Now the NUS calls for student rent controls

Now the NUS calls for student rent controls

8:07 AM, 6th October 2022, About A year ago 5

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The latest organisation to call for rent controls in a bid to tackle ‘rocketing rent prices’ is the National Union of Students (NUS).

The NUS has just published its Student Cost of Living report and says that the cost-of-living crisis is affecting students.

The union is also recommending that the government reforms universal credit and offers inflation-proofed maintenance support.

‘Government must ensure that students are not left behind’

Chloe Field, the NUS’ vice-president (higher education), said: “As the cost-of-living crisis increasingly bites for everyone across the UK, the government must ensure that students are not left behind.

“All too often, students are viewed as privileged young adults who can easily fall back on parental support or buy a few less drinks to ride out the cost-of-living crisis.

“Students across the country are buckling under the weight of soaring energy bills, rocketing rent prices, and mounting debt yet are often left out of existing government support including universal credit.”

She warns that ‘thousands will be forced to quit education’ to afford to live.

‘Bring in legislation to control student rent’

Ms Field added: “We urgently need the government to inflation-proof student loans and maintenance loans, bring in legislation to control student rent to avoid a homelessness crisis, and provide additional funding to education providers to bolster hardship funds.

“In addition to specific support, the government must ensure that students are no longer excluded from general interventions intended to alleviate the cost-of-living crisis such as energy grants and one-off payments to households.”

She also says that ‘Rent was already sky high for students before inflation boomed’.

The latest report was initiated after a student accommodation survey found that 29% of students in the UK have less than £50 to live on each month after bills and rent have been paid.

‘Not convinced interventions like rent controls are wise’

The report was put together with the Higher Education Policy Institute, and the organisation’s director, Nick Hillman, said: “There is one area where my views differ from those of the NUS, as I am not convinced interventions like rent controls are wise.

“We are already seeing in London that this type of intervention can lead quite quickly to a shortage of appropriate accommodation.

“However, we do need a clearer line of sight between all those who provide students with accommodation on the one hand, and those in power overseeing student accommodation on the other – such as the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, those to whom power has been devolved regionally and local councils.”

‘The cost-of-living crisis for students’

In his foreword to the report, Mr Hillman adds: “Above all, the cost-of-living crisis for students, just like the overall cost-of-living crisis, needs a concerted and united response.

“Otherwise, students will continue to fall through the cracks, which will leave them feeling individually bitter and also block them from collectively making their full contribution to the future of our society.”


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Comments

Anne Nixon

12:16 PM, 6th October 2022, About A year ago

Yes this cost of living crisis is bad news and is affecting everybody.
I have a 3 bed student house and my monthly direct debit for energy has gone up 300% over the last year while the rents have increased by only £5 a week for this new academic year. I will absorb the rest of the rise even though there was only £2,000 profit from this £150,000 property last year with costs as they were then.
This is clearly unsustainable and something has to give.
I've owned this property since 2007 and it has always just ticked along, no great profit but relatively okay.
Students need to be careful what they wish for as a mass exodus of landlords from the market is not going to help them at all.
Chloe Field of the NUS said, "“All too often, students are viewed as privileged young adults who can easily fall back on parental support or buy a few less drinks to ride out the cost-of-living crisis" but I would paraphrase this, "all too often landlords are viewed as millionaires who rip off the unwary and are there as a cash cow to be milked by councils, government & HMRC.

Simon Lever - Chartered Accountant helping clients get the best returns from their properties

12:16 PM, 6th October 2022, About A year ago

The NUS would be better off lobbying for the end of fixed term tenancies not to be brought in. Or at least finding some way around this proposed change.

If landlords are not guaranteed to get their properties back at the end of the academic year they will not let to students in the first place.

Olls63

12:45 PM, 6th October 2022, About A year ago

The NUS was an irrelevance when I was at uni in the early 80s. I thank their standing has diminished dramatically since then!

Darren Sullivan

19:58 PM, 7th October 2022, About A year ago

I’ve got some decent advice for students in the cost of living crisis cut out the booze and dope. 👍

Yvonne Francis

11:19 AM, 8th October 2022, About A year ago

Never mind rent controls the NUS would be best fighting the Renters Reform Bill as this will wipe out student accommodation in the PRS. When are those who seem to get a say wake up.

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