Renters (Reform) Bill doesn’t solve student accommodation issues

Renters (Reform) Bill doesn’t solve student accommodation issues

0:01 AM, 3rd November 2023, About 11 months ago 6

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The recent Parliamentary debate by MPs of the Renters (Reform) Bill has highlighted the plight of student renters and private landlords, one rent guarantor service says.

Paul Blomfield, the MP for Sheffield Central, told MPs that 45% of students live in the private rented sector (PRS), which amounts to 600,000 young people across England and Wales.

However, he said that the UK’s rental crisis means that suitable accommodation is often not available for them.

Student renters are looking for a good standard of accommodation

Graham Hayward, the chief operating officer of Housing Hand, agreed that student renters are looking for a good standard of accommodation that is near to their campus and has a reasonable rent.

He also pointed out that universities need large student populations to make the delivery of higher education ‘economically viable’.

Mr Hayward said that Covid and Brexit have impacted student numbers and occupancy levels, while student landlords have had to deal with legal and regulatory changes.

He added that the Renters (Reform) Bill poses more challenges and does not treat landlords of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) and purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) equally.

‘Joined up thinking’ from the government for student accommodation’

Mr Hayward is calling for ‘joined up thinking’ from the government for student accommodation and said: “Universities need strong attendance, so they also need to coordinate with the various stakeholders in the accommodation supply chain, to ensure that planned student numbers can be housed appropriately.

“This is a market, after all, so if supply doesn’t meet demand, then demand may weaken – though it will certainly increase in price until it is rebalanced.”

He also expressed concern that some UK and international students may consider universities in other countries or defer if they cannot find the accommodation they need in the UK.

‘All parties involved in educating and housing students’

Mr Hayward said: “The UK is currently regarded as a global higher education leader. That position could come under threat if all parties involved in educating and housing students cannot work together to achieve a more balanced solution.

“To support this, the Renters (Reform) Bill should initially focus on accommodation for the non-student market, giving the student market time to rebalance itself after the Brexit and Covid changes – which it needs to do in short order.”

He also said that open-ended tenancies in the private rented sector are a key sticking point and could create ‘significant challenges’.

Mr Hayward says that both students and student landlords want a start and end date to their tenancies and a solution that suits both parties must be found, he said.


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Marlena Topple

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11:27 AM, 3rd November 2023, About 11 months ago

Unless this is addressed the student rental market will cease to exist which will be detrimental to students and provide an existential threat to universities. I agree that students should not be discriminated against. Why not create a specific student fixed term tenancy to give students choice. They can then choose accommodation with a student tenancy or rent in the open market with an AST.

Freda Blogs

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11:30 AM, 3rd November 2023, About 11 months ago

Yes, Govt could do something really simple, like keep things as they are, because the current tenancy model works just fine. However that’s probably a bit too radical for them…

Marlena Topple

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11:37 AM, 3rd November 2023, About 11 months ago

Of course I totally agree with you Freda. But this government and the next are clearly hell bent on change.

Yvonne Francis

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11:50 AM, 3rd November 2023, About 11 months ago

The Government just want to treat the student market in the PRS exactly the same as in the PBSA. Student houses in the PRS are easily identified by the fact they are exempt for Council Tax. Nothing less will do.

Michael Booth

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11:42 AM, 4th November 2023, About 11 months ago

It's happening now , my friend a student at Durham has to travel everyday from middlesbrough to Durham due to no available student accommodation this is before this rrb enters the system PLEASE LISTEN MINISTERS CHANGE TACT OR YOU WILL DESTROY THIS INDUSTRY YOU HAVE BEEN WARNRD.

Whiteskifreak Surrey

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16:47 PM, 7th November 2023, About 11 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Michael Booth at 04/11/2023 - 11:42
Sadly the destruction (or more likely annihilation) of the PRS sector is the main goal of this government, who are sponsored by the big cronies who want to take over.
It is even sadder to say that this is the only goal the government is succeeding to achieve.
The ministers will not listen.

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