Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Student rents, what is everyone doing about payment and what’s the legal position?

36 replies

Waterandlemonjuice · 15/04/2020 11:41

Sorry if there’s already a thread, please point me there if there is.

Ds is in private rented with 4 others, hasn’t been there for a month and is unlikely to go back, presumably.

Agency has emailed today saying pay up please, what are people doing? Giving notice and paying a proportion? payment in full? Any advice most gratefully received.

YANBU = shouldn’t have to pay it all
YABU = pay up anyway

OP posts:
clareOclareO · 15/04/2020 11:44

Legally it needs to be paid. You can offer a reduced amount and see if they will accept it in the circumstances, but they are entitled to demand the full sum.

He's presumably still entitled to the full student loan, he could pay with that.

woodchuck99 · 15/04/2020 11:46

It depends on the contract. If they have signed a contract to pay up to a certain date they will have to pay. Whether or not you feel they should pay is irrelevant as it isn't up to you. The agency will sue if your DC doesn't pay.

Thighmageddon · 15/04/2020 11:48

We're having to pay the full amount because that's the contract dd signed and we're guarantors.

Northernsoullover · 15/04/2020 11:49

The house is still available to him. He could have stayed but chose not to.

Yelllow · 15/04/2020 11:51

A contract is a contract. He needs to pay until the contract is up. Use student loans if needed.

cathcustardtart · 15/04/2020 11:56

We looked at DD's contract, it's watertight. We've just got to suck it up.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 15/04/2020 11:57

Well I'm going to be taking a more robust approach with DS1's landlord. Assuming DS1 has no third term then I'll aim to come to a (shared pain) agreement with them. If they won't play nicely then they can sue me. DS1 does not have a loan but all his work and therefore income has stopped.
Not sure why landlords should expect to suffer no pain if they are prepared to financially shag their tenants up the arse.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 15/04/2020 11:59

And I've had a chat with the commercial landlord for my business (who is a proper commercial landlord - not a buy to let shyster) and agreed 50% rent for the next three months. I have a contract with them too but fortunately they are not behaving like arseholes.

Fanthorpe · 15/04/2020 12:01

We were prepared to pay, but the landlord reduced the rent anyway.

FunnyInjury · 15/04/2020 12:01

Mine is in isolation in her uni flatshare. Wanted to stay there as it is paid for up until end of July and shes on furlough from her part--time job there.
The uni have indicated that libraries etc will re-open for students as soon as restrictions are lifted. She still has coursework too as was on placement until week before uni closed. She's 2nd year Smile

CheddarGorgeous · 15/04/2020 12:05

DS1 does not have a loan but all his work and therefore income has stopped.

What financial support does he have access to?

ShanghaiDiva · 15/04/2020 12:06

Paying.
The house is available to ds if he wants it (he could have stayed there for lockdown) some of his stuff is there and therefore the room could not be rented to anyone else and he has a contract to end of August.

CheddarGorgeous · 15/04/2020 12:06

@Waterandlemonjuice have the tenants cleared all their possessions from the property and handed back the keys?

safariboot · 15/04/2020 12:07

Legally if it's a fixed term tenancy agreement, and nearly all student rentals now, then it can only be ended early if the landlord and tenant both agree.

Most student rentals require guarantors, meaning the landlord knows they can chase someone with deep pockets. They can even in many cases choose to chase Alice's parents for the rent Bob didn't pay. So landlords have very little incentives to reduce rents or allow early ends to tenancies.

Busymum45 · 15/04/2020 12:09

We have to pay due to th contract but are getting student loan still.

PennyGold · 15/04/2020 12:11

She'll still be getting a student loan so she should pay it..

Blobby10 · 15/04/2020 12:20

Also paying 2 lots of rent here even though kids at home. Contracted until July in both cases.

Stopyourhavering64 · 15/04/2020 12:20

We're still paying as Ds is still in flat ( on his own now as other flatmates have left) it's too far for him to travel home and I'm now being shielded , so he felt it better to stay at Uni and get his assignments competed.
His marks since lockdown have been brilliant- firsts in all assignments! Obviously no distractions from going to pub, although he's in touch with friends and us daily ...every cloud eh?

Lazypuppy · 15/04/2020 12:26

Of course you should.Surely house is still available for him to live in but he chose not to?

PoetaDeLosSandwiches · 15/04/2020 12:33

The legal position is that he has to comply with the terms of his contact.

Can he contact the landlord directly? They may agree to a reduction given the situation. You don't ask, you don't get. The agents will, of course, be chasing the full rent. That's how they earn their fees.

heartsonacake · 15/04/2020 12:40

YABU, of course he should pay the full amount, and legally, he has to.

He’s the one who chose not to live there, and he’s still received a student loan for it.

Original poster
Waterandlemonjuice · 15/04/2020 12:44

Thanks for all of this, he’ll pay it then. 3 of them have moved out and 2 are still there. They have some stuff still there so that will need sorting at some point.

OP posts:
Pleasedontdothat · 15/04/2020 12:46

We’re paying - I’m ds’s guarantor so no option not to really. I feel more pissed off that he’s still being charged the full amount of tuition fees when he’s had very little contact time this year due to strikes and lockdown Hmm

Babyroobs · 15/04/2020 13:10

My ds shares a house with four others and we are still paying £340 a month despite him having been home a month and unlikely to go back before September. Not sure what alternative we have as they can't rent to anyone else ?

TheGlitterFairy · 15/04/2020 13:18

He/ you'll be contracted to pay in full but the LL may be open to a rent holiday short term - but the full amount will need to be paid at some point.