A housing provider with six student halls in Glasgow is demanding a doctors' note before allowing students to quit their accommodation. 

Unite Students' accommodation in Glasgow includes Kyle Park House, Blackfriars, Merchant City House, Kelvin Court, Tramworks and Thurso Street. 

Students were ensured legal protection to leave their accommodation agreements with 28 days' notice. 

Many students are now trying to leave their purpose-built student accommodation after universities announced lectures would be online. 

However, Unite Students has refused to let students give up their rooms at Blackfriars in Glasgow’s Merchant City without a doctor's note, the Sunday Mail reports. 

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Students have been barred from leaving £118-a-week contracts unless they prove a coronavirus-related reason. 

A Unite Students official wrote to a Strathclyde University engineering student saying: “If your university are only saying that your teaching being fully online is a likelihood but not set in stone then we cannot accept that you are no longer needed in Glasgow and therefore no longer needing to fulfil your contractual tenancy.

“If, due to your medical history, you are at an extra risk due to the pandemic then a note from your doctor will suffice in allowing us to release you from the contract.”

The firm, whose portfolio is worth £2.8billion, claimed that it asked for evidence that students were quitting PBSA due to Covid in some circumstances. 

A spokesman said: “We have a strong track record of supporting students who need help and urge anyone who is struggling financially to talk to us and contact their university student finance team for any additional support.”

Matt Crilly, National Union of Students Scotland’s president, said: “It’s a real concern that many students have been unable to end their tenancy as they have a legal right to leave their accommodation, which all landlords have a duty to uphold.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We will take whatever action is considered to be necessary when there is evidence that private housing providers are trying to frustrate
students’ ability to exercise their legal rights.”