University Accomodation advice

Hi,
I am currently accepted at a university which is 10.5 hours away from where I live. I have received an accommodation contract with a 41-week term that I need to sign.. However, I am also on a waitlist for a university which is much closer to my home.

The termination clause in the contract states that I can give 4 weeks' notice if I want to terminate the contract. However, I have been informed that the termination will depend on the case and the university's approval. If approved, it would require a 4-week notice period.

Given my situation, I have a few questions:

1. **If I sign the contract and subsequently receive an offer from second university, will I be required to pay for the full 41 weeks if the termination is not approved?**
2. **What are the criteria for the university to approve a contract termination in this context?**
3. **If finding a replacement tenant is an option to mitigate penalties, where can I find potential replacements? Are there specific platforms or resources the university can recommend?**

Any guidance or assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Reply 1

BCU Student Rep

Official Rep

Original post by Laz123

Hi,
I am currently accepted at a university which is 10.5 hours away from where I live. I have received an accommodation contract with a 41-week term that I need to sign.. However, I am also on a waitlist for a university which is much closer to my home.
The termination clause in the contract states that I can give 4 weeks' notice if I want to terminate the contract. However, I have been informed that the termination will depend on the case and the university's approval. If approved, it would require a 4-week notice period.
Given my situation, I have a few questions:
1. **If I sign the contract and subsequently receive an offer from second university, will I be required to pay for the full 41 weeks if the termination is not approved?**
2. **What are the criteria for the university to approve a contract termination in this context?**
3. **If finding a replacement tenant is an option to mitigate penalties, where can I find potential replacements? Are there specific platforms or resources the university can recommend?**
Any guidance or assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

Hi @Laz123

Typically, but not in every case, once you have a room in uni accommodation, you'll have to find a replacement tenant to take over your contract. This isn't necessarily true for your accommodation, but this is what usually happens. I would say it's worth finding out in advance from your uni or accommodation to be sure.

If you do have to find someone else, there are a few advertising options. You might have seen people advertising tenancy takeovers on TSR, which is an option. But essentially, you want to be posting your room online where lots of other students might see it. Facebook uni groups are a good place, or you could try websites like SpareRoom. Your uni may be able to help, so maybe you could find out if they have any advice for you too.

In terms of the approval criteria, I would expect your uni to approve contract terminations if you're leaving the room for events outside of your control, but again, this is quite specific to your uni, so maybe an email to the accommodation team could be useful for you.

I hope this helps and you get sorted with everything. 🙂
Emily
Student Rep at BCU

Reply 2

StudentRoost Rep

Official Rep

Original post by Laz123

Hi,
I am currently accepted at a university which is 10.5 hours away from where I live. I have received an accommodation contract with a 41-week term that I need to sign.. However, I am also on a waitlist for a university which is much closer to my home.
The termination clause in the contract states that I can give 4 weeks' notice if I want to terminate the contract. However, I have been informed that the termination will depend on the case and the university's approval. If approved, it would require a 4-week notice period.
Given my situation, I have a few questions:
1. **If I sign the contract and subsequently receive an offer from second university, will I be required to pay for the full 41 weeks if the termination is not approved?**
2. **What are the criteria for the university to approve a contract termination in this context?**
3. **If finding a replacement tenant is an option to mitigate penalties, where can I find potential replacements? Are there specific platforms or resources the university can recommend?**
Any guidance or assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

Hi there,
Criteria will vary depending on the accommodation and its tenancy agreement but this should be stated. If it's not, I'd recommend getting in touch with the accommodation provider to clarify. If you sign a contract and your termination is not approved, in most cases you'll be liable for the rent for the duration of your tenancy, up until the point a replacement tenant is found.

Finding a replacement tenant can be done by posting on forums like The Student Room but also on university Facebook groups and other social media platforms. Sites like Spare Room are also good places to find replacement tenants.

-Nicky