The 2020 Covid-19 pandemic has put a toll on everyone, including students. As universities have closed, many student accommodation companies have listened to student feedback, taking on board that most aren't residing at their accommodation anymore, and have taken the responsible and kindhearted decision to cancel outstanding rent payment for those who have gone back to their permanent address. 

However, some accommodations have not done anything to help their student tenants at this time, including Manor Villages. This is a company that provides student accommodation to hundreds of students - most of who are not living there anymore. As students aren't using electricity and water, there is little reason to continue payment, yet students are still contractually required to, as the only ones who can release students from their tenancies, are Manor Villages themselves. To pay rent, the majority of students rely on student finance, loans which have to be paid back eventually which makes it a problem as it will be spent on accommodation that they won't even be using.

Maintenance loans are provided to help with living costs as students don't have the time for full-time jobs, so the fact that this will be wasted on an unusable tenancy, especially during a global pandemic, is a big problem - one that could easily be fixed if Manor Villages decides to help their tenants. Yet hundreds of students will still have a huge financial loss, having to pay thousands of pounds to Manor Villages for bills that they'll barely be paying their water and electricity suppliers. The accommodation company has stated that students are free to return any time they wish, however university is closed and people can't leave their house/travel due to the Government's instructions, so this "courtesy" doesn't help even if students wished to return.

If Manor Villages decides to cancel the third term's rent payment/end tenancies, many students will not only be able to use their maintenance loans towards actual living costs and to help their families, but students won't have to repay a loan that went down the drain. If Manor Villages does cancel payments and consider the welfare of their tenants, it will prove that they are NOT a greedy corporate organisation, and enforce a great reputation of a company who does care about the people they cater to. 

If they choose not to help their tenants during this troubling time, the students affected will be amongst the percentage of the population affected by companies who have not protected their customers, by following their own policies that are detrimental to everyone it involves. This may deter students from booking with them in the future as it shows such a large company couldn't deal with a difficult situation and in turn caused their tenants to suffer.