Bristol students are planning a rent strike in protest at coronavirus restrictions imposed by university authorities on halls of residence.
The university is enforcing lockdowns on two halls of residence after 725 students tested positive for Covid-19, according to the latest figures.
A group of students are organising a rent strike from October 24, in which they are encouraging as many others as possible to stop paying ‘until the university treats its students better’.
The activist group, called ‘Bristol, Cut the Rent’, claim students were ‘lured back to campus with the false promise of ‘Covid-safe’ teaching only to end up in lockdown’.
They are demanding no repercussions for rent strikers, no-penalty contract releases and deposit refunds for students to move out of halls of residence, and a 30 per cent reduction for the whole year for those who stay in halls.
They also want full transparency on the powers, role and actions of security staff enforcing lockdowns in halls, outdoor access, fresh food boxes to be delivered to their flats, and regular mental-health check-ins with university authorities.
The students have posted on Facebook: ‘Students have been lured back to campus with the false promise of ‘Covid-safe’ teaching only to end up in lockdown.
Bristol students are planning a rent strike in protest at their treatment by university authorities as they claim coronavirus restrictions prevent them from accessing many facilities (pictured, messages at a Bristol student accommodation where students are having to self-isolate)
The university has imposed lockdowns on two halls of residence after 725 students tested positive for Covid-19, according to the latest figures from the university. A group of students are organising a rent strike from October 24, in which they are encouraging as many others as possible to stop paying ‘until the university treats its students better’ (pictured, messages at a Bristol student accommodation where students are having to self-isolate)
The activist group, called ‘Bristol, Cut the Rent’, claim students were ‘lured back to campus with the false promise of ‘Covid-safe’ teaching only to end up in lockdown’
‘We can’t access the blended learning we were promised, nor all the halls facilities we are paying thousands for. Join us in withholding our rent until the university meets our demands.’
Their movement is being fully supported by the Bristol Student Union, with a spokesperson saying: ‘We are supporting the rent strike which has been called as we hear all the concerns that students are raising.
‘We’ll be supporting Cut the Rent by highlighting their demands to the university in the spaces that we are in, alongside the halls’ lockdown demands that we have already released.
‘We will also be helping Cut the Rent to communicate with students in halls.’
In a statement, the University of Bristol said its actions are being ‘guided by Public Health England and the authorities to limit the spread of coronavirus’.
A spokesperson said: ‘We fully acknowledge how stressful and challenging it is for students living in University accommodation having to self-isolate.
‘We thank them for following Government advice to keep themselves and the wider community safe and are doing everything possible to support them.
‘This includes providing cleaning supplies, laundry services and free food boxes with fresh goods which we understand some other universities are charging students for.
‘Security and support staff within residences are essential to remind students of the need to behave in a responsible and lawful manner.
‘Self-isolating students have full access to wellbeing and mental health support services, and our blended learning provision has been created to ensure they can still continue with their studies online.
‘Students who aren’t having to self-isolate are still able to attend face-to-face learning and move around freely within Government guidelines.
‘The health and safety of our students is a top priority, and our Residential Life teams are available 24/7 to offer help and advice.
‘Regular support and contact with students will ensure everyone is kept up-to-date and can ask any questions.
‘We welcome further discussions with representatives from Cut the Rent and Bristol Students’ Union, but this is an issue that is affecting all universities at the moment and our actions are guided by Public Health England and the authorities to limit the spread of coronavirus.’
The activist group, called ‘Bristol, Cut the Rent’, claim students were ‘lured back to campus with the false promise of ‘Covid-safe’ teaching only to end up in lockdown’
They are demanding no repercussions for rent strikers, no-penalty contract releases and deposit refunds for students to move out of halls of residence, and a 30 per cent reduction for the whole year for those who stay in halls (pictured, accommodation last week)
It comes amid reports that universities are drawing up plans for a mass student testing regime to get students home for Christmas in an attempt to avoid a two-week campus lockdown over the festive period.
It is hoped that a testing blitz will help deliver the Prime Minister’s pledge to ‘get students home safely for Christmas’ but will stop the virus from spreading around the UK at the end of term.
The Government’s alternative proposal is to place students under a lockdown on campus for two weeks before the holidays with all teaching carried out online.
But this was met with opposition by vice-chancellors who branded the plans ‘non-sensical’.
‘The plan to keep students in their rooms for two weeks is nonsensical,’ one university leader told The Telegraph.
Universities are drawing up plans for a mass student testing regime to get students home for Christmas in an attempt to avoid a two-week campus lockdown. Pictured: Mobile testing centre at Durham University where almost 1,000 students tested positive
‘What if they go to a shop to buy a cheese sandwich? How will the shop know they are a student? Who will stop their mums and dad picking them up? You can’t discriminate against them. The solution is around testing.’
Meanwhile, nearly 1,000 staff and students at Durham University have tested positive for coronavirus within one week.
A total of 958 students and six members of staff tested positive in the week leading up to October 14, after 222 students and members of staff tested positive for the virus the previous week.
This brings the total number of cases to 1,220 since the start of term, with 11 cases among staff and 1,209 among students — surpassing neighbouring Newcastle University which reported 749 new cases, bringing its total to 760.
The figures were released by Durham University as part of its weekly update on the number of cases that have been reported by students or staff through its own system.