Jun

Be fair to student tenants, urges government as its shifts position

admin

The Government has urged landlords to consider whether they’re treating student tenants fairly by continuing to charge them for empty accommodation.

It’s a change to the previous stance adopted back in April, when Housing Minister Chris Pincher reassured landlords it wouldn’t take sides orforce them to waive rents for students, despite a vociferous campaign by the National Union of Students (NUS).

In a written question, Fabian Hamilton, Foreign and Commonwealth Shadow Minister asked the Secretary of State for Education what guidance the Government is giving student landlords about collecting rent on unoccupied accommodation.

Education Minister Michelle Donelan said: “While it is for universities and private accommodation providers to make their own decisions about charging rents to absent students, we encourage them to consider the fairness of doing so and to clearly communicate their policies to students.

Waive rents

“We are aware that a number of universities and large companies have waived rents for the summer term or released students early from their contracts.”

She added that tenants with individual private landlords could discuss the possibility of an early release from their lease and encouraged them to seek support firstly from the landlord.

Donelan reiterated that they should work together to put a rent payment scheme in place.

Students have lobbied both university and private landlords to release them from their tenancies and waive rents for the summer term.

The NUS has previously demanded that every landlord should offer students a no-penalty early release from tenancy contracts for the current and next academic year. Around the country, hundreds of university students have signed up to a rent strike.

View Full Article: Be fair to student tenants, urges government as its shifts position