Petition calling for 30 per cent rent reduction at Leeds Uni gains over 4,000 signatures

A petition calling for a 30 per cent rent reduction for students at The University of Leeds was launched back in December 2020.

Created by Cut The Rent Leeds, the petition has since gained over 4,000 signatures.

The petition reads: “The students at Leeds University were told that we needed to move into halls in September so we could attend in person learning.

“For many, this was a lie, as they never attended a single in person lecture or seminar. The university did not deliver on the experience promised, and some did not have access to features of their accommodations that caused their rent to be higher.

“There were a multitude of failings in terms of the university’s handling of students in isolation too and we believe that we should be financially compensated for all of these reasons.”

Rent strikes and campaigns have already been taking place at many unis around the country.

In Bristol, £1 million of rent has already been withheld by over 800 students.

In Manchester, UoM Rent Strike has won each student a 30% rent reduction for the first semester, roughly equating to a £900 refund and costing the University of Manchester £12 million.

A spokesperson for Cut The Rent Leeds told The Leeds Tab: “We’ve been very distressed to hear about the treatment of our fellow students at Leeds University after reading testimonies on their times in halls and Covid-related isolation.

“We have been in touch with the Union and hope that the University will find our demands reasonable when we begin negotiating in January.

“In the meantime while we wait for the University and Union Staff to return from the Christmas holidays, we are encouraging people to sign our petition, share our social media and to stay safe and well this winter.”

CutTheRentLDS can be found on Instagram and Twitter @CutTheRentLDS, and also have set up a Facebook Group. You can sign and share their petition here.

The University of Leeds and Leeds University Union have both been approached for comment, but have yet to respond.

If you or someone you know has been affected by this story, please speak to someone or contact Samaritans on 116 123 at any time. You can also contact Anxiety UK on 03444 775 774, Mind on 0300 123 3393, and Calm (Campaign against living miserably, for men aged 15 to 35) on 0800 58 58 58.

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• Leeds Beckett disciplined 403 students for Covid-19 rule breaches in the first weeks of term

• Here’s which TikTok sound Uni of Leeds halls would be

• The BEST places to order food from in Leeds whilst we’re stuck in Tier 3