Coronavirus: University of York urges landlords to waive rent

The University of York has moved all its learning online during the Covid-19 lockdown

A landlords association says it will not ask members to waive rents or release students from tenancy agreements during the coronavirus pandemic.

The comment comes after the University of York urged landlords to offer help to struggling students.

The York Residential Landlord Association said many of its members' rentals were their primary incomes.

The university's student union wants landlords to show "leniency".

York's Vice-Chancellor Professor Charlie Jeffrey provided a letter to all students to give to landlords explaining that all teaching has moved online for the summer term.

"We have therefore taken the decision to allow our students to end their rental agreement early at no additional charge," he wrote.

He said he hoped other providers would follow suit.

The association said it was sympathetic and said landlords took "great pride" in the service they offered students.

However, in a letter to the university, its chairman Andy Simpson said: "In terms of rent reductions or penalty free releases from tenancy agreements. We appreciate why you have made this request but it's not something we would advise landlords to do.

"We note that the government's position is for bills to be paid and anyone who is struggling to do so should access one or more of the schemes that are relevant to their personal circumstances."

He added that maintenance costs and bills still had to be paid and he pointed out that many students would still be in receipt of their student loans.

Steph Hayle from the university's student union said many students had lost jobs working in bars and restaurants during the lockdown and it was a "misconception" that students loans covered rent.

"We're asking for leniency," she said.

"We don't want our students at the moment having to chose between food and rent and that unfortunately is the situation for quite a few of them."

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