Monthly rental prices rise a staggering 20–30% for students
For decades, what could be considered the basic standards for student living have been levied as a commodity. Local students are left grappling with harsh economic conditions, with their maintenance loan nullified by rising rental costs.
According to ‘Save the Student’, the average student survives on a miniscule £496 per month from their maintenance loan, facing an uphill battle in reaching the standard cost of living, which is averaged at £1,078 per month. When presented with the numerical loss of £582 each month, it’s no wonder that 64% of students we surveyed believed that the maintenance loan is staggeringly insufficient to cover their basic needs.
More specifically, an independent survey shows third-year students claiming that what once was affordable student flats rent averaging or even exceeding £900 in monthly rent, hiking the price by a staggering 20–30%. Shared rentals share a similar fate if not more dire, a student can now face rental prices of £500–£600 per room, excluding bills.
Student voices echo the mounting concerns. A second-year law student lamented, “My parents earnings put me in the lowest bracket for a loan, but they can’t afford to support me with rising bills.” Another third-year student pointed out, “My maintenance loan just covers my rent; how do they expect me to feed myself and do a dissertation?” Many more students express similar sentiments about the simple fact of the maintenance loan cannot cover vital expenses like bills and food.
The situation is especially dire for international students who are constrained by visa requirements, tuition fees, and a lack of maintenance loans, all due to their foreign status. An independent survey consisting of 30 BU international students shows 50% are only able to work 10 hours a week due to study requirements, and 25% are unable to work at all due to scholarship rulings.
Without a passing grade the right to study in the UK is lost. These housing costs, often coupled with security deposits, put a plethora of students at risk of losing out on the opportunity of a UK university degree.
This shift of financial burdens not only affects students but also their families in order to reach basic means. The Save the Students 2023 report saw 53% of students now relying on their families to support them; funds averaged £227 per month”. However, 62% of students now have to rely on part-time jobs as additional support for rental payments, a 6% hike from the 2022 report.
The repercussions of part-time employment while studying are evident. It adversely affects grades and mental health, raising concerns about the ability of students to maintain their academic performance and well-being while managing their financial struggles.
Save the Student’s 2023 survey saw accommodation; 43% said their studies were impacted and 72% of students said their physical and/or mental health was affected by rental costs.
The spokesperson for NUS claims, “Students’ living costs are spiralling out of control, and our research has found that students are already making really tough choices, with one of three left with just £50 a month to live on after paying rent and bills.”
The situation is disheartening. Bournemouth has invested heavily to become the educational hub within the UK, drawing students from across the globe. However, this future is looking more like a fantasy with how the living crisis is tearing apart what was once a vibrant community.
The Express covered Councillor Joe Orson, cabinet member for trading standards, opinion on the matter and the expressed concern about the vulnerability of students, stating, “The high demand for term-time accommodation can provide ample opportunity for unscrupulous letting agents to take advantage of unsuspecting students, which can leave them out of pocket at the end of the academic year.”
These concerns are echoes in a survey conducted by Citizens Advice for Bournemouth housing. Polling over 1,000 people, the dire circumstances students face were revealed in terms of affordability, subpar living conditions, and their limited bargaining power with landlords.
Three-quarters (75%) of respondents admitted to depleting their savings to meet rent payments in the last year, and a staggering 62% of students reported experiencing various property and repair issues over the same period, with 43% revealing three or more issues.
Labour MP Nadia Whittome emphasises the urgency of the situation, stating, “The government must urgently raise the student maintenance package above the rate of inflation and lift every student out of poverty.” But is that reaffirming the greed that housing agencies have over students?
So what is there to do? What is the Government response to this crisis?
The demand continues to outstrip the supply, turning students into commodities and contributing to the unrelenting rise in rental costs. The main factor exacerbating the housing crisis is the overwhelming demand for student housing; according to a UniHomes survey, it accounted for 63% of all housing in Bournemouth.
To avoid regulating rental prices, the Conservatives have hoped to quell voters by repealing Section 21. However, this has only served as a gateway to sell property, ignoring renters right under Section 8. The BBC coverage on the research, commissioned by the Scottish Government in 2022, found new tenancy rules had contributed to landlords leaving the student rental market.
It’s no surprise that the Conservatives are self-serving in the rental industry. OpenDemocracy’s analysis of the Tory MPs saw 27 percent of the party’s ministers or whips earning over £100,000 per year from rent. This creates a political environment that’s hostile to any student.
However, according to the Daily Telegraph, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Conservative MP for the Cotswolds, described the bill as having a “disastrous effect” on areas including his constituency by reducing the number of rental properties and consequently increasing the price of rent. For youngsters, this is really serious.
In addition, Bournemouth faces further housing challenges as Article 4 Directions restrict changes that owners can make to the exteriors of their properties without obtaining planning permission.
Anthony Hart, a partner at Allsop, highlighted “the complex dynamics at play, noting that while some local authorities have allowed excessive schemes to be built in their areas, others have clung to outdated policies, creating an undersupply of suitable student housing.”
Local authorities seem to lean toward protecting houses for owner-occupiers, leaving the responsibility of addressing the student housing crisis to the creation of new purpose-built student accommodations.
A recent survey by Save the Student shows 41% of students are thinking about dropping out of university because of either rent or bills.
The situation highlights the urgency behind a comprehensive review of housing regulations and support systems in Bournemouth, as well as a renewed focus on affordable rental prices that cater to the student population. Students must have access to affordable and suitable housing options to ensure their overall well-being and academic success in the city.
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