Students who want to stay on in their accommodation for the next academic year need to rebook early or run the risk of losing their homes.
Universities are already pre-booking their own halls and private accommodation in anticipation of a rush of new students next year.
The problem is made worse by the many universities who promised places this year to students they could not accommodate last year.
Many students are finding they have already left reserving their accommodation too late as their universities show prospective students around their halls.
The problem was highlighted at the University of Lincoln's student union housing fayre.
University and private halls are already crammed full – but the number of students leaving this year is far less than the number expected to enrol for next year, putting even more pressure on housing.
Within a few hours of the housing fayre, the university had fully booked 4,000 university rooms and 1,500 private hall rooms out of a 7,000 available rooms to let.
Student halls already booked for next academic year
The students union says that means 2,500 students already at Lincoln are chasing 1,500 rooms for next year – and those that miss out need to source a room for private landlords offering shared houses.
The university has announced that plans are underway to improve the availability of student accommodation.
“The university is currently reviewing its student accommodation strategy to ensure that the availability of high quality student accommodation continues to be in line with our ambitious plans,” said a spokesman without revealing any details.
Disgruntled students at Lincoln have vented their anger against the university by setting up the Facebook page 'Pavs Stole My Home' – 'Pavs' is short for Pavilions, a university hall in Lincoln.
Hundreds of students at Aberystwyth University also had their applications to remain in their halls next year rejected by email by the university on the eve of exams last month.
The university has told students that they will help find private accommodation for the 770 students who were turned down out of the 1,300 who applied to stay on in the halls.
