Irish Examiner view: No bed, no rent

As the Covid-19 pandemic rages, more and more college courses are moving online, meaning once highly sought-after on-campus accommodation is not as important as it was

Colleges can give a very valuable life lesson by doing the right thing no matter how difficult.

One of the secondary issues at the early stages of the pandemic revolved around refunds for cancelled flights or holidays. By and large, airlines and hotels offered vouchers to the value of unused tickets, some offered cash. If those vouchers can be used in a bright, Covid-19-free tomorrow — if the airlines still exist — is an open question that cannot be ignored.

The same issue is coming into play at third-level colleges that provide student accommodation.

As the pandemic endures, more and more courses are moved online, meaning once highly sought-after on-campus accommodation is not as important as it was even though it has been paid for. In this eventuality, the very least colleges, and private landlords too, should do is offer vouchers for deferred accommodation.

However, as these costs are more than significant for many families, it is not hard to argue for a full and immediate refund. By doing this, colleges can give a very valuable life lesson by doing the right thing no matter how difficult. They may, however, have to convince their bankers to co-operate.