Extricating 19 year old DC from crap housing commitment

[ClarkeFangirl]

Greetings hive. Looking for wisdom re student accommodation and tenancy agreements.

My 19yr old non-binary, autistic eldest has, within the last few days, signed a tenancy agreement for a room in a student house, joining a bunch of girls he shared a university accommodation flat with in first year. He stayed in hall for this, second year.

There isn't much discussion between home and him anyway, so we've just gleaned a tiny bit of info about the place. I knew it was the smallest room in the house, but it turns out there's just a skylight and not enough space for a desk. I don't know if there's any other furniture besides the bed.

It costs as much as all the other rooms in the house, and I think more than the not-cheap campus accommodation.

No money has been handed over yet but the TA has been signed. Is there any way we can take this on? DC has, by the sounds of it, agreed to rent a cupboard, not a room. Socially, it would be lovely, but I don't know how a final year student can manage without some working space.

No agreement has been signed and that is that.

Yes he has.

Does the TA have a break clause? Useful info here: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/housing/ending-a-private-tenancy/ending-your-tenancy/#:~:text=You%20can%20only%20end%20your,the%20break%20clause%20can%20apply.

She said he has signed the tenancy agreement? It's in the post?

OP, I don't think you can get out of a tenancy agreement, maybe if he finds a new tenant to take over and the landlord agrees, is that likely? Also, does he really need a desk? I think you may be making a fuss over not much. If he wants to live with these people then let him?

What is the relevance of him being “non binary”?

Houses in multiple occupations have additional safeguards see if it’s registered and if this room counts as a room

My DS had a similar room in his second and chose to stay there with the same group of people for his third year.

you don’t like it but it’s your adult son who has signed the tenancy agreement. If he likes it and is happy I don’t see your problem.

or does he want to get out of it?

my son loved his room.

Also is it a joint tenancy or does the landlord rent each room out separately. I think rules vary by local authority so cab in his area is a good starting point

She literally said that the tenancy agreement had been signed.

Have you set eyes on the agreement that has been signed? See if there is any wiggle room. The whole student accommodation thing is such a nightmare. I suppose someone has to have the smallest room and they have agreed as group who that’s going to be. I know my nephew had a tiny room in the final year for the same rest as the others but he didn’t care. That’s why he agreed to have it.

My dd had a desk in all three years. She used it solely for make up. She worked on her bed on a tray but mostly in the library and other study spaces.

As long as the room is of the legal size to be classed as a bedroom then the tenancy agreement is legal and stands unless there is a break clause but that is usually after 6 months.

How were the rooms decided? Why did he get the rubbish one? If he has the rubbish room can he negotiate with the girls to pay less rent then those with better rooms?

It sounds like he wants to stay with his friends.I would leave him to it.

I shared a house with the same people for three years. I paid a bit more as I had the largest bedroom (landlord appointed rooms).

However, many of my friends stayed in houses where the rooms were pulled out of a hat and everyone paid the same.

He can always go to the library and work there or work sitting on his bed.

Does he actually want to get out of the lease?

I think PP meant "No. Tenancy agreement has been signed"

I missed a comma after no, if the agreement is signed it is binding

You can check with council if it is registered as an hmo and if so licensed for how many tenants. Is the rent set out for each room or as a collective amount for the property? Where rooms are uneven dc have typically paid more/less than average. Is there communal space he can work in?

Am I missing something? Does he not want to live there anymore? It reads like he is fine with it, but YOU have reservations about it?

I am not a lawyer but I am involved in Tenancy Agreements professionally and I would say no, he can't get out of it unfortunately

Punctuation saves lives.

If socially it’ll be lovely and he’s happy then leave him to it. He’ll cope without a desk. Get him some good pillows and a tray table so he can sit on the bed with his laptop. Or he can use the kitchen table downstairs. He’ll figure it out. Someone had to have the smallest room and so long as he doesn’t feel the process of choosing was unfair then it’s a non issue, everyone paying the same and drawing lots for the rooms if that’s what they did is a v normal system, and there are advantages to the attic room like it being quieter.

Thanks, these are good points. The houseshare is already in progress, so DC is joining it next year and taking the available room. I'm not sure there is any storage space either, so even without the desk, it sounds hard work, but I need to check. Grateful for everyone's advice, thank you.

Oh, apparently it's on the ground floor, so not a nice, quiet attic room (which would, indeed, be good).

I think all bedrooms need to have an opening window for fire safety

Happier students, especially neurodivergent ones who have found their safe space at uni, usually do better.

Presumably there is a library if he needs somewhere specific to study.

We stayed in a holiday cottage with a basement bedroom, which we used. it had a roof lantern but no idea if it was open-able.
Im not prone to catastrophising but the thought of how do we get out if there's a fire crossed my mind a few times during the week! I presumed it must have passed regulations to be in a holiday let though.

It's before signing g he needed to negotiate for a reduce fee due to having a smaller room. It's only one year. A good lesson learn for third year and even longer potentially.