not be the case if you start threatening to withhold rent.
- Check whether you are eligible for student finance. The government is providing a fund of up to £ 20 million to help students studying in England during the pandemic. Many universities also offer emergency funds.