Bristol University to give full rent rebate to students until Easter.
Bristol University has agreed to give students who are not able to live in their accommodation a full rent rebate until the end of March.Students living in university owned accommodation will not be charged rent for the period 1 February – 26 March, providing their course has not resumed blended learning.
Students who are in halls will continue to receive the 30% rent rebate until 5 February.
It's after Government restrictions prohibited the majority of students from returning to campus and told them to stay home for the third national lockdown.
Students have to apply for this rebate by Wednesday 27 January 2021.
Bristol University says this rebate is in addition to the 30% rebate from 19 December 2020 to 1 February 2021 to compensate for the government-mandated staggered return to campus. It is also in addition of a full 10-day rent rebate between 3rd and 9th December 2020 when teaching was mandated to move online.
Students are also entitled to leave their tenancy penalty free if they do not wish to return to university accommodation.
Bristol University says "we know it is better for some student’s physical and mental health to not live in University accommodation at the moment. If you are affected in this way, we have introduced a policy to allow you to be released from your tenancy penalty free."
The student's union has called the announcement good news for students.
Student Living Officer Ruth Day says she is "pleased" the university has listened to what students have said they wanted.
More than 1,400 students held rent strikes in November claiming the university had not offered them enough support during the coronavirus pandemic.
At one stage the University threatened to take unpaid rent from students bursaries but u-turned on that decision, allowing students to receive their bursaries in December as planned.