Exeter Uni is giving rent rebates to everyone in halls

An email sent today by Mike Shore-Nye, the University of Exeter registrar, has announced that students in university owned accommodation will have their rent waived during lockdown. This also applies to students in accommodation “arranged through a nominated partner”

This comes after students were asked not to return to term-time accommodation through the ongoing national lockdown.

Students in uni accommodation who have not paid the January invoice (and are not living there) won’t have to pay, and those who have paid will have their accounts altered to match the length of the lockdown. This does not apply to students who have already returned or will return before the end of the national lockdown.

The email explains “This arrangement will cover the period of the national lockdown during which many of you have been asked by Government not to return to your term time accommodation.  This began on 4 January and is currently expected to stay in place until mid-February.

“We will issue further communications with details of how student accounts will be adjusted to reflect these changes at the end of the national lockdown period.”

The registrar went on to say this does not apply to students in private accommodation: “Unfortunately, contracts with private accommodation providers are outside of our control”, but there are financial support measures available: “In partnership with the Students’ Guild and Students’ Union we have doubled the support available through the ‘Success for All’ Hardship Fund.

“The Students’ Union Advice Service and the Students’ Guild Advice Service are available to offer guidance to students in Cornwall and Exeter respectively on matters including accommodation and finance.”

The email ends with a message that “Reducing the numbers of people travelling between regions of the country is an important measure Government has taken to help to combat the spread of COVID-19. The University of Exeter community has consistently pulled together to protect those around us from infection, and I hope that this additional support helps those of you in University accommodation to continue to do so.”

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