DISGRUNTLED students have hit back at being charged ‘extortionate’ fees when they move out from rented accommodation.
Five flatmates who recently graduated from the University of Warwick were angry at being charged £650 in total for cleaning, damage charges and checkout fees when they left their flat in Leamington’s Old Town.
They maintain the flat was clean and tidy and in good order, and say students are ‘powerless’ to negotiate.
One of the flatmates told The Observer: “I, like many other students at my university have been taken advantage of from local estate agents with overpriced checkout bills, cleaning fees, and damage charges when renting accommodation in Leamington.
“We are powerless to negotiate and feel there is a lack of awareness on the subject.”
The flatmates managed to get £100 off the bill after a lengthy debate with estate agents, but say they were still charged for things they had not damaged.
They even claim they were charged damages for items which were never in the property.
The flatmate added: “The year before we were charged for things the estate agent had already charged the previous year. We also were charged for damages to furniture which weren’t even in our property.”
Warwick University housing bosses have urged students to look for accommodation through their services.
A spokesman said: “We would recommend that students looking to rent property speak with Warwick Accommodation who manage properties in the local area. All such properties are inspected on a regular basis, come with a designated a property manager who deals with any queries or maintenance issues and involve no deposit or administration fees.”
Visit www2.warwick.ac.uk to find out more.
