UCC students who choose to return home to be issued with rent refund

University College Cork (UCC) Students’ Union has confirmed that an agreement has been reached to issue students who wish to return home from their rented accommodation with a refund.

Following a meeting with UCC Campus Accommodation, the union posted the update on social media.

“Following our meeting with UCC Campus Accommodation, an agreement has been reached to issue a rent refund to any student that chooses to return home.

“Given the lack of on-campus lectures and general uncertainty, we‘re pleased to see this decision go through,” the post read.

Previously speaking to The Echo on the issue, second year University College Cork (UCC) student Maeve Richardson raised concerns about the lack of consideration for students from landlords and student accommodation complexes.

Ms Richardson said that a lot of student accommodations had asked students for a deposit and the full installment for semester one ahead of the academic year which she said had “a lot of people caught in a difficult situation” during the current pandemic.

She said that “a lot of private landlords started writing contracts for students to pay a massive installment for semester one” which the Government and Politics student described as “insane”.

Students who are living on UCC campus accommodation will now have the option to move home without losing out on money.