Don't know if IABU not to pay this extra 'bill'

[MirandaGoshawk]

DD did a college-level one-year art course at a London university, and lived in halls from Sept 2012 till early June. She didn't get a grant (because FE rather than HE) so we paid her rent of just over £5000.

Anyway, her rent contract was until 3rd June and her final art exhibition was supposed to be 31st May for a week, but at the last minute the Uni changed it to 4th June for a week. She asked Accom if she could stay for a further 2 nights (3rd & 4th) & they said she could, so she stayed, we came up on 5th & moved her out, saw the exhibition, then came home.

This change of date affected a couple of others, but most of students on this course had local family homes (London) so they just moved out of halls & came back to visit the exhibition.

Now we've been sent a bill for £38 for the two extra nights. The accom office say it's not their fault re the dates & we had a contract until 3rd June. But what was she supposed to do otherwise - come home to Devon for two nights? Move into a hotel? I've asked them this & they say they are "not persuaded". I'm loath to pay. AIBU?

I'd just pay it. It would have cost a whole lot more for her to travel back and forth or to stay in a hotel for a few nights.

We had to pay for extra nights too. It was because as soon as we were out the rooms were rented out to summer students etc.

Huh? The contract was until 3rd June. She needed to stay longer.

Why wouldn't you pay?

YABU.

Of course there is a charge for using accommodation in the holidays, and £19 per night is a heck of a lot cheaper than you could have found elsewhere (plus of course the value of the convenience). Of course, if you can find cheaper/better, you've probably still got time to cancel and book elsewhere.

Any gripes about required/desirable activities taking place outside term-time need to be directed to the Department, not the halls.

I actually think they've provided you with a good service at a relatively small cost from what you've said. I'd definitely pay the bill.

YABU. The contract was until 3rd June but she stayed later than that. The charge would cover the delay in getting the room decorated and cleaned for the coming year.

YABU. Pick your battles!

£19/night, in London? Bargain.

YABU £38 in nothing for 2 nights accommodation.

Universities rent out their rooms during the summer and can charge far more than £19 a night - you've been given a massive discount there.

YABU. They sound very reasonable. Our Uni halls would have shoved her in visitor accommodation and charged more for the privilege grrrr

YABU - I'n unsure why you would have issue with this? It all seems very straightforward and clear.

OK thanks all for your pov.

I'll cough up & forget it.

OK, I've paid.

I wanted to get others' perspectives on this, and what you've said made it dawn on me that if the end date had originally been 5th then our original bill would've been £38 higher.

am a thicko

So thank you.

Glad you paid. If you think about it they did potentially incur extra cost as they'd need to do check out etc on a different day than usual and than most tenants. Let alone the general running of the place.