Students in Australian National University housing say they have been left in limbo after an apparent administration oversight saw a gap of up to 13 days between their tenancy agreements.
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Between 10 and 20 undergraduate and postgraduate students in temporary accommodation across several university halls and colleges were told about two weeks ago that they would have to move out on Friday this week.
But their contracts for permanent residency do not commence until early February.
"For many people who've been living in temporary accommodation over the summer, most of their leases have gone up to the 25th of January," said Zyl Hovenga-Wauchope, president of ANU Postgraduate and Research Students' Association.
"Many of these people have applied for ongoing accommodation but their approvals begin on the 1st, 4th or 6th [of February]. So there's a week or two weeks between when they can get into their accommodation."
The issue was likely due to an "oversight" in the university's administration, Mr Hovenga-Wauchope said, with housing not realising that students were coming in directly from other temporary student accommodation.
"We don't see it as a big systemic failure but we think there could have been more thought put into [this]," Mr Hovenga-Wauchope said.
The postgraduate association, along with ANU Students' Association - which services undergraduates - has been negotiating extended stays for students in their current accommodation, or earlier move-in dates for their permanent accommodation, Mr Hovenga-Wauchope said.
Most student housing facilities had been obliging in allowing people extra time, but others cited a lack of space or other constraints.
A spokesperson for ANU said the university was not aware of any student who has not been offered bridging accommodation until their ongoing 2019 accommodation is available.
They said the university would assist students who need bridging accommodation if they contacted ANU Accommodation Services.
UniLodge, which allows students to enter into subletting arrangements over the summer period, refused to comment on whether or not its tenants had been left without accommodation.
"[Some housing facilities said] cleaning would need to be done [before students move in], which would take a week. We find that a little bit dubious but I don't think that's happened in a lot of circumstances," Mr Hovenga-Wauchope said.
"At least half have managed to find a reasonable arrangement whereby they continue on or come [into new accommodation] early but that's still a significant amount of people [left].
"When we have found an inability to accommodate them we’ve supported them by providing them with information."
The students who were unable to be accommodated were advised by the postgraduate association to stay in the Canberra City YHA, Mr Hovenga-Wauchope said.
ANU's spokesperson said some students were waiting to move in to permanent accommodation until February 6, when three new residential halls would be opened.
"The University works with all students who may need assistance with bridging arrangements between their summer accommodation and the commencement of their current academic year accommodation," the spokesperson said.
"We believe that student experience is enriched by living on campus and one of our goals is to provide accommodation on campus for ANU students who wish to live here.
"We are looking forward to having 1200 more students live on our campus in 2019 when we open three new student residential halls on 6 February including Wright Hall, Bruce Hall and the new Fenner Hall which will be in the new Kambri precinct."
Semester 1 Orientation Week at ANU begins on Monday, February 18.
