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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Moving out of student houses sooner rather than later?

76 replies

Pebbles574 · 21/03/2020 08:26

DS is at uni 300 miles away. He came home a week ago with stuff for the Easter holidays but since then his uni has confirmed all teaching and exams will be online for summer term, so unlikely he will be going back.
I’ve said to him we should drive up there asap and bring all his stuff back/ hand over the keys. He’s doing a year out next year in a different town, so not going back in September.

Is this what others are doing too?

OP posts:
SirTobyBelch · 21/03/2020 08:52

I got all of my daughter's stuff out on Thursday but she still has the keys. Once we know what's happening we can post the keys back. This is university accommodation, though, not a private flat/house.

nicknackpaddy · 21/03/2020 08:58

My ds is home and is going next week to collect all his stuff, they have arranged a rota to go and get their stuff so they don't see anybody else when they go. They'll leave their keys there.

Sophiesdog2020 · 21/03/2020 09:10

I think if it’s a private halls or house, they can hand keys back, but will still need to pay the rent as per tenancy agreement. That’s the premise we working on for DS - he brought lots home when I picked him up, but still got kitchen stuff and bedding there (and some housemates not left yet).

Luckily we are only an hour away and he has a car, so he will go across and do final clearance/cleaning before tenancy ends in July.

Uni halls are different, I think a lot are waiving summer term fees if they are vacated.

Awning10 · 21/03/2020 09:48

We are going down to clear everything out this weekend but we are tied into a tenancy agreement until the end of August. Do you think there is anything we can do about this? There is no break clause so we are currently looking at trying to negotiate with the landlord but so far, they have said that we are liable to pay the rent until the end of the contract.

I'm also wondering about next term's grant cheque, which will be based on living away from home and in London.

BestIsWest · 21/03/2020 09:55

Collecting DS today. He will bring most of his stuff back but it’s only an hour away so we can go back and clear out later. Assuming we will still pay the rent. I have no idea what happens about next terms student loan. It’s his final term so more worried about that tbh.

SausageCrush · 21/03/2020 10:04

DS is privately renting. Tenancy agreement means he's tied into paying full rent, even though he won't be there for 6 months. Most will be the same. He's left stuff there and is coming home this weekend.

Xenia · 21/03/2020 12:24

I am hoping my sons will return to Bristol around 20 April as we have paid for the houses there to 1 July and their friends are there and they will probably work better from there and it can be best to keep things normal if you can.

However the decision will be up to them. One came back on Thursday night for the Easter holiday and the other is coming back at the end of next week.

LynetteScavo · 21/03/2020 12:50

DS hasn't come home yet as he wasn't going to come home for Easter. He's now thinking of coming home next week end as his social life has dried up.

I'm concerned about leaving him there and the country going into lock down then not being able to get him for ages. Is that a possibility? Confused

I hadn't even thought about whether he should hand the keys back yet or wait until the last minute as planned.

He still needs to sort out next years accommodation as he doesn't want to stay in the same house.

Original poster
Pebbles574 · 21/03/2020 13:03

DS would to prefer to now stay at home as his student house is a bit grotty, some of his housemates are less than hygenic and none of his friends will be there.
However a concern we have is how to ensure the house is left in a good enough state to get the deposit back. We can leave his room clean, obviously, but one of the messy flatmates is an international student and has already asked if he can move two of his friends in so they can "socially distance" together. This could lead to the house being a complete tip by the time June comes and DS losing his deposit!
Really not sure how to advise him to handle this.Suggested that we take photos of his room and tell the agents he's moved out, but I don't think that would protect him on the communal areas.

Also the internal student/ flatmate is trying to persuade him to leave his room key (which I've told him NOT to do!)

OP posts:
missyB1 · 21/03/2020 13:12

Dh has just gone to fetch ds just now . His lectures are now online but he was supposed to be on a clinical placement from middle of April - it's a healthcare course. The Uni still haven't confirmed whether that will go ahead or not. I think it's very unlikely so He's applied to work in supermarkets for the next few months. His tenancy is officially until end of June so he's leaving some stuff there for now in case he wants to go back for any reason.

Cooroo · 21/03/2020 19:47

My DD is doing an MA and rents a room with a lovely family, but we realise she needs to get home. She's getting her head around it but now I'm panicking they might do a complete shut down before I can go get her - 5 hour drive each way. She can study from home. It's so sad though.
I have no idea how much notice landlady needs.

Xenia · 21/03/2020 20:18

I don't think there will be a shut down of roads as we have to keep food etc and medical supplies moving round the country. I believe the Government said that.

Fifthtimelucky · 22/03/2020 07:14

My daughter is back from Exeter early and will be staying here for the foreseeable future. She is tied into paying rent until the end of July I think, possibly mid August.

She's left a few things there and hopes to go back over the summer, to say goodbye to friends and to enjoy the proximity to the beach etc. Only if sensible, obviously. Otherwise it will be just to collect the rest of the stuff.

That means both children are now paying rent for properties they are not living in, as the older one has come home from her job in London. At least they are saving money from not socialising though!

VivaLeBeaver · 22/03/2020 07:18

I’d bring everyone back. If country goes on full lockdown you won’t get back for stuff before the tenancy ends and they will likely bin it.

Original poster
Pebbles574 · 23/03/2020 14:01

Yes, I tend to agree. Things are only going to get worse - there is likely to be no 'popping back' option in a few weeks, if not sooner.

The complication for us is that DS has loads more stuff - a bike, desk chair etc and isn't going back for 18 months as is doing next year out in industry (hopefully - some of his friends have already had their intern jobs cancelled Sad)

OP posts:
Northernsoullover · 23/03/2020 14:08

Can I just make a suggestion? I'm an end of tenancy cleaner. Most of the students pay around 40 each on a 5 person tenancy obviously some cleaning companies are more expensive but It may well be worth you asking the letting agents what the price would be to just walk away.

Cooroo · 24/03/2020 06:47

After a 9 hour overnight trip I have my DD safe at home! I set off in a panic after last nights announcement. Such a relief. (I had no contact with anyone except DD, before anyone gets cross!)

LynetteScavo · 24/03/2020 08:12

Well done @Cooroo . I jumped in the car at 9pm and drove to get DS. We arrived home at 4am. I was terrified if I left it until this morning (as planned) I wouldn't be allowed on to the motorway. I'm relieved my boy is home and he is somewhere with a garden.

stillfeel18inside · 24/03/2020 10:11

I don't think there's any suggestion you can't drive to pick up a family member is there? My son's still in his shared house as are all his housemates - they're far better off there than at home to be honest (esp as we live in London) and I wasn't intending to order him home

Xenia · 24/03/2020 10:15

Same with one of my sons stilfeel. I live in a London hotspot, 100+ confirmed cases in my London borough and our local hospital 100% full so it is not exactly the best place to be in this epidemic. We have more cases than inner London I suspect because we have many more older people out here in suburbs.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 24/03/2020 10:15

We went and got ds on Friday,so pleased we did.

I was going to suggest an end of tenancy clean too.

elshajd · 24/03/2020 10:22

I think there were quite a few overnight trips, I saw online that the m5 and m4 were unusually busy for the time of night.

GnomeDePlume · 25/03/2020 07:25

We will be collecting DD & partner on Sunday. They will be hunkering down here for the duration. Both have had Covid symptoms so have been in self isolation for a fortnight.

TKAAHUARTG · 25/03/2020 07:30

we are tied into a tenancy agreement until the end of August. Do you think there is anything we can do about this? There is no break clause so we are currently looking at trying to negotiate with the landlord but so far, they have said that we are liable to pay the rent until the end of the contract. they can't let it to anyone else so of course you are liable. Your child can still get the student loans.