StudentFM Cancellation Policy
You may cancel your booking with us subject to the cancellation provisions detailed below.
1. Did you see the accommodation before you booked?
Students who didn’t visit the building in person before booking, and who booked accommodation more than 14 days ahead of the tenancy start date, can cancel free of charge if they let us know in writing within 14 days after the date of their booking.
Students who didn’t visit the building in person before booking, and who booked less than 14 days before the tenancy start date can cancel free of charge if they let us know in writing before the tenancy start date.
The provisions of this policy for “Current Residents” will apply to students who didn’t visit the building in person before booking and who want to cancel after expiry of the applicable deadline given above. Students who visited the building in person before booking will also be treated as ‘Current Residents’ for cancellation purposes.
Even if you did not see the accommodation in person before booking, once you have taken up occupation of your accommodation you have no right to cancel your tenancy agreement. We will be willing to release you from your tenancy agreement in certain circumstances, but:
(a) Applications for release must be made to us in writing;
(b) You and your Guarantor will remain liable for the Rent and any other payments due under the tenancy agreement unless and until a suitable replacement tenant is found for your accommodation. It is your responsibility to find an eligible replacement resident, although site staff will assist where possible;
(c) You will be liable to pay any early termination fees set out in your accommodation contract.
2. ‘First Year Guarantee’
Some of the accommodation managed by StudentFM allows first year students to cancel their tenancy agreement free of charge if their examination results change their plans: for example, a prospective tenant who fails to achieve the grades needed to take their place at their chosen university, or who surpasses their predicted grades and chooses to take a place at another university. If your chosen accommodation offers this guarantee, before you are released from your contract, you will be required to provide:
• A rejection letter from your original university of choice
• Where applicable, an acceptance letter from the new university
If a student transfers to a university in a city where StudentFM manages accommodation, StudentFM may (subject to availability) offer the student a tenancy at the new location on the same terms as the student’s original booking. If this offer is made and refused, the original contract will be cancelled, but StudentFM will charge a cancellation fee (not exceeding £100) and (if the tenancy has started) charge rent up to the date of cancellation.
3. Cancellation by Current Residents
This section of the Cancellation Policy applies to:
– students who visited the building in person before booking, but have not moved into their accommodation
– students who did not visit the building in person before booking, and have missed the applicable cancellation deadline
– students who are in occupation of their accommodation – whether or not they visited the building before booking.
Students are bound by the terms of the tenancy agreement and liable for the rent for the length of their tenancy. A student may, however, be released from their tenancy if they meet the following criteria:
• The student finds a replacement tenant to take over their room
• The replacement tenant is an enrolled student and over the age of 18
• The replacement tenant must not already be a tenant with StudentFM
• The replacement must be reasonably acceptable as a tenant (for example, no subsisting county court judgments, no convictions for criminal damage)
• The replacement tenant agrees to take over the room for the full remainder of the original tenant’s term and for the same rental value
• The replacement tenant signs all necessary paperwork with StudentFM and agrees to all terms and conditions set out within the tenancy agreement
• The replacement tenant procures a UK-resident guarantor, or pays the balance of the outstanding rent in full in advance
• The original student pays a £100 change of tenancy charge for early contract release.
• Following this, the resident will be formally released from all liabilities under the terms of the tenancy agreement and a refund of any advance rent paid will be processed within 14 working days.
Please note – all replacement tenants must first be approved by the Accommodation Office. The tenancy agreement does not allow sub-letting.
4. Extraordinary Circumstances
If a student does is not eligible for early release under sections 1-3 of this policy, the landlord may agree to release a tenant from their agreement for medical or some other substantial reason. Early release will not normally be given under this section of our policy unless the reasons given in support of the tenant’s request prevent a student from continuing with their studies.
A request for early release under this section of the Cancellation Policy must be made in writing to StudentFM’s Accommodation Office. If the application is made on medical grounds, it must be supported by the following:
• A signed letter from the student’s doctor confirming their advice to end studies at university for health reasons.
• A signed letter from your university confirming that you have dropped out of university for health reasons.
Student FM may ask for additional information before notifying the student of the landlord’s decision.
All decisions are made on a case by case basis. There is no right of appeal following the landlord’s initial decision.
5. Cancellations by StudentFM or The Landlord
Students are required to sign their tenancy agreement within 14 days of StudentFM offering accommodation. Students who do not sign their agreement within this timeframe may have their booking cancelled and accommodation remarketed.
Where payment is due in advance of the start of a tenancy, a booking or a tenancy agreement may be cancelled if the payment is not made on or before the due date for payment.
Where a student fails to check in to the accommodation in accordance at the start of their tenancy and has not signed their tenancy agreement, their booking will be cancelled.
If a student fails to check in to the accommodation and has signed their tenancy agreement, the agreement will continue in force until terminated in accordance with this policy, or under clause 9 of the tenancy agreement.
The Process
All requests for cancellations should be made in writing to the Accommodation Office of the chosen accommodation scheme. Contact details for all schemes can be found on our website.
Please note all changes or variations to your Tenancy Agreement will incur a charge. These include –
•Apartment/ Room changes as your contract will have to change and we will have to carry out an additional check-out inspection.
•Length of tenancy agreement changes – either longer/ shorter.
The charge will be the amount required to compensate us for any losses suffered or expenses reasonably incurred by StudentFM and/or the Landlord as a result of the request.
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