Student housing crisis fears grow as Renters’ Rights Bill looms
2 years ago | 1 comments
Student campaigners demand ban on guarantor requirements for tenants
9:57 AM, 20th November 2024, 1 year ago
45
The National Union of Students (NUS) is calling on the government to make it illegal for landlords to require tenants to have a UK-based guarantor.
Student campaigners argue that the current housing system is “predicated on exploitation and profit extraction,” leaving many student renters vulnerable.
This demand follows an NUS survey revealing that one-third of students are struggling to afford housing costs, with 17% forced to rely on food banks.
Students are suffering at the hands of the housing system
According to the NUS survey, 60% of student renters were required to have a guarantor and 40% of respondents found the process of securing one difficult.
The survey says international students and low-income students face the most difficulty and stress when trying to find a guarantor as they do not have access to the same funds or security net that others may have.
NUS UK President Amira Campbell said: “The results of this research lay bare what we sadly already knew, students and apprentices across the UK are suffering at the hands of a housing system predicated on exploitation and profit extraction.
“We should be ashamed as a society that we are allowing policies like the requirement for a UK-based guarantor to stand as a barrier in the way of our most vulnerable students having a safe and secure place to live.
“Our country’s unfair and inequitable housing system is limiting students and apprentices from feeling part of their communities. We need urgent action from the UK government, and devolved governments in all the nations across the UK, to fix this system and help student renters.”
Nearly half of students have experienced mould or mildew
Other key findings from the survey reveal that 84% of student renters reported encountering issues with their housing, including 48% who have experienced mould or mildew, 44% issues with heating or cooling, and 20% with pest infestations.
Housing costs were confirmed as a continuing problem for students and apprentices with over a third of students (36%) indicating they have difficulty paying their housing costs. Almost 40% of those report going without heating, and 17% have used a food bank.
A third of students (32%) say that they didn’t feel part of their community, which the NUS claims shows the isolating nature of the current student housing system.
Tags:
guarantor requirements, international students housing issues, low-income students housing, mould in student housing, NUS housing survey, student campaigners, Student Housing, student housing crisis, student renters, UK-based guarantor ban
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Member Since May 2023 - Comments: 226
8:39 PM, 20th November 2024, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by Fraser Hopewell at 20/11/2024 – 10:09
Hilarious ignorance on one level, but fully supports Referencing tenants on their competence to uphold their contractual responsibilities.
Tenants Activists to provide housekeeping courses that enable fewer unreasonable wear & tear incidents, and disputes with TDS & LL?
Member Since August 2023 - Comments: 6
8:30 AM, 21st November 2024, About 1 year ago
Here’s an idea. Instead of whinging about it – why doesn’t the nus step in and be the Uk guarantor for theses students. Problem solved.
Member Since June 2015 - Comments: 2
9:09 AM, 21st November 2024, About 1 year ago
All the more reason to insist on having one. Just another way to rip people off and get away with it. Its time people had to take responsibility for their actions. IF they don’t pay guarantor should be liable for double the debt, it would always be paid then. Simple like the idiot students who think they have no responsibility.
Member Since July 2023 - Comments: 95
10:13 AM, 21st November 2024, About 1 year ago
No chance if this getting through
Hmos will move to social housing and corporate lets.
Where will the students go then?
Member Since September 2018 - Comments: 9
3:26 PM, 21st November 2024, About 1 year ago
It’s the psychology of rent problem again. They think it’s just ‘space’ and should be free. All business is predicated on profit extraction. The students will need jobs eventually and the firms they work for will need to ‘extract profits’ in order to pay their wages. One day, these students will need to claim their pensions which will have been invested largely in property. I think they just add up the total rent and think it goes in landlords’ pockets. I wish I earned half as much as Angela Rayner.
Member Since July 2018 - Comments: 17
12:29 AM, 23rd November 2024, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by Edward Hammond at 20/11/2024 – 10:09
Absolutely 100% agree.
Member Since July 2018 - Comments: 17
12:34 AM, 23rd November 2024, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by Shinh at 21/11/2024 – 10:13
Exactly! I work in Oxford for a private landlord who has 100 student properties and we NEVER take anyone without a UK home owning Guarantor… and if they are international students, we ONLY accept them with a 5 week deposit, first month upfront PLUS the LAST 6 month’s rent in ADVANCE!!! No exceptions!
Member Since May 2024 - Comments: 207
4:10 AM, 23rd November 2024, About 1 year ago
I do not rent to students. They probably don’t have any income so would need a UK guarantor.
After the government RRB comes into force, I’ve no idea why anyone would consider letting to students.
Member Since October 2023 - Comments: 206
9:27 AM, 23rd November 2024, About 1 year ago
Students (and therefore the NUS), are indoctrinated with socialism.
As soon as you hear the battle cry “equity” you know they are not interested in equality, they want privilege.
In this case, they want the privilege of not being held responsible for trashing their accommodation.
Member Since February 2023 - Comments: 39
1:24 PM, 23rd November 2024, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by Frank Jennings at 20/11/2024 – 08:36
100% right….but thats the way it is!! I don’t see these privileged toffs …or leeches going anytime soon