Callum Leslie writes for The Journal, the paper for Scottish universities, on reports that the University of Edinburgh may introduce harsh new penalties in an effort to avoid the Scottish Government’s new deposit protection scheme:
Students and student representatives have expressed serious concern over new plans from the University of Edinburgh which could see student tenants who fall behind on their rent or fail to pay charges prevented from graduating or re-matriculating.
In a move designed to effectively side-step the Scottish Government’s new deposit protection scheme for residential tenants, the university’s Accommodation Services (AS) department will cease collection of tenancy deposits. Charges for damage to university-owned residences will now be pursued similarly to library fines, with potentially serious consequences for students in debt at the end of the year.
An email from AS to university tenants, seen by The Journal, warns that “if a tenant remains in debt to Accommodation Services at the end of their contract, they will not be permitted to graduate or matriculate, whichever is appropriate, until the debt is cleared.
Full article here.
