A movement at Nottingham Trent University is encouraging students to withhold their rent amid lockdown.
This is called rent strike NTU, and there is an Instagram account for their movement.
Platform contacted them to find out more information.
The protest is organised by NTU Labour Society Media Officer Lewis Tibbs and Rebecca Hyde, a member of the society.
When asked for why the strike was being called, Lewis Tibbs said: “Students have been massively neglected & disregarded during the entirety of the pandemic.
“With the recent announcement of a national lockdown and students being specifically instructed to stay at home until mid-February, many of us are being left to pay £100 or more for rooms that we aren’t even allowed to access, during a time of extreme financial hardship and uncertainty.
“Lots of students have minimal support and feel very isolated.
“So, we need to make our voices heard and NTU needs to listen to our completely reasonable & legitimate concerns.
“Students are not customers and accommodation should not be treated as a commodity.
“We are not cash cows and it is simply unfair to pay rent for rooms which we cannot access.”
It is also added that students were “promised” a mix of face to face teaching but have had “nearly complete online courses”.
The organisers posted a list of their demands on Instagram.
So far, the movement has hit over 270 signatures according to their Twitter.
Further posts explain on Instagram why they are doing it and how students can get involved.
Students have expressed their anger on social media platforms.
A post circulating on Instagram shows a student next to a NTU banner which someone else has written over “Refund the students”.
A similar action is happening at the University of Nottingham.
A group called Notts Rent Strike is encouraging students to withhold rent.
Labour MPs Nadia Whittome and Lillian Greenwood have both tweeted in support of the students at the University of Nottingham.
By Kieran Burt
Featured image: Olimpia Zagnat.
Input image: Ryan Keane.