Students should not return to their term-time accommodation until such time as on-campus activities resume, other than in specific extenuating circumstances such as:
- Your in-person teaching has commenced
- You are currently in temporary accommodation which you need to vacate
- For employment purposes (for work that cannot be undertaken from home)
- Your home location is unsuitable for study
- You need to access health and wellbeing support which can only be provided in Edinburgh
- You are a PhD student and you are required to be in Edinburgh to conduct your research
- You are an international student and you have already purchased and cannot change travel tickets
We are offering students in University-managed accommodation the opportunity to break their lease. A lease break allows you to permanently end your accommodation contract with the University. If you have not returned to your accommodation after the winter break and apply for a lease break before 28th February, then your lease break will be backdated to 11th January. If you apply after 28th February the lease break will apply from the date you get in touch with us to advise you would like to break your lease and won’t be backdated.
While a lease break is a permanent end of contract, we know many of you may want to return to Edinburgh when travel restrictions ease and we will therefore be happy to reinstate your contract if you wish to return to accommodation later (either to your original room or a room of a similar standard and price).
Campus - Belongings Collection - Arrival Slot Booking (Pollock Halls and O'Shea)
Maintenance Loans
It’s important that you update your student loans account with where you’ll be living each term. Where you live can also change the amount of Maintenance Loan you get paid. Students currently living in England will need to contact the Student Loans Company if you are applying for a lease break as your location can impact the amount of maintenance loan you are paid: Student Finance England guidance
How to apply for a lease break?
As teaching and assessments for Undergraduate students will remain digital for the rest of the semester, with a small number of exceptions, you can apply for a lease break and you will be refunded any money owed.
If you would like to be released from your lease, you can request this by asking to be released, giving us your reasons and an expected departure date. The lease break request is now available on the student hub for students who are staying in our UG/PG Properties. (Domus should email in their request to accom.allocations@ed.ac.uk)
In MyED click “Request Lease Termination” This will take you through the steps and we will contact you in due course.
We do not expect students to travel to clear their room until it is safe to do so. We will proceed with your lease termination and refund any overpaid rent.
If you have not already told us you are unable to clear your room, please let us know as soon as possible. We will put your room out of use until you have been able to return and clear your room. We will send more information regarding collecting your belongings once the travel restrictions have been lifted.
When will you receive your rebate?
- If you are paying by monthly instalments the rebate will be applied to your April accommodation payment
- If you are paying by semester instalments the rebate will be applied to your April accommodation payment
- If you have paid a full amount, you will receive a refund by the end of May.
Removing your possessions
If you have not yet removed your possessions, please be aware that you must not return to University accommodation to collect your belongings, since this is deemed to be “non-essential” travel. Once travel restrictions are relaxed, we will contact you to provide suitable arrangements for you to collect your belongings.
However, if it is essential that you must return to collect your belongings before restrictions are lifted, please follow government travel guidance and guidance on moving home. You will need to book a time-slot to arrive at your accommodation using our online booking system: this will notify us of your planned date for the collection of your belongings. Please do not return without booking an arrival slot: this will ensure that you can return safely and ensure we can notify you if the household goes into isolation due to a symptomatic or positive Covid-19 case.
Please follow the links below to the booking system for your accommodation:
Campus - Belongings Collection - Arrival Slot Booking (Pollock Halls and O'Shea)