Ill student - locked into rent contract - Advice needed

[Willowcat77]

Since starting University in September my DD has only been able live in her accommodation (private rented room) for 4 weeks, due to lockdowns and illness. She has now had to suspend her studies because of her mental health and is living at home.

To make a bad situation worse, Student Finance Wales are now clawing back her maintenance grant but she is locked in a rent contract forcing her to pay £400 per month until July.

I am a part time, low wage worker so do not have the means to help - this is ruining me financially.

Is there anything we can do to get out of this situation? The lockdowns and my daughters mental illness were unusual circumstances - if my DD just stops paying what would happen? I have sent the landlord an email to explain the situation and ask for a compassionate release from the contract but have not yet received an answer.

I would be grateful for any advice.

Has she officially dropped out of university? If so she might be able to claim universal credit?

Contact the CAB online for advice and ask for a phone call appointment.

@CodenameVillanelle No, not dropped out but suspended until October, when hopefully she will be well enough to resume her course. I will look into universal credit, thanks.

Her university will be able to help with advice about rent and potentially some support from their hardship fund. Encourage her to contact them and explain she is going to restart in October and see what support they can give her.

Good luck.

Many unis are giving at least partial refunds to students who don;t need to be in halls due to online learning. DS2's uni is being very fair about this. Put pressure on them to do the same. I am so sorry your daughter is unwell. Explain how the financial burden is adding to her stress and point out the lack of need for accommodation from the outset if all teaching was online. Agree abotu asking CAB and getting further legal advice about the legitimacy of the contract if she didn't have to be physically present at all to study this year. (Regardless of her dropping out, this is a separate issue on which she might legally be able to claim rebate.)

Hello,

I’ve worked at a university and dealt with similar- the best answer would be to get your DD to see if she can find someone to take over her contract- so advertise the room on spare room etc, always people looking for house shares! You’d have to run this by the LL but it’s usually the way forward!

Secondly, if she doesn’t pay her rent- if you’re the guarantor you’ll become liable for it- and usually they’ll write and add charges. If she doesn’t pay, most likely it’ll end up as a county court matter over time. It depends on her contract, if she is on a joint one with housemates- the housemates will also become liable for her rent as well as you.

Best advice would be to get someone to take over the room from February 1st.

England or Scotland? Dp knows Scottish property law and can advise if that is the case.

@Theotherfossilsister Hi, it's in England. Would appreciate your advice, thank you.

Thanks for all your replies so far, really helpful.

I'm hoping the landlord will reply to my email. He's a private landlord, so potentially more inflexible than university owned accommodation. His son is a student though, who lives in the same student house. Maybe there is a chance a fellow parent might have some compassion.

@willowcat I'm sorry, the course deliberately taught him nothing about English property law, only Scottish.

It's a horrible situation though. Are there flatmates living there? Can they advertise for someone or am I clutching at straws?

Her university will have an advice service that deals with exactly this kind of issue. See if dd can get a phone appointment and take it from there.

Sorry, just saw his son is living there. Can his son not try to get one of his friends in?

Is there a local Facebook group for the area where you could seek advice? I know this is hit and miss though.

I agree with AlohaLola that your best bet is to find a replacement tenant. The landlord is more likely to accept a change of tenant than they are to forgo six months rent.

I used to work for a university and this is exactly what the support services are there for OP. Get in touch with them, they’ll have had this happen many times and be able to help.

So he's not a 'professional' student landlord - he's bought a place to save himself money on his son's rent and he's still refusing to break contracts for other students who can't stay at university due to coronavirus and subsequent mental health issues? What an arsehole

What an arsehole
Why? He has a business and fulfills a need.
OP's daughter didn't have to live there.

How many other are living there? The problem is that their contract us likely to make them all responsible so if your daughter stops paying, he will be able to.go after the others and demand they pay for her, which wouldnt be fair on them at all.

You DD needs to find someone else to replace her.

Do the tenants each have an individual contract or is it a joint tenancy? Are you a guarantor?