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

[Waterandlemonjuice]

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

If you rent a property and the tenants decide to go away for 6 months, you would still expect the rent wouldn't you? Not your problem if they chose to go on holiday or not (let's not go into the insurance issues).

How could you not pay?

You/son have signed a contract - you're legally bound by it.
Your landlord may be prepared to negotiate, he'd probably have been more open to this if approached proactively at the outset, rather than having to chase.
Have you checked the contract to see whether your son has sole responsibility on the rent for his room, or if flatmates default, can he be held liable for a larger share of the unpaid rent?
Worth checking that before you start negotiating.
If it is joint liability, find out the position of the others involved.

OP here, I’ve already said we’re paying.

Some rents have been waived though

metro.co.uk/2020/04/11/mp-backs-student-strike-halls-refuse-waive-rent-lockdown-12542121/

I just spoke to the letting agent and many of their landlords are offering students rent reductions.

We have been offered £10 per tenant per week so will be paying that. So anyone not sure, it is worth asking!

And we haven’t been chased for rent, the agency are aware that loans have been paid late and had written to say they understood late payments .

DS1's landlord has been very kind & said that he will stop charging the moment they move out. DS2 is in halls & doesn't have to pay.

It is definitely worth asking.
I rang my students DC landlord and was immediately offered 50%reduction.
They don’t have to.
But they may well.
Don’t ask, don’t get.
Advantage to landlords is they can get in now to clean and decorate (!) for the new year students.
And yes my DC are still in their rooms, landlord agreed to hold them until DC can get back up there.

Please don’t assume student loan = have to pay!
Most of them will get little or no summer holiday work so they’ll be well down on their cash.

DD was told if she emptied the room by a certain date, they would waive the rent which was very good of them

Dd is in university halls, they have waived the rent, private landlords have offered between nothing and full waiver, but they don't have to