Private accommodation confirms 50 per cent rent refund for students

Private accommodation provider Nido student, which has three student halls in Newcastle, has stated in an email they are “able to confirm that a rebate will be provided for all residents.”

This comes after a Northumbria University student drafted an open letter to the accommodation provider last month, gaining over 100 signatures from students planning to withhold their rent.

The rent strike was initiated when new residents realised they hadn’t been offered the same rent allowances as residents during the first lockdown, despite the fact they weren’t legally allowed to return to their accommodation.

The confirmed rent rebate offered by Nido student covers the ten weeks following January 5th 2021:

• Residents who were unable to return to their accommodation will receive a 50 per cent rebate

• Residents who stayed in their room will receive £250

• All residents will receive a free three-week extension to their tenancy so residents can enjoy their summer “worry-free”

• Residents who wish to renew their tenancy for the next academic year are also offered an additional discount

Aliya, the law student at Northumbria University who wrote the open letter to Nido student, told The Newcastle Tab: “I hope that this will provide an opportunity for change around the UK for students living in accommodations they’ve not lived in during the course of the pandemic.”

Nido student additionally stated in the email: “We’re committed to safeguarding our student’s wellbeing and recognise that it has been a challenging time for everyone … Nido continues to be your home.”

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