University Offers Students Rent Discount – Apart From Those Staging Rent Strike

Students at a London university have been offered a discount on their rent because of the disruption caused by the pandemic, but students involved in a rent strike say they are being excluded.

Queen Mary University had offered a 30 percent discount to students for two terms’ rent as well as a £1,000 rebate for anyone unable to return to their accommodation as per government guidelines. In order to be eligible students were required to apply online and ensure their outstanding rent payments had been fulfilled. 

But because the discount was only eligible to students who paid their rent, any student who took part in a rent strike in the Spring term was not eligible. This was deliberate, says Queen Mary University Rent Strike campaign, which believes it amounts to a “crackdown on rent striking as a form of protest”.

Students across the country have been rent striking, with discounts won at universities in Bristol, Manchester, Sheffield and Nottingham. Many students were unable to return to accommodation that they had been paying for as a result of COVID-19 government guidance, or forced to quarantine in halls during mass outbreaks. Although many universities provided discounts or rebates to students who were not in their halls during this period, private student accommodation providers refused to cancel contracts or provide substantial reductions, leaving students facing huge debt. 

The National Union of Students estimates students have spent £1 billion on empty rooms during the pandemic.

Queen Mary University did not comment when asked directly whether it was restricting those involved in the rent strike, which began last term and involved more than 350 students, from accessing the discount.

But campaigners say that the university does not want to set a precedent of striking as a form of protest. 

A Queen Mary University of London spokesperson told VICE World News: “Both rent reduction schemes had application deadlines, and we were as flexible as possible with students in our residences wishing to apply for the schemes at the time. The schemes have now both been closed for some time.”

Although the deadline for the schemes was originally for April, it had been extended until last week for certain students. Campaigners say the university's residential support phone line was also down last week.

Queen Mary University Rent Strike campaign said it would challenge the decision. “The situation is littered with inconsistencies,” said a spokesperson. “First they said that deadlines were flexible, and now they are punishing us for simply protesting. We have agreed to pay now but they are making us pay amounts we simply cannot afford, and we can’t even contact them about it.”