The UK’s university students are placing the affordability of their
accommodation ahead of living standards when selecting their digs, a survey
reveals.
The findings from The Property Marketing Strategists’ (TPMS) Youth Forum
found that 61% of undergrads didn’t bother checking if their home was
accredited.
This is despite 52% acknowledging that having such credentials mattered to
them.
Quality student lodgings
The survey quizzed more than 300 students to gauge their grasp of quality
benchmarks in student lodgings.
The research paints a clear picture: cost trumps comfort, with 36% of
respondents noting that the rent they’d paid didn’t noticeably alter the
standard of their accommodation.
Landlords and
PBSA providers
pour lots of effort and funds into meeting industry criteria to earn
accreditation, yet the survey suggests these efforts are falling flat.
That’s because accommodation quality badges aren’t being flagged up to
students, leaving them unable to distinguish between compliant properties
and those falling short.
However, 71% of those polled said they’d pay more for a certified property,
underscoring a need for better outreach from landlords, universities and
advisers.
Identify assured student homes
Victoria Tolmie-Loverseed, the interim deputy chief executive at Unipol,
said: “The findings of this research are particularly interesting, not only
emphasising the importance of using jargon-free language when communicating
with students, but additionally, it highlights the need for accessible
visual references to ensure students can easily identify assured
properties.”
She added that her organisation is now looking at ways it can showcase
code-approved properties.
After a student’s first year, 64% leaned on their university’s stamp of
approval for reputable residences.
This hints that a tweak in marketing tactics by landlords could sharpen
their edge in a competitive market while offering students greater
reassurance.
National Code criteria
The report also looks at the perceptions around accreditation and students
linked it to essentials like gas and structural safety.
Fewer of them were clued up on student-specific standards, such as student
tenant or service quality.
The National Code outlines that
accreditation should ensure fire safety compliance, professional
management, timely repairs and robust complaint handling.
Yet students boiled it down to simpler expectations with one saying: “The
ability to meet certain needs and support students, you know, to meet
specific requirements”, or “There should be certain rules and regulations,
or certain norms and standards – for example, safety.”
What students want
When it comes to must-haves, electricity, gas safety and maintenance topped
the list of student wants, while first-aid provision and overall experience
barely registered. Focus group members also tossed in energy efficiency,
sustainability and staff courtesy as factors they’d like assessed.
Though 71% were willing to pay a premium for accredited pads, rising
expenses and a student housing crunch shifted their focus away from
quality.
One student said it might matter more to parents – suggesting a disconnect
between priorities.
Student certified homes
The researchers say that with students open to paying more for certified
homes, providers should spotlight these credentials clearly.
Accreditation often ranks low on their checklist bit that is possibly
because it’s not dangled in front of them.
Mystery shopping feedback from TPMS reveals operators’ investment in
quality seals isn’t trickling down to the audience.
It says too that universities and national schemes could step up, educating
students on what to seek out and why it counts.
Student landlords need to promote themselves
The managing director of Accommodation for Students, Simon Thompson, said:
“For student landlords, the message from this research is loud and clear:
affordability reigns supreme in students’ minds, but there’s untapped
potential in flaunting quality credentials.
“With 71% of student tenants willing to pay more for certified digs signals
a golden opportunity – if only they knew what to look for.
“The disconnect lies in communication, and landlords who bridge that gap
could not only fill their properties but also command a premium in a
competitive market.”
He added: “Students are hunting for bargains among rising costs, but
they’re not blind to quality which means landlords with quality student
accommodation need to promote it.”
