Private student homes leave tenants feeling ‘less safe’

Students say they feel less safe in their private landlord homes than they do in purpose-built student accommodation, a survey has found.

Purpose-built housing provider Here! Students surveyed 600 students to learn how safe tenants feel depending on where they live.

Three in four residents in PBSA said they feel safe, but that figure drops to 56% among those renting privately.

The difference carries through to overall experience, with 67% of PBSA residents rating their stay positively compared with 51% in private rentals.

Students feel safe

A spokesperson for the firm said: “Finding the right accommodation is about more than having a roof over your head.

“It’s about feeling safe, supported and being able to focus on your studies knowing you have a home you can rely on.”

They added: “For parents, universities, and policymakers, the data serves as a reminder that high-quality student housing isn’t a luxury.”

PBSA lockable doors

Security provision shows that PBSA rooms are nearly twice as likely to have a lock on the bedroom door, at 59% versus 31%.

Lockable windows were reported by 48% of PBSA residents and 30% in private housing, while CCTV was present in 27% compared with 12%.

Smart doorbells appear in 29% of PBSA sites against 13% in private rentals.

Secure entry systems stand at 31% compared with 17%, and door viewers at 30% versus 21%.

Where is safe?

The survey highlights Sheffield as having the lowest reported safety levels at 69%, followed by Manchester at 66% and Birmingham at 73%.

In private rentals, Sheffield again ranked lowest, with 44% of students saying they felt safe.

Leeds followed at 48% and Liverpool at 50%.

Elsewhere, Oxford recorded the highest safety level at 88%, with Liverpool following at 80% and Leeds at 78%.

Looking only at private lets, Nottingham recorded the highest figure, with 65% of students saying they felt safe.