Students will no longer be locked into paying for accommodation they are unable to use during the Covid-19 crisis under new emergency legislation to be introduced at Holyrood this week.
Despite returning to their family homes during lockdown, many students have had to still pay for term-time residences after being unable to escape their lease.
But under the proposed new laws, those tied into a contract in halls of residences or privately-owned purpose-built student accommodation will be able to give seven days’ notice to it. New agreements entered into by students while the new Bill is in force will also have a 28-day ‘notice to leave’ period.
This means that if students sign a contract for the next academic year but are unable to move in because of the Covid-19 pandemic, they will be able to end the arrangement.
NUS Scotland President Liam McCabe said: “Far too many student accommodation providers have disgraced themselves in the past months by refusing to release students from their contracts in the midst of a global pandemic. As such, we welcome the
Scottish Government’s intervention on this issue. If successful, these proposals will allow students to end their accommodation contracts with notice periods.”
He added: “Since before the lockdown students have been paying for student accommodation they moved out of.
“NUS Scotland’s message to accommodation providers is clear: provide refunds to the students you have been exploiting, finally giving them the peace of mind you have been denying them.”
He also called for the Scottish Government to instigate a “comprehensive review” of the student accommodation sector.
Constitution Secretary Michael Russell said many students had returned to their family homes, but were still paying for term-time accommodation.
He said: “During this time of great uncertainty and financial hardship for many, these proposals would relieve a significant extra financial burden on students.”
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