Following the development of rent strikes in LSE-owned accommodation, student strikers’ attention has now turned to demanding accountability from private student accommodation providers in London. One petition, created by an intercollegiate student group living in housing provided by urbanest, reached 234 signatories.
The writ asks urbanest to provide all tenants with the ability to terminate their contract without delay, or to give tenants the option to postpone their contract and waive their accommodation fees until the date of return to their accommodation. The petition also states that the terms should not be affected by whether or not tenants have applied for a 30% rent discount, offered to qualified tenants. Lastly, the petition calls on Urbanest to regularly communicate with its tenants about policy changes over the course of the pandemic.
Laura Goddard, Community and Welfare Officer for the LSE Student’s Union and signatory of the petition, told The Beaver:
“Urbanest’s decision to prevent its residents from ending their contracts early is one that now falls outside of the sector’s standard and is one that places profit over student wellbeing. Those who are taking a stand are merely asking for the same fairness given to their peers in other halls of residence. LSESU wholeheartedly supports those protesting and urges Urbanest management to urgently revise its position”.
Tags COVID-19 HALLS LOCKDOWN RENT STRIKE STUDENT HALLS STUDENTS UNION
