Landlord support service Helpland point to the difficult position landlords could face in managing the thorny issue of student tenant eviction.
(1888PressRelease) June 23, 2011 - Concerns are mounting in the wake of increases in student fees that landlords will find themselves in some increasingly sensitive situations. The question remains of how those in university towns could be affected if students are unable to cope financially.
The Government's recent decision to raise tuition fees from 2012 certainly made front page headlines across the UK press. Universities in England are now able to charge students as much as £9,000 per year to attend their courses. The move marks a slow progression from the now halcyon days of the student grant, though the introduction of the student loan system and finally students paying the new larger fees. Although students do have access to the loan system, there are concerns that some could find it harder to manage throughout their course. There is some concern that landlords in university towns could be caught in an extremely difficult position. Should they be affected by substantial rent arrears, they may be still be reluctant to evict tenants.
"It's a very sensitive subject, of course landlords don't want to be seen to be unsympathetic towards students. A great many do understand the challenges students face keeping up with the demands of the course and increasingly working part-time work alongside their studies. Many will often try to be as flexible as they can. The difficulty is if the landlord is owed quite substantial amounts of rent. For some, however much good will they would ideally like to extend, there will be a point when it's simply no longer viable for them. They may need support with the decision whether to pursue a tenant eviction and understand the various different options open to them. For example, it's sometimes the case that a Section 8 eviction notice paves the way to the problems being resolved without any further intervention or eviction proceedings".
Cases which involving meaningful damage to the property or distress to neighbours are traditionally less sensitive, involving a very clear cut distinction of the party at fault. Persistent rent arrears may prove to be a more difficult issue for landlords to address:
"Modern landlords appreciate the tighter conditions students are now operating under and how much things have changed. At the same time, they may simply not be financially able to sustain an unrealistic level of persistent rent arrears. In this situation, we can act courteously on their behalf. It can help to appropriately frame the intervention into a more neutral light for all concerned. It can also be invaluable to gain advice at the stage when contracts are drawn up. Everyone needs to be clear about what the contract binds them to and what they need to do if there are problems in the future".
Any landlord concerned about tenant eviction can gain immediate free advice from Helpland's advice line on 0845 450 0536 or visit their website at:
Landlord support service Helpland point to the difficult position landlords could face in managing the thorny issue of student tenant eviction. 
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