Optima

Cancellations: 

If the booking is cancelled by the applicant prior to it being countersigned, the Advance Rent payment will be returned.

Once the booking is countersigned, we offer a 72 hour “cooling off” period so if circumstances change, the tenant can
cancel the booking subject to having not moved into the property.

From the 1st August 2024 the “cooling off” period is reduced from 72 to 24 hours after the booking is countersigned.

To cancel the booking during the cooling off period, please email the Residents’ Team within 72 / 24 hours of being
sent the ‘Lease Agreement Executed’ email. The tenant will then be refunded the advance rent payment. NB. This may
take up to 10 working days to reach your account.

Once the “Cooling Off” period has expired, the tenant can cancel the booking prior to the tenancy start date if:

• You do not have a visa to enter the UK.
• You have not acquired the grades to be offered a place at the chosen university.
• You have failed to achieve the grades to continue your study at university.

In these circumstances, please provide evidence (UCAS notification/ Visa refusal documentation) to the Residents’
Team within 72 hours of being notified. Once we receive this, we will confirm receipt of your request to cancel and
refund your full Advance Rent.

There are no other circumstances under which we will accept a request for a cancellation either before or during the
tenancy.

It may be possible to agree a tenancy surrender with the Landlord on the condition that you find someone to take up a
new tenancy with the Landlord for remaining term you no longer wish to have your tenancy for. The Landlord may
exercise the right to amend or vary the terms of the tenancy agreement that the new contract holder enters into,
including amending the rent to be charged to the current market rate for the accommodation. If you find a replacement,
we will need to do some basic checks to confirm their eligibility to enter into the contract.

Before we will accept the new tenant, your account and all obligations need to be up to date and any rent due up to
your tenancy ending will need to be paid. There will also be a charge incurred (please see Fee Schedule for details).
Once the new person has signed the Tenancy Agreement and made the first rent payment they will take responsibility
for future rent payments and all other obligations as stated in the agreement. Until this has happened you will remain
responsible for the payment of rent until the original end date of the tenancy.

Guarantors

All applicants are required to nominate a responsible person to act as a guarantor. The guarantor must be over 18
years of age and cannot be someone who is living with the applicant (other than parents or guardians) or in other
accommodation managed by us.

A guarantor is required to meet all the obligations as set out in the Tenancy Agreement including guaranteeing the
payment of rent if not paid by the tenant and any costs arising from breaches of the tenancy. We will also contact the
guarantor if the tenant has been involved with serious incidents of antisocial behaviour. Should the tenant fall into
arrears or breach any obligations of the Tenancy Agreement, the guarantor will be contacted to ensure the breach is
rectified.

If travel restrictions related to Covid-19 prevent you from travelling to the UK or Ireland for the start of the 2021/22 academic year, and therefore unable to take up your study place at University, you may cancel your accommodation without penalty. Written evidence from the University must be sent by email to the Residents’ Team no later than 10th September 2021 confirming that you are no longer registered as a student with the institution. If you wish to delay your arrival until travel restrictions are lifted, we will amend your Tenancy Start Date in line with your new arrival date. Requests must be made by email to the Residents’ Team of the accommodation booked. We will apply a credit to your account for the period between your original Tenancy Start Date and your new one. All tenancies will start on a Saturday. This offer does not apply if you have taken up an online course with your University.

If travel restrictions related to Covid-19 prevent you from travelling to the UK or Ireland for the start of the 21/22 academic year, and you therefore decide to not take up your study place at University, you may cancel your accommodation without penalty. Written evidence from the University must be sent by email to the Residents’ Team no later than 10th September 2021 confirming that you are no longer registered as a student with the institution.