Student accommodation has been in the news recently, from protests over rent rises to university flats filled with mould and infested with mice. All a far cry from the pristine clean, bright and well furnished rooms kept by house-proud homestay accommodation hosts that international students enjoy year after year.
The new academic year is once again starting and international students are appearing in university towns around the country. First year students are mostly likely to be heading to halls of residence, but what are the accommodation prospects for 2nd and 3rd years or international students attending Further Ed Colleges, business academies and English Language schools?
For some students there will always be a last minute scramble for somewhere to live. But for the well organised student (or indeed, their parents!), a hosted vehicle will be dropping of their young passengers straight from the airport to the front door of their host family home. A friendly welcome awaits, which is often accompanied by a soft drink and much needed snacks! Individual hosts would have spent the summer months refurbishing the spare room they rent out to international students to make their stay as comfortable and enjoyable experience as possible. Unfortunately, life is not so rosy for those who miss out on a hosted homestay room.
10 months without ventilation at university accommodation
In the news we hear that students are preparing to take legal action against their university, claiming that the accommodation provided contained “widespread black mould, rodent infestations” – and 10 months without ventilation in the bathrooms. As a result, they allege that many students have suffered allergic reactions and “distress”. In addition, there have been complaints of delays in the repair of basic utilities, including heating and hot water.
It’s not the first time that issues have arisen with student accommodation provided by educational institutions. Last year, the National Union of Students (NUS) reported that three quarters of students said they experienced problems with their privately rented accommodation. Half of all students claimed to have condensation, mould and a quarter said they were infested with vermin. The Report also found that as many as 3 in 4 students will end up in debt to cover deposits, letting agency fees and other initial costs just to secure a basic accommodation. In 2014, one survey found that student dissatisfaction had increased by around 4 per cent, including private landlord/estate agent renting. The most frequent complaints included the rental cost, size of the room, as well as the state of the plumbing.
Purpose built student accommodation not what it seems
Recent years have seen the spread of the so-called “purpose-built student accommodation” (PBSA), notorious for their high-rise, slab-built construction and decked out in garish bright colours. In some university towns, particularly, Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds, they appear to have sprouted up everywhere. At the start of this academic year, around 25,000 new units have been completed while a further 14,000 are already being built for 2018. In central London alone, it is reported that there are around 4,000 student rooms under construction, with over 8,000 more “with consent or in planning”.
The blocks do not come cheap and are clearly beyond the pockets of the average international student. One room in a “luxury” development in Manchester is said to have a rental of more than £380 per week, while, in London, rooms in the “top-end” blocks will cost a student (or the bank of Mum and Dad!) a whopping £25,000 a year! But all may not be what it seems…
Close-up view of a brick wall
It has been suggested that the reason for their popularity with developers, and their rapid spread, is due to student housing not being officially classified as ‘housing’. It means, therefore, student accommodation does not have to adhere to the usual standards associated with dwellings. Local authorities may treat student accommodation as either a hotel or residential institution, i.e. in the same category as care homes, hospitals and boarding schools. Their use as “limited occupation” also means they are not subject to residential regulations for key requirements such as, adequate space, sufficient daylight and sound insulation.
In one block development consisting of 350 bedrooms, it was reported that a misalignment of the windows meant students had only a close-up view of a brick wall! But on a more serious and a darkly chilling note, the cladding system of one student development failed its fire safety tests following the Grenfell Tower disaster. The cladding on five more of brand new blocks have also failed the test, clearly raising questions over construction quality and the safety of their young occupants.
No such potential nightmares for international students, of course, safe and secure in their family hosted accommodation. The window view is likely to overlook a well-kept back garden and the only “mice” are family members quietly tiptoeing past the room door to ensure they don’t interrupt their student guest from studying!