Peak: These students can’t move into their houses because the old tenants are isolating

All five of the country’s biggest Covid hotspots are student areas, and hordes of students are having to self-isolate at the very moment their tenancies end.

For those stuck in their houses, it means possibly being asked for a month’s extra rent to cover a few days’ delay.

But for those due to move in, it’s just as big a ballache. Students unable to move into their houses tell The Tab of frustration and financial inconvenience.

Leeds Beckett student Jack Heaney was meant to be moving into a house with his girlfriend yesterday. But on Sunday, the estate agents got in touch to say they couldn’t move in until 3rd July – this Saturday. “It didn’t leave us any time to readjust,” the second year told The Tab.

Fortunately, Jack has not been forced to live in this phonebox while the current tenants isolate

Although the estate agent has reimbursed the rent for the days they won’t be living there, “it still doesn’t cover it”, Jack said. He and his girlfriend had paid for a storage unit to cover the initial gap between tenancies, but the delay means they’ve had to take their things back out of storage after it ran out – rendering the £68 they forked out wasted.

“I’m just hoping the landlord has cleaned the new property professionally because I’d rather not be walking into a property where people have been isolating,” Jack told The Tab.

It’s added more financial stress,” he said.

On Wednesday, less than 24 hours before he was due to move into his new house, Liverpool grad George Williams’ landlord told him it would be delayed until Monday – the 5th.

While George is also getting the rent for those days refunded – “so that’s sound” – the delay is still a pain. “I’ve got work all this weekend in Leeds so I’m having to trek about on trains from York to work at a bar,” he told The Tab.

Luckily for both Jack and George, they had places to go. However, for students who live abroad, or without family homes, the delays present a potentially perilous situation.

“In terms of alternative accommodation, our landlord basically just said to contact uni to see what they have to offer,” Jack said.

Have you been in a similar situation? Email [email protected] to tell us your story

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