Hyndland House, Glasgow

Student Booking and Cancellation Policy
– Academic Year 2021/22
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THIS POLICY DOES NOT APPLY TO
NORWICH NUA HALLS – ALL SAINTS GREEN ACCOMMODATION
This is because ASG tenancy agreements for these properties are an Assured Shorthold Tenancy
(AST) agreement. An AST is for a fixed tenancy term which means you are signing a tenancy for a
fixed length of time. With this type of tenancy, serving notice does not release you from being liable for the full rental amount due across the duration of the agreement. This means that unfortunately you cannot simply hand in your notice and leave the property. Because you signed a contract agreeing to pay for the full term, refusing to do so would mean a breach of contract. We could insist you keep paying the full amount of the rent, even if you have vacated the property.
To discuss your specific circumstances and tenancy please contact your ASG scheme
manager.
Introduction
This policy gives guidance on who is eligible to make a booking and the types of booking
available through Derwent Students. It also explains how a booking can be cancelled. If
you have made a booking directly with Derwent Students, this policy is part of your
tenancy agreement.
If you make a booking for Derwent accommodation through your university, the university’s
booking or allocations policy will apply, and it will take precedence over this policy.
Who can make a booking?
You can make a booking through Derwent Students if:
• You are in full-time education
• You are not in breach of an existing tenancy agreement for any reason
• There is a suitable room available that meets your requirements
Most of our tenants are aged over 18. If you will be under 18 at the start of your proposed
tenancy, then before you book you should contact direct the site where you would like to
live to ensure that there will be a suitable room available for you.
Derwent Students cannot guarantee to meet applicants’ preferences – although we do try.
If we cannot offer your preferred choice we will contact you with an alternative room or ask
you if you would like to be placed on a waiting list.
Disability, Equality and Diversity
We will make every reasonable effort to meet the needs of students with disabilities or
special needs. If you have a disability, medical condition or special need that affects your
accommodation requirement please let us know in the additional notes section when you
complete your application for accommodation. Applicants are encouraged to disclose any
special requirements (medical, religious etc.) to enable us to provide the right room.
Derwent Students may not be able to meet all needs, but we will do what we reasonably
can.
We are committed to promoting equal opportunities in the provision of accommodation
regardless of race, colour, nationality, ethnic and national origin, religious belief, age,
gender, marital status or sexual orientation. Our accommodation is not suitable for
children.
Types of Bookings
There are three types of bookings:Book Now, Create Application and University Bookings.
Book Now - The majority of our bookings are made directly through Derwent Students’
online system, as this is the quickest and usually the simplest method. When you complete
your application online via our Book Now option, Derwent Students will automatically offer
you a room depending on what your preferred choices are (this will be the nearest match if
we cannot meet all your preferences). This type of booking allows you to view your
tenancy agreement and pay a deposit instantly if you want to accept the offer. Your
booking is confirmed and your tenancy agreement is completed when you pay your
deposit and accept the terms of the tenancy agreement.
Create Application – This option is used if you are looking to live with a group of friends
or have a special requirement that you wish to tell us about. It is also used for our agent
bookings and summer bookings. Once you have completed your application, our property
teams will review your application. Subject to availability, we will offer you a room based
on your preferences (or the closest match). The offer will remain open for 3 days. If you
want to accept the offer, you will need to pay your deposit and accept our standard terms
and conditions within that 3-day period. If you miss the deadline, you will need to re-apply.
University Bookings – We have agreements with some universities that allow you to
book through the university’s application process. If you book through your university, the
university will decide whether to make you an offer. Once the University has made you an
offer, we will be in touch with you in order to complete your booking. If you want to accept
the offer, you will need to pay your deposit and accept our standard terms and conditions
by the deadline we give you (which will usually be 3 days after the date of the offer. If you
miss the deadline, you will need to re-apply.
For all types of booking, you will need to ask a person who is in full-time employment, or a
home-owner, to guarantee your obligations in the tenancy agreement. If you don’t provide
a signed guarantee within 5 working days of completing your booking, you may lose your
place.
Can I cancel my booking?
By law, a cooling-off period has to be given for many things ordered online – but a coolingoff period is not a legal requirement in contracts for residential accommodation.
Derwent Students does allow bookings to be cancelled in certain circumstances, as set out
below. Derwent Students does not allow bookings to be cancelled by tenants or
prospective tenants in any other circumstances.
Cancellations during the Initial Cancellation Period
You have a short period after accepting an offer of accommodation in which you may
cancel your booking. In this policy, we refer to this period as the "Initial Cancellation
Period.” The duration of the Initial Cancellation Period depends on when you accept the
offer of accommodation.
• If you accept the offer of accommodation on or before 12th August before the start
of your tenancy, the Initial Cancellation Period is three working days starting on th e
day you accept the offer. Your cancellation request must reach us by the end of the
third working day after you accept the offer or, if sooner, before you move into your
accommodation.
• If you accept the tenancy agreement after 12
th August before the start of your
tenancy the Initial Cancellation Period is one working day starting from the day you
accept the offer of accommodation. Your cancellation request must reach us by the
end of the next working day after you accept the offer, or, if sooner, before you
move into your accommodation.
To cancel during the Initial Cancellation Period, You must give notice in writing to the
site office of the property you have booked. The notice may be sent by post or email, but
not SMS. The notice must state clearly that you are cancelling your booking (for
example, an email saying that you are reconsidering whether university is right for you will
not be treated as a cancellation notice). The notice must arrive at the site office within the
Initial Cancellation Period.
Cancellations at other times
After expiry of the Initial Cancellation Period, there is no right to cancel, but your landlord
may agree (in the landlord’s discretion) to accept a cancellation if any of the following
circumstances apply.
• You are a first-year or a prospective student and your offer at your first choice of
University\Higher Education Institution has been withdrawn as a result of you not
meeting entry requirements. You must put your request in writing to
Info@derwentstudents.com for the attention of the Regional Manager and send us
supporting evidence from the University or UCAS within three working days of
receiving notification that your offer of a place on the course has been withdrawn.
• Your UK Visa application has been refused. You must put your request in writing
and send us supporting evidence within five working days to
Info@derwentstudents.com for the attention of the Regional Manager of you
receiving official confirmation that your application has been refused.
• Mitigating circumstances such as ill health or family circumstances. If you request to
cancel due to ill health you must make your request in writing to
Info@derwentstudents.com for the attention of the Regional Manager and produce
a certificate from a recognised medical practitioner stating the medical grounds on
which you are unable to live in, or continue living in, your accommodation. There is
no deadline for making a cancellation request on these grounds.
Provided it has been received by any applicable deadline, each request for cancellation
will be considered on its merits, taking into account any supporting evidence that you
provide. If your cancellation request is granted, you will receive written confirmation of the
date your tenancy agreement was cancelled. Deposits and pre-paid rent will be refunded
(but if you have been living in the accommodation, we may make deductions from your
deposit and apportion rent for the period up to cancellation).
If your cancellation request is refused, you may still be able to cancel if you can find a
suitable replacement who is acceptable to the landlord and willing to enter into a legally
binding contract for your accommodation. It is your responsibility to find a suitable
replacement tenant. In most cases a prospective tenant will not be suitable if he/she is
already renting a room from the landlord or bound into another contract. Derwent
Students will only assist you with finding a replacement tenant if all the other rooms on site
are already let and we have applicants on a waiting list.
If Derwent Students accepts the request for the cancellation of your tenancy, you will
receive written notification and be provided with a release date. (In the case of tenants
who need to find a replacement, the release date will not be until the replacement enters
into a tenancy agreement). You will remain liable to pay rent for the period before the
release date or, if later, until you vacate your room and hand in your keys and any other
access devices.
If your cancellation request is rejected, you will remain liable for all the obligations in your
tenancy agreement, including payment of rent, whether you occupy the accommodation or
not.
Cancellation Fees
There is no fee to pay if you cancel within the applicable Initial Cancellation Period.
If you ask us to cancel your tenancy agreement after the Initial Cancellation Period, we
may charge you a fee, but you will not be asked to pay more than:
(a) The loss suffered by the landlord as a result of ending the tenancy;
(b) The Agent’s reasonable costs in respect of termination.
Usually this will be an administration fee of £50 for arranging the cancellation and any
sums you owe under the Tenancy Agreement (such as Rent arrears and damages).
There is no cancellation fee to pay if we do not agree to cancel.
Transfer Fees
If you want to change your booking after accepting an offer, you could cancel within the
Initial Cancellation Period and re-apply. In this case, there will be no fee payable, but you
may not be offered your choice of room when you re-apply.
If you want to change your booking after the Initial Cancellation Period, or you do not want
to risk cancelling your booking, you can apply to change your tenancy. We will charge you
an administration fee as follows:
(a) For transfer requests before the start of the Tenancy Period, a fee of £45 to cover
our administration costs;
(b) For transfer requests during the Tenancy Period, a fee of £75 (to cover our
administration costs and the additional room inspection required when you vacate).
There is no transfer fee to pay if we do not agree to a room transfer.