University Challenge: Another new term of student accommodation chaos
being predicted
With a new academic term approaching, it looks like growing numbers of
students across the country will be facing the challenge of securing
accommodation for their university journey – AGAIN!
The issue made national headlines last autumn when students were sent to
live miles from their campus or had to share dorms with bunk beds.
And it looks like this will happen again, an analysis by
The Times reveals
.
The newspaper says that universities in the UK are finding it increasingly
difficult to guarantee housing for all their students.
Plus, there’s a new trend of several institutions refusing to provide
guaranteed accommodation or offering students living options in far-flung
cities.
‘Misled students of all stripes will be the victims’
Jim Dickinson, from the higher education website WonkHE, told the newspaper:
“Misled students of all stripes will be the victims — thinking they could
afford to live somewhere, but either switching to painful commutes, a
university more local to them, scraping together the rent on dangerous
part-time working hours to hang on in there, or dropping out altogether.”
The analysis of student accommodation at 26 universities found many that are
guaranteeing housing for first years – but not to those bringing a child or
spouse.
And some are only offering accommodation if the university is the student’s
‘firm choice’ and accepting a place after the A-level results are published.
Growing trend of parents having to prove their income
Private landlords are also criticised in the article because it says there
is a growing trend of parents having to prove their income if they are rent
guarantors.
And some landlords are asking for employment proof – and then insisting that
students sign a rent agreement for 48 or 50 weeks.
While course application figures are down slightly on last year, there is a
population bulge that has led to more 18-year-old British – along with
overseas – students applying for degree courses.
However, numbers are still higher than they were pre-pandemic.
Bristol University is offering accommodation options in Wales
The article highlights that Bristol University is offering accommodation
options in Wales – with a ‘free shuttle bus’ – and Exeter University has
been inundated with applications – five applicants are competing for each
available bed.
Glasgow University, which has faced years of unprecedented demand for
housing, has admitted it cannot guarantee housing for students who have a
family within an hour’s travel of its campus.
Edinburgh University’s website says that students are only being guaranteed
shared accommodation – ‘often with bunk beds’ – for those who made it their
first course choice.
The Bristol-based University of the West of England (UWE) is offering
accommodation in Cheltenham, 39 miles away – after complaints last year that
students housed in Newport felt isolated.
Scarcity of beds in purpose-built student accommodation
A recent survey by PwC also highlights that there is a scarcity of beds in
purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), particularly in Glasgow,
Southampton and Manchester.
Students also have to deal with the issue of surging rents despite the
modest 2.8% increment in student maintenance loans.
Most of this will be spent on housing expenses, which could leave lots of
students with financial pressures and limited resources to cover other
essential aspects of their education.
Universities UK, a representative body for vice-chancellors of universities,
says: “We need government to look again at maintenance support, which has
failed to keep pace with inflation.”
However, the Times also highlights that there are some universities that are
not expecting major issues with a lack of student accommodation this year.
‘Plays no direct role in providing student accommodation’
The Department for Education told the newspaper: “Government plays no direct
role in providing student accommodation. To help with living and other
costs, we have increased loans and grants for 2023-24, and we are supporting
universities to help students who are struggling financially by making £276
million available from this month.”
Simon Thompson, the managing director of Accommodation for Students, said:
“It looks like nothing has been learned by the chaos that unfolded last
autumn with students having nowhere to live.
“We have already seen this year that students are camping out overnight at
student letting agents to get private accommodation for this year.”
He added: “We need the government to step up and help private student
landlords deliver the quality accommodation that is so desperately needed.
“Whether that is the ending of section 24 or help with investment, without
it I can see more student landlords selling up – making a poor situation
even worse.”
