Paid for Student Accommodation You Couldn’t Use?
You May Be Entitled to a Refund
During lockdown and campus closures, thousands of students continued paying for accommodation they:
Could not access
Were advised to leave
Could not reasonably use
Received reduced services for
If you paid for university halls or private student accommodation and feel the contract was unfair or misrepresented — you may have grounds to complain.
What Can You Claim For?
Accommodation refund claims typically relate to:
COVID Campus Closures (2020–2022)
Asked to vacate halls but rent continued
Strong government guidance not to return
Limited access to facilities
Reduced Services
Cleaning services withdrawn
Security or reception reduced
Common areas closed
Amenities advertised but unavailable
Contract Transparency Issues
No clear cancellation clause
Unclear force majeure terms
Misleading marketing about facilities
Universities and accommodation providers must follow consumer protection guidance from the
Competition and Markets Authority,
which requires fairness and transparency in contracts.
Do You Automatically Qualify?
Not necessarily
Every accommodation contract is different
Key factors include:
Whether the building remained open
Whether you were legally prevented from returning
What the contract terms stated
What was advertised at the time of booking
Whether alternative arrangements were offered
Some students have successfully obtained:
Partial rent refunds
Early termination agreements
Goodwill compensation
Release from liability
Where complaints are rejected, cases may be escalated to the
Office of the Independent Adjudicator (if university-managed accommodation).
Types of Accommodation Covered
We assess claims involving:
University-managed hall
Partner accommodation providers
Private purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA)
Contracts signed pre-lockdown
If you signed a fixed-term contract during 2019–2022, it’s worth reviewing
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How We Help
Step 1 – Free Contract Review
We assess:
Your tenancy agreement
Payment records
Closure dates
University communications
Marketing materials/promises
Step 2 – Complaint Drafting
We structure your complaint using:
Consumer contract principles
Transparency obligations
Fairness arguments
Clear, structured complaints often lead to stronger outcomes
Step 3 – Escalation Support
If necessary, we assist with:
Internal appeals
Formal review submissions
Ombudsman escalation guidance
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What Could You Recover?
Depending on your case:
Rent for unused periods
Service charge reductions
Release from remaining contract
Compensation for inconvenience