A uni won’t give a grad his degree because of an unpaid £17 fine on a burnt sofa cover

Every scumbag third year has been there – weighing up how likely the uni are to actually stop you graduating over a tiny unpaid library fine. The madlads would never be that stingy, you think, I’ve paid them £27,000. Well, you haven’t met the University of Kent, who are refusing to give a grad his degree because of a £17 fine.

Joshua King hasn’t received the 2.1 in law which is rightfully his because he refused to pay a £17.73 fine issued after a clumsy housemate managed to burn a sofa cover with a pan.

The uni split the fine between the 10 housemates, and Joshua refused to pay.

“I’ve paid nearly £30,000 in tuition and they’re refusing to give me my degree over £17,” the disgruntled grad told Kent Online.

“I need my degree to apply for jobs to prove I’ve graduated and got that result, but I can’t as they’re refusing to give it to me.”

Joshua says he refused to sign a form admitting joint liability for the damage. A budding lawyer, he subsequently made a complaint – which he says has been ignored.

“I’ve explained to them many times I shouldn’t be charged for something that wasn’t my fault but they’re still adamant that it’s the way it should be and that’s how they’ve always done it,” he said.

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