Club Easy, an accommodation provider, took double rent from students on Friday May 1st 2009 by error. It is unclear how many people have been affected, but some estimate it has affected up to 600 people.
The company are still unsure as to why it happened and have set up an internal investigation with the assistance of their bank. Some students who live in Club Easy accommodation say they were not told about the problem by the company and had to find out themselves.
Club Easy knew about the problem on Friday morning and contacted their bank. They were told at two o’clock in the afternoon that the bank could not recall the transactions.
Students have been told to continue checking their accounts to see if they have been refunded. Students that have been charged for going overdrawn should call the Club Easy office to get a refund.
Leigh Milner, a Hayes Wharf resident, did not check her account that day but found out from a friend that they had been charged double and her friend was now in his overdraft. Leigh was unaffected but says “if it had happened to me I wouldn’t have been able to afford anything.”
Club Easy say most residents have been happy with their response. Constantine Pavlou, who lives in a Club Easy property, said he has already signed a contract with them for next year and “has no doubts” over them.
But Crystal Cansdale, another Hayes Wharf resident, is extremely unhappy with the way Club Easy has handled the situation. She says she would not get accommodation through the company again. She says she is incredibly annoyed and worried about bank charges.