Four weeks till end of term for many college students, and it’s gone so quick! Soon it will be time for international homestay accommodation students to head back home for the Christmas holidays. International students who stayed at a family-hosted accommodation are safe in the knowledge that their room will be waiting for them when they return in the New Year. However, first year students staying in a halls of residence will soon need to start thinking about looking for a new place to stay as they are required to vacate their room at the end of the first year. Why so soon, you may ask?
It’s in November that the Advent calendar for counting the days to Christmas Day starts to appear. So, if the autumn term seems to have just flown by, the spring to summer term could feel like an even faster Advent calendar countdown – with all sorts of doors closing and opening!
Looking for a new place should start straightaway as competition will be fierce – and in 2018, student numbers will be at record levels. Incredibly, despite of a fall in numbers in the immediate aftermath of the June 2016 Brexit referendum when England voted to leave the EU, the figures have made a significant recovery.
Rise in student numbers puts more pressure on looking for a room
At the mid October deadline, the total number of applicants had risen from the same time in 2016 by 4,250 (7 per cent) to 61,440 – the highest ever recorded since reporting at the October deadline began (The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service – UCAS). International student applications from the EU have also risen – by 6 per cent to 6,610, reversing much of the 9 per cent fall reported previously. Even more spectacular results with applicant numbers from outside the EU surging by an impressive additional 1,350 (12 per cent) to 12,860.
The unexpected rise in overseas student numbers is bound to put more pressure on all students looking for a room, hopefully, not too far away from where they are studying. Finding decent and affordable student accommodation has always been a challenge, but in recent years, the task has become almost impossible.
Small one room accommodation appears to shrink in size every year even as the rental costs skyrocket. The average weekly rent a student may now have to pay in central London for a shared property – excluding bills – is at least £175. Even the standard practice of student sharing can lead to all sorts of unforeseen circumstances relating to communal bills, cooking, eating and cleaning of shared amenities. The National Union of Students (NUS) has also reported that more than three quarters of students experience problems with their privately rented accommodation. Half of all students report living with condensation, mould and vermin. More worryingly still, three quarters of students put themselves into debt to cover deposits, letting agency fees and other initial costs just to secure a basic accommodation.
Most hosted room providers are mothers of families
Clearly, for some younger overseas students who have been living in a halls of residence during their first year, finding a room looks to be a daunting task! Parents are sure to be anxious too – if their young student actually tells them about their plans! It’s no surprise that more and more students are turning to hosted accommodation, which provides a room scheme through carefully selected and vetted family hosts.
An “approved to British Council standards” company, such as Hosts International – established for more than 30 years – ensures that the properties are to the expected high standards of home management. Not surprisingly, most hosted room providers are mothers of families either still at home or have grown up and left. Hosts is also organised by a female-led team of professionals, who not only establish longstanding relationships among their 5,000 room providers across the country but are also recent international Bronze award winners for ‘Enlightened Employers, 2017’ at the Inaugural Lead5050 WIE Awards 2017.*
Crucially, it means that Hosts take extra special care to match the host family with a student’s preferences by visiting all homes to ensure that they are suitable. In this way, many potential misunderstandings and disputes can be avoided in advance or promptly resolved if they happen unexpectedly. By contrast to the experiences of many students in private rented accommodation, any repairs that need to be carried out are sure to be properly fixed – and a lot quicker than lettings agents or landlords!
The host rent-a-room scheme aims to ensure a student can simply relax and focus on their studies without any unnecessary worries. First year international students who need to leave their halls of residence in summer 2018 should be definitely checking out hosted accommodation as an achievable option over the Christmas holidays! Your Advent calendar for a new place to stay starts here!
*Click here to see Inaugural Lead5050 WIE Awards 2017 video.