Moving accommodation during new lockdown rules

[LookToTreblesGoingTreblesGone]

Hi, my DS is currently in some temporary private university student accommodation. It's temporary because his proper accommodation hasn't finished being built yet (whole other story!)
However this is nearly finished now and should be ready in a couple of weeks.
Does anyone know if the new lockdown rules will prevent him moving half a mile into his proper accommodation? Also I'm wondering how he'll physically manage (should it go ahead) seeing as his Dad and I would normally have helped him.

Any advice or knowledge on this would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[Ormally]

Is the new accommodation also owned by the university? If so then it is likely a move will be possible, although potentially they will have to stagger dates of moving and not all at once, depending on numbers affected.

I work in a university and our messages from the top since September have been 'We will be staying open, whatever happens' - this implied that the recent developments were one of a few options on the table. Although I can't be sure of what happens in terms of accommodation, if it's lucrative and has been an expensive project (potentially with cleaning and facilities rotas etc also lined up ready), they won't let it stay mothballed long.

[LookToTreblesGoingTreblesGone]

No the accommodation isn't owned by the university, it's a privately owned company. Because the accommodation wasn't ready for the start of term all the students have been put up in other rooms, including hotels!

[Ormally]

That's a greyer area. Has he been in touch with Residential Services (and potentially Student Finance or legal)? If not, he should do so as soon as they are open. It may come down to something around his contract for accommodation, what it promised vs what he got and for how long within term.

To my knowledge, other domestic renters will be able to move from 1 to another address but I'm not sure how easy it will be in practice, depending on what letting agent businesses do.

[LookToTreblesGoingTreblesGone]

@Ormally - thanks for your advice!

[user1471538283]

We are in the process of moving and I fully intend to if the movers are working. Would the university help him? If not I would go and help because I think that if you cannot get movers your family or friends can help

[LookToTreblesGoingTreblesGone]

Thanks User147.
I'm inclined to hope that the company that are building his proper accommodation, and who have put him up in the temporary one, should arrange for them to move?
However...logically this means they'll be moving over 400 students - they're going to need a lot of vans!
I think we might end up having to flout the rules and load up the car just to get him moved.

[Mindymomo]

I don’t think you would be “flouting the rules”. Moving hopefully will still be allowed and would in my opinion be an essential journey.

[Ormally]

@LookToTreblesGoingTreblesGone Thank you and hope it sorts out for him. From our end I know that Facilities have been working and strategizing very, very hard since March for a Covid control plan and they are definitely doing more than paying lip service to it. Where I am, there are comparatively low cases in light of the news from some university areas.

I would think there will be a will to get the students moved as there have also been rumbles about withholding fees (and possibly rent in circumstances like this), which will be something all institutions can't really afford. For some it could be a very big deal. That said, nothing is in motion very quickly or adaptively at the moment, for obvious reasons. They may also extend thinking as to what can constitute a household in this case (depends on the type of accommodation - corridors, flats?) as there will be a ban on household mixing and if one locks down, then it's likely the building will dictate how/to what extent.

[LookToTreblesGoingTreblesGone]

Thanks everyone for your input