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Housing association to seek rent for student block despite university closure
A housing association has come under fire for its decision to continue charging rent on university accommodation despite students being advised to go home because of coronavirus.
A2Dominion, which owns around 38,000 homes, is the only University of Bristol accommodation provider which has declined to waive rent for the next term.
It operates two student blocks in the city – Woodland Court and Deans Court – housing hundreds of students.
The university has written to the association asking it not to charge students for their accommodation if they decide not to return to Bristol next term.
The association said it would not be pursuing new rent payments until May and would not consider evictions in this period.
One student Inside Housing spoke to said he will be charged around £1,300 in May for next term’s rent. The majority of residents living in these blocks will be unable to use part-time work to help meet the costs because restaurants, cafés and bars are shut due the COVID-19 outbreak.
All University of Bristol buildings, apart from accommodation blocks, are closed and face-to-face teaching is cancelled.
Apart from A2Dominion, accommodation providers have promised not to charge rent for the term starting 20 April for students who told the university that they would not be staying by 3 April.
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“I speak for the vast majority of residents at Woodland Court when I say that we have been deeply disappointed by A2Dominion and Bristol University’s response to the ongoing rent situation at the accommodation,” said Elliot Chilton, a resident of Woodland Court.
“We feel the university has a responsibility to protect its students, which means holding A2Dominion to account for this conduct.
“The university has reassured all other students in halls of residence that their rent payments will be voided in the summer term, but refuses to make the same promises in the face of A2Dominion’s exploitative policy.”
A spokesperson for the University of Bristol said: “We are aware of difficulties being experienced by students living at Woodland Court and Deans Court and acknowledge how stressful this must be.
“As the university allocated students their accommodation with this provider, we’re actively trying to resolve this issue.
“As such, we have written to the provider who owns and runs these properties to ask if they will consider a similar approach to the university, and others, whereby students will not be charged for their accommodation if they decide not to return to Bristol next term as a result of this unprecedented set of circumstances.”
Thangam Debbonaire, MP for Bristol West and recently appointed shadow housing secretary, has also written to the university over the issue.
Nicki Morrison, director of residential services at A2Dominion, said: “The current situation is unprecedented and is understandably causing concern for many of our student residents.”
She added: “We are still working hard with our business partners to find a way forward for all parties. We have recently put forward a proposal to these partners that we hope will do this.
“In the meantime we are encouraging anyone facing financial difficulties to contact our support team in Bristol, who are on hand to offer advice in this difficult time.”
Update: at 18.44pm 09/04/20 a line in Ms Morrison’s quote stating that A2Dominion is not currently pursuing new rent payments from students was removed because it was potentially confusing. A2Dominion wished to make clear that it was continuing with its normal rent collection schedule and is not asking for payments outside the normal rent pattern.
Update: at 9.20am 14/04/20 a comment from an affected student was added to the story.
