Our 17 year old uni student evicted from digs

ABajaninCork

OP - If you stood guarantor for your son, how on earth did your son sign a contract as a minor and you didn't get a copy? Surely YOU had to sign it as his parents??

Something isn't adding up here...

Mary63

What have I got to do with homeless people dying.

I look after me and my family and if students dont pay me rent for my accomodation they are subjecting to wear and tear that means less money for my family.
I have to pay rent elsewhere for my own student dd so why on earth would I allow your son to live rent free.

The homeless person who died near the Dail had two houses bought for him by his mother.Why is this fact being ignored.

If the OP thinks he is going to make me feel bad about someone dying on the street just because I expect rent to be paid when its due,well thats not going to happen.
You have reared a spoiled selfish brat who is telling you porkies.I wouldnt worry about where he will be after christmas,he will probably fail all his exams and leave college anyway.You can give him his old bedroom back,that is if you havent rented it out.

Its your problem anyway so sort it out.

Also your son is now squatting in another students apartment and he has no right to be there.I hope the accomodation officer is told about this and makes sure he leaves that accomodation immediately. The person renting that apartment had no right to allow your ds to move in.

P. Breathnach

Mary63 wrote: »

...
Its your problem anyway so sort it out.

OP is a worried parent. While there is an obligation to the son's landlord, it is natural and understandable that a parent deals first with a child in difficulty, even if the child caused the difficulty.

It's a bit heartless to push to have the landlord's concerns pushed to the top of a parent's agenda.

Mary63

Its a bit heartless to have parental concerns pushed to the top of the landlords agenda.

roshje

Also your son is now squatting in another students apartment and he has no right to be there.I hope the accomodation officer is told about this and makes sure he leaves that accomodation immediately. The person renting that apartment had no right to allow your ds to move in.[/QUOTE]

Hmmm no room in the inn:rolleyes:

ABajaninCork

handlemaster wrote: »

OP . It sounds like your son is a liar and a dishonest individual. Might be the lesson he needed that mom and dad didnt teach him. He will have to man up and face his responsibilities or your going to facing trouble in years to come with unpaid bills.

Harsh! He's only 17 for God's sake. I agree it was daft of the OP to unleash the boy on the big bad world and expect him to behave as a mature adult. Neither would I trust the boy to pay the rent - Not when the money could be spent boozing, clubbing and birding. It was always going to be a recipe for disaster.

I can just imagine my parents' reaction to that - They would tell me in no uncertain terms. I got myself in the sh1t - I can get myself out of it too. I would be telling DS to get his backside in gear and get a job to start paying his Mum and Dad back.

yerone

Mary63 wrote: »

Also your son is now squatting in another students apartment and he has no right to be there.I hope the accomodation officer is told about this and makes sure he leaves that accomodation immediately. The person renting that apartment had no right to allow your ds to move in.

Yeah make sure the 17 year old kid is put out on the streets ASAP!

He did something something stupid, not the OP. Everyone knows that whatever he did to get kicked out shouldn't have been done but it's been done now. OP asked for advice on how to proceed going forward so passing judgement on their parenting skills don't help much...

Digital Society

Id say hes old enough to sort it out himself. Leave it off and see what happens.

Gonna be a very, very expensive life lesson if he has to drop out or repeat. No second chances with Government grants these days.

Stay on the mates couch as long as possible. Throw them a few quid and stay in college. Feck all else you can do.

Im familiar with those apartments and i can tell you theres no break ins there. Some ones telling porkies. Most likely he just didnt hand up rent for a long time.

Obviously if it really happened hed be on the phone to you the next day anyway.

Mary63

He is sleeping in the room of a uni friend more than likely without the landlords knowledge,am I right OP.

How is throwing his mate a few bob going to make this right.

The_Morrigan

Locked pending review.


I'll reopen the thread tomorrow once ye have all calmed down and had a read of our charter.


/Mod

The_Morrigan

Mod Note:

Ok folks - I've deleted a lot of off topic posts in this thread.

There is a charter available for those of you unsure of the rules - it can be found here

From here on in, I would like civil, constructive and on topic posts only, if you've a problem with a post then please report it and leave the moderation to the mod team.

Also, a gentle reminder that 'txt spk' is not permitted here, that is inclusive of abbreviations for relatives.

Mrs OBumble

OP, was your son in official IT accommodation?

I was under the impression that most of the official places required up-front payment for each term - which makes me think he may have been in a situation that means the Accommodation Office won't be much help, apart from giving you background information about the

As well as the other suggestions above, I would review his banking arrangements: the only way that he could think "my rent was stolen" is a reasonable excuse is if he's paying cash. IMHO this isn't a wise idea, for all sorts of reasons ranging from cash security thru to establishing a payment history for when he eventually looks for a mortgage.

beechwood55

I have a friend whose 17 year old daughter was offered a place in a college and they checked out the campus accomodation. They were on the verge of accepting it when they were asked how old she was. They said 17 and immediately the offer was withdrawn. The rules stipulated adults only (18 and over) and there was no deviation whatsover allowed. They found her accomodation in a house and they are very happy with that...

bluemartin

All my children were only barely 17 starting college and from day one with all of them the rent was paid from their parents's bank account so there was never an issue with it going unpaid. Granted I had plenty of other bother with them all from losing keys and mobile phones to spending their food money on alcohol, parties etc etc, all part of growing up. Mind you they are all in their twenties now, well adjusted and thriving in their careers.

So OP just take over the rent as he is still quite young most people his age are probably stuck in some useless transition year, so don't worry he will turn out just fine. People forget they were all young and foolish themselves once upon a time.

Th3B1tcH

OP
I would try get a copy of his lease from Campus or probally is a standard lease for all campus accomodation so perphaps can look at a mates also there least then you'll know where you stand concerning what if anything you're liable for under 18's cant sign a contract very silly if college slipped up.
While I agree with other posters your not getting full story a minor cant just thrown out and his stuff held (they may be holding stuff hoping you contract them to sort) .
I wouldnt pay anything unless you signed if you didnt its there mixup.

(no need for replys start about LL needs be paid I fully agree LL's got it tough and pay them is my 1st bill then esb etc but in this case its a college and a minor they should run proper as a business not a small private LL)

The_Morrigan

The notion that under 18's can't enter into a contract has been mentioned a few times now. There are situations where this is allowed, one of the most common is motor insurance, and they fall under the necessity element. Insurance if you own a motor is a necessity, a lease agreement if you are renting could also be considered a necessity, food and education items can also be included.

Ah-Watch

I did 4 years in college in WIT and very very rarely did I see anyone evicted and if it was it was for a very very good reason. Tbh I have little pity on him, yes that sounds harsh but I didn't get a grant , nor did I get money off my parents but I got through it- it's not easy but if he wants to be in college then get a part time job, again I appreciate there aren't that many around but if he wants to be in college let him work for it not with hold rent from the landlord- it's not their fault so they should be paid before he goes out and spends rent money on other stuff. The student assistance fund could have helped him somewhat if he was struggling but there's definitely more to it than meets the eye here and WIT don't throw students out on the street like that so I'd imagine they're within their right

Deenie123

Glad to see the good folks of boards.ie who've never made a mistake and never put a foot out of line are out in force about a 17 year old kid screwing up.

OP, there's something fundamentally not adding up here - not least of all their refusal to give him access to his own possessions. An owner can't evict a licensee and refuse to return their belongings, or am I wrong? So something strange is afoot if they're retaining his belongings. They don't have to allow him back in, but surely they are obliged to return what is not theirs??

The second thing I would suggest is to find out who owns the accommodation. If the college owns the accommodation and he's a registered student then they still have a duty of care to him. He's a child.

I have no doubt (and to be fair, I don't think the OP is in any doubt) that the kid has messed up, drank the rent, insert other actions/inactions here, got evicted. However, the parents not being informed at all and refusing to return his belongings sounds odd. I wonder if the accommodation does belong to the college?

And honestly, if somewhere is going to accept a 17 year old kid as a tenant/licensee, they have to put in place systems to deal with the fact that they're aren't adults, should not be expected to, and generally cannot behave like adults. I.e. parents must sign and must be involved if there's a problem.

OP, I think YOU need to go to WIT and sit down and talk to people face to face and sort this out, he's a kid who more than likely has no life experiences to draw from. He probably does not have the skills to deal with this himself and won't be able to get the best outcome for himself by himself.

Also, if a student's circumstances change for the worse since their application they are eligible to have their grant reviewed upwards. Pursue this, if he applied now and would be entitled to the full grant, he more than likely IS entitled to the full grant now.

tictoc

I lived on Campus Accommodation for two years in WIT. Rent is paid in September and again in January. It is run by auxiliary services. I only ever saw someone evicted once and that was for sub letting.
Around now college Christmas Day happens and mad shenanigans go on around the place so it may be something to do with this.Irrelevant of who owns place Student Union (WITSU) can be a very good place to get further advice.
Really hope you get sorted, I loved my time in WIT and hope once this is sorted so does your son.

davo10

Deenie123 wrote: »

OP, there's something fundamentally not adding up here - not least of all their refusal to give him access to his own possessions. An owner can't evict a licensee and refuse to return their belongings, or am I wrong? So something strange is afoot if they're retaining his belongings. They don't have to allow him back in, but surely they are obliged to return what is not theirs??

The second thing I would suggest is to find out who owns the accommodation. If the college owns the accommodation and he's a registered student then they still have a duty of care to him. He's a child.

And honestly, if somewhere is going to accept a 17 year old kid as a tenant/licensee, they have to put in place systems to deal with the fact that they're aren't adults, should not be expected to, and generally cannot behave like adults.

I don't think you are right on these points. They do not have a duty of care in the sense of what you are referring to, there is a minimum age you must have reached before you can attend third level institutions. Of course they must provide a safe learning environment, prevent discrimination/ bullying etc but they are not responsible for providing food/shelter/ drinking money etc for students.

As for being a "child" but if I'm not mistaken, anyone above the age of 16 can be tried in court as an adult so to say WIT are responsible for the OP's son because he is only 17 is a stretch.

OP gave you phoned WIT accomodation yet to find out their side of the story ?

Deenie123

davo10 wrote: »

I don't think you are right on these points. They do not have a duty of care in the sense of what you are referring to, there is a minimum age you must have reached before you can attend third level institutions. Of course they must provide a safe learning environment, prevent discrimination/ bullying etc but they are not responsible for providing food/shelter/ drinking money etc for students.

As for being a "child" but if I'm not mistaken, anyone above the age of 16 can be tried in court as an adult so to say WIT are responsible for the OP's son because he is only 17 is a stretch.

OP gave you phoned WIT accomodation yet to find out their side of the story ?

I wouldn't be entirely sure on that one. At the very least, if they're going to evict a minor I would expect that the parents need to be informed by them and arrangements made for the return of belongings. Not just walking in and changing the locks. The college and the OP's son are in entirely different bargaining positions - that shouldn't be ignored.

There also seems to be an assumption going on here that the college would only act flawlessly, not sure why - nobody's perfect... And there's a former WIT student saying rent is paid by the semester, yet the OP says it was due monthly. That, to me, says it's not college owned accommodation and suggests that the OP's son may not be getting fair treatment. Which is why I said, and would say again, the OP needs to get down to WIT and get to the bottom of it and fight his son's corner about his belongings and finding somewhere to stay.

Kids don't magically become adults because of a birthday, it's life experience, age, and maturing into an adult that makes a person an adult. At 17, fresh from school and probably still very immature, the kid is simply not an adult. They can't be expected to behave like a 22 or 23 year old would. I mean ffs, there were kids in my year in school who turned 17 before the end of transition year.

Don't get me wrong, if it was my son I would read him the riot act over this, but I wouldn't automatically assume that the other party is 100% above board here and I would sort it out for the kid, because a 17 year old (no matter what it may be convenient to think) is NOT an adult.

davo10

OP, in the best interests of both yourself and your son (and nominally for this thread) it would be best for you to contact the accomadation, find out if it is a WIT accomadation or privately owned, what type of tenancy your son had, and why he was kicked out. It would be great if you posted the details, it saves everyone guessing what your rights are.

dixiefly

As a parent of a student away from home that doesnt get any grant or support I have to be honest and say that it really bugs me that it is possible for students to pi$$ away the grant like this.
I know that socialising is part of student life but the grants should not be paid directly into the student account. In a case like this where the grant system was abused then it should be withdrawn.

Best of luck to the OP in getting it sorted.

The_Conductor

Organise to meet with them (not in the presence of your son)- be polite- and get to the bottom of all of this. You've been fed a line by your son, perhaps there is an element of truth in it- perhaps not- that is something you can discuss with him another day. Find out the truth in the situation- in as polite, non-confrontational, manner as possible. Discuss with them- whether, or not, its possible to get over the impasse you are currently at. When you've organised a solution- and there always is a solution of sorts- at that stage tell your 17 year old what he is to do. It is non-optional for him- he obeys, or he comes home. Its time to spell out the letter of the law to your son- he was treated as an adult- he abused that trust- until he earns that trust again- he does what he is told.

I'm another person who didn't get free fees- and worked my way through college. I did all manner of poorly paid undesirable jobs- to make ends meet. Sometimes I ended up with no money at all for a week or two- it happened. Going to college marks a significant milestone in growing up- you have to take responsibility for yourself and your actions- and where once your Mum or Dad would bail you out if things went wrong- that is no longer going to happen- you have to learn to stand on your own two feet. Unfortunately- your son is not yet showing this degree of maturity- and until he does- you are going to have to treat him as a child............

Mary63

There is no point in meeting up with anyone unless you have the cheque for the two month fees in your pocket.

The money has to be paid and that is all there is to it.Babbling on about duty of care to a minor,ie I as a landlord have to take that into consideration in just rediculous,its time your son grew up and just because you have sorted out his mess ups all his life doesnt mean that I now have to do it too.

Gather up everything you have bought him for christmas and return it to the shops for a full refund.Lodge the money to your bank account and write a cheque for the landlord.

Dont waste your time appealing or making special a special case for your ds or appealing on the grounds that you are both unemployed,no one cares least of all the landlord.

davo10

The_Conductor wrote: »

Organise to meet with them (not in the presence of your son)- be polite- and get to the bottom of all of this. You've been fed a line by your son, perhaps there is an element of truth in it- perhaps not- that is something you can discuss with him another day. Find out the truth in the situation- in as polite, non-confrontational, manner as possible. Discuss with them- whether, or not, its possible to get over the impasse you are currently at. When you've organised a solution- and there always is a solution of sorts- at that stage tell your 17 year old what he is to do. It is non-optional for him- he obeys, or he comes home. Its time to spell out the letter of the law to your son- he was treated as an adult- he abused that trust- until he earns that trust again- he does what he is told.

I'm another person who didn't get free fees- and worked my way through college. I did all manner of poorly paid undesirable jobs- to make ends meet. Sometimes I ended up with no money at all for a week or two- it happened. Going to college marks a significant milestone in growing up- you have to take responsibility for yourself and your actions- and where once your Mum or Dad would bail you out if things went wrong- that is no longer going to happen- you have to learn to stand on your own two feet. Unfortunately- your son is not yet showing this degree of maturity- and until he does- you are going to have to treat him as a child............

Ditto, and we all knew people who flamed out in the first semester, pissed away their grants, failed exams, got kicked out of student accomadation.

OP, apart from the situation with living quarters, it might be no harm having a discussion with your son about attendance at college and how his course is going.

Mary63

Mary63 wrote: »

There is no point in meeting up with anyone unless you have the cheque for the two month fees in your pocket.

The money has to be paid and that is all there is to it.Babbling on about duty of care to a minor,ie I as a landlord have to take that into consideration in just rediculous,its time your son grew up and just because you have sorted out his mess ups all his life doesnt mean that I now have to do it too.

Gather up everything you have bought him for christmas and return it to the shops for a full refund.Lodge the money to your bank account and write a cheque for the landlord.

Dont waste your time appealing or making special a special case for your ds or appealing on the grounds that you are both unemployed,no one cares least of all the landlord.

You're speaking as a Landlord. For one moment, think as a parent. As a parent, I really feel for the whole family. Our kids have to be let free and make their own mistakes. Not all 17 year olds are street wise and independent. Most will make mistakes, no matter if they are grant aided or not. I sincerely hope the family gets through this and he gets to continue his education, gain a degree, a good job and becomes a mature, happy member of society. Happy Christmas to all.

anonyanony

Deleted User wrote: »

You're speaking as a Landlord. For one moment, think as a parent. As a parent, I really feel for the whole family. Our kids have to be let free and make their own mistakes. Not all 17 year olds are street wise and independent. Most will make mistakes, no matter if they are grant aided or not. I sincerely hope the family gets through this and he gets to continue his education, gain a degree, a good job and becomes a mature, happy member of society. Happy Christmas to all.

This take over his accounts for the grant and pay the back rent asap and tell them you are paying future rent, giving him the rest as spending money. Once you paid the back rent and tell them you are now taking over the payment they might let him stay if the eviction was only due to rent.

If he fails xmas exams don't worry to much it's first semester of first year he should be easily able to pass the summer repeats.

Dick Turnip

Mary63 wrote: »

Dont waste your time appealing or making special a special case for your ds.

What the hell is a ds?? Given the tone of your posts here so far I keep imagining you mean dickhead son!

The_Morrigan

Dick Turnip wrote: »

What the hell is a ds?? Given the tone of your posts here so far I keep imagining you mean dickhead son!

It's 'txt spk' and not permitted as per the charter & an on thread warning here.

Folks can you please stay on topic.