Private Rented Housing: Students – Parliamentary Written Answer

Rachel Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with private university accommodation providers on waiving rental fees for students during the covid-19 outbreak.

Christopher Pincher: The Department is actively engaging with stakeholders across the student accommodation sector, including private student accommodation providers. During this period tenants, including student tenants, remain liable for rent. Some universities and private accommodation providers have chosen to release students from their contracts early and not charge rent for students returning home. The negotiation of rent waivers and early releases from contracts is a matter between the parties concerned.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2020-04-22/38986

Hundreds Of Students In UK Sign Up To Rent Strike

Hundreds of university students have signed up to a rent strike in protest at having to pay thousands of pounds for accommodation where they have become trapped as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Many have complained they are stuck on near-deserted campuses where facilities and services have closed. Others say they cannot afford to pay because they have lost jobs vital to fund their living costs during their studies. Read more on the Guardian website.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/15/hundreds-of-students-in-uk-sign-up-to-rent-strike

Student Accommodation: First-Time Renters Are 'Vulnerable'

Students renting their first property are vulnerable as landlords unfairly withhold deposits, do not carrying out repairs, and enter properties without notice, according to a new poll. Shelter teamed-up with YouGov to survey almost 5,000 people to discover students are finding renting difficult, in terms of affordability, poor conditions, and a lack of bargaining power with landlords. Full-time students were around twice as likely to have experienced a landlord or agent entering their home without permission – when compared with non-students – and 41 per cent of student renters said they were forced to borrow money from their parents in order to meet monthly rental payments in the last year. Another third admitted to having used up their savings to meet rent payments in the last year. Read more on the Independent website.

Talk Of a National Rent Strike

“As far as I’m concerned, all rent is theft,” says David Dahlborn, union accommodation officer at University College London (UCL). “But we’ll take it one step at a time.” Dahlborn is addressing a meeting led by the Radical Housing Network (RHN), as part of the Brick Lane Debates. We’re here to discuss rent strikes; their feasibility, the legal implications, the practicalities of organising, the possibility of change through a mass refusal to pay landlords. UCL students are doing this right now. Since 8 May, around 60 students have refused to pay rent, on the grounds that conditions are unliveable in halls of residence. The strike has got messy, with the university refusing to meet its demands. Students have been told that, unless they pay, they won’t be allowed to graduate and may be expelled from courses.  Read more on the CityMetric website.

Increased Student Numbers Are Worsening the Housing Crisis

When George Osborne lifted the cap on how many students each university can take, he fired the starting pistol for increased competition in the higher education sector. But has anyone thought through the effect this will have on the housing market? Traditionally, students lived in halls of residence or shared private houses, but an increasing number of private companies are building and managing bespoke blocks for students. Business is booming. Savills predicts £2.5bn will be spent on student housing schemes this year, significantly more than the HCA invests in affordable housing. Unfortunately, the government’s latest planning guidance allows student housing to be included as part of overall housing targets when local plans are being put in place “based on the amount of accommodation it releases in the housing market”. This is misguided at best. Savills and others argue investment in student housing eases pressure on family housing, but student housing providers may be poaching sites that could have been used for affordable housing. Read more on the Guardian website.

Students among Most Reliable Tenants

University students are among the most reliable groups of tenants, a new study has revealed.  The National Landlords Association (NLA) latest landlord panel research shows that students are the least likely of all types of tenant to miss a payment, with only 38% of letters experiencing arrears involving higher learners in the last year. In contrast, 59% of landlords who have let to blue collar workers have experienced arrears in the past 12 months, whilst 71% who have let to benefit recipients have suffered payment problems.  Read more on 24dash.