All Student Vote (Summer 2020)

Warwick Rent Strike Emergency

This motion asks the SU to stand in solidarity with students currently withholding their rent and lobby the University effectively at ensuring students possessions are protected and can cancel their contracts for vacant off-campus accomodation. 

This Union notes:

1. That the University has allowed students living in on-campus accommodation to cancel their contracts for the 3rd term.^[1]
2. That the University has advised students not to return to their on-campus accommodation in line with Government guidelines.^[2]
3. That despite point 2 above, the University insists that off-campus accommodation near to campus is still available to be used by students that have returned home.^[3]
4. That there are travel restrictions across most of the world, preventing international students that have returned home from making use of their off-campus accommodation.^[4]
5. That the coronavirus crisis is creating unprecedented hardship for students and families across the UK.^{[5] [6] [7]}
6. That working class students are more likely to work part-time jobs,^[8] and are therefore likely to have lost income through redundancy, furlough or reduced hours.
7. That accommodation rents are frequently more expensive than maintenance loans provide.^[9]

This Union believes:

1. That for those students who wish, off-campus accommodation contracts and rent should be cancelled, just as on-campus accommodation rent has been.
2. That there should not be significant disparity between the treatment of students with on- and off-campus accommodation.
3. That the University should be seeking communication with all landlords that own the accommodation that Warwick Accommodation sublets to secure contract releases and rent cancellations for students.
4. That the University should provide Warwick Accommodation with the funding it needs to achieve points 1 and 3 above.
5. That increasing financial hardship illustrated in points 5-7 of “This Union notes” makes point 1 above necessary.

This Union resolves:

1. That Warwick SU supports and stands in solidarity with those currently withholding their rent, either through an inability to pay or as a means to lobby the University to cancel their contract.
2. That Warwick SU lobbies the University to allow students to cancel contracts for vacant off-campus properties through Warwick Accommodation.
3. That Warwick SU lobbies the University to ensure that students’ possessions left in off-campus accommodation are protected until they can be collected.