Recently, Manchester University students declared a ‘rent strike’, where they canceled their direct debits to accommodations due to poor conditions and high prices during the cost-of-living crisis.
This action comes after a turbulent few years for students, with lecturer strikes and the pandemic throwing accommodation and teaching into disarray.
Like Manchester, Birmingham has not escaped criticisms of their student housing, from providers and students alike.
Following the purchase of Student Roost, a student housing company, by a large corporation, concerns have been raised about the quality of accommodation the city’s residents will receive.
Mergers Director at the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), Colin Raftery, warns the deal “could result in students seeing higher prices or lower quality services” in a statement from a Government release.
However, this purchase is not the first time that issues have been found with the handling of accommodation in the city.
Amy, a current third-year student at BCU, experienced her first year during Covid, where, amongst other setbacks, accommodations were not operating at usual standards.
She found upon her return that there was not a satisfactory conclusion for how rent and communication were handled by her building when restrictions were lifted.
“We weren’t allowed in the building after Christmas," Amy said.
"But us not being compensated and still having to pay in full is something I don’t agree with."
“We were not able to return [to the building] until a certain date in January 2021 and still we had no money knocked off, even though we weren’t living there."
"It is ridiculous,” she added.
There is a recurring problem with finances even this year, as a lot of students are now finding that their current loans are not sufficiently covering rent and essentials at the same time.
“Two of my loan installments haven’t actually covered all of my rent this year, so had I not saved money from last year I would have struggled,” Amy said.
Photo by Josh Appel on Unsplash
Recent ONS data has revealed "91% of students were worried about the rising cost of living", with nearly half of the students saying they had "financial difficulties."
Parliament revealed last year there was a monthly shortfall of over £400 between students' maintenance loan and living costs, and that the current loan was not in line with inflation.
“I hope next year if we are having the same issues with the cost-of-living crisis, this is factored into the loans," Amy said.
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash
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