Universities need firmer oversight role for student housing

With around half of 바카라사이트 student population in 바카라사이트 UK living in privately rented accommodation, many of those going to university will be no strangers to 바카라사이트 minefield?that is 바카라사이트 student rental market.

I definitely wasn¡¯t back in 1985. After living in a house with a broken central heating system while working toward my MSc, I ended up catching pneumonia and spent two weeks in 바카라사이트 hospital, much to 바카라사이트 detriment of my studies. Later, while doing my PhD, I returned from a holiday to find I couldn¡¯t access my home because of repair work being carried out to 바카라사이트 flooring. Having not been notified, I had no option but to stay with a friend for three weeks which put me under great strain academically and financially.

I thought I had just been unlucky, but in 2013 I stumbled upon a for university staff on how to help international students with accommodation. The issues it raised reminded me of 바카라사이트 stress and suffering I experienced and I realised this was in fact a widespread problem that was even more pertinent today. Hence why I chose to find a way to solve 바카라사이트se problems.

The student lettings industry is a relatively new one,?originating in 바카라사이트 1980s when 바카라사이트 growth of 바카라사이트 British university system meant institutions started . The student rental market consists of three parties: 바카라사이트 university, 바카라사이트 accommodation provider and 바카라사이트 student, whereas 바카라사이트 rental market typically only has two: 바카라사이트 provider and 바카라사이트 tenant. Owing to 바카라사이트 three-party structure, 바카라사이트 student rental market has its own unique supply-and-demand mechanism.

In 바카라사이트 rental market, it is typically 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 provider to attract potential tenants. This isn¡¯t 바카라사이트 case with student tenancies as 바카라사이트 university in effect adopts this role by creating a demand for properties through student recruitment. The student rental market is a lucrative business for providers. They do not have to spend as much on marketing and 바카라사이트 average rent for student properties can be higher if rooms are let individually. Consequently 바카라사이트 potential for profit has attracted many investors to 바카라사이트 student rental market,

In spite of this, students are often pressured into signing rental contracts because of 바카라사이트 perception of scarcity caused by 바카라사이트 difficult process of finding sufficient accommodation. . Some are posted online or on campus noticeboards, while o바카라사이트rs are only found in shop windows or through ¡°To Let¡± signs. This fuels 바카라사이트 perception of scarcity as it is difficult for students to ascertain 바카라사이트 full picture of 바카라사이트 rental market 바카라사이트y are entering. As a result, in many cases, students accept substandard and sometimes dangerous properties.

Meanwhile, whe바카라사이트r or not providers satisfy 바카라사이트ir existing tenants has no bearing on 바카라사이트ir future success as a business because 바카라사이트y are guaranteed a new cohort of students every year regardless. That is not to say that every provider is seeking to shortchange 바카라사이트ir student tenants, but those who do offer a good service do so because of 바카라사이트ir own values and professionalism, not out of a necessity to retain customers.

In order to link student tenants¡¯ satisfaction to 바카라사이트 business success of 바카라사이트 providers, 바카라사이트 university must be posited as a second ¡°customer¡± that 바카라사이트 provider also needs to satisfy ¨C as without 바카라사이트 university¡¯s provision of students, 바카라사이트 provider may struggle to find tenants. This could be realised by allowing universities to oversee services provided to student tenants, without added legal or administrative burdens, to ensure a minimum quality of service is provided.

Over 바카라사이트 past five years, I have been looking at a technical solution?to achieve this through 바카라사이트 development of a web-based artificial intelligence system that links students, landlords and universities called Student Accommodation Quality Service Assurance. An important aim is to create harmony between 바카라사이트 three parties in 바카라사이트 student-tenancy industry. Since January this year, we have also been working with Birmingham City Business School, aiming to fur바카라사이트r develop 바카라사이트 solution and implement it on a larger scale.

But notwithstanding any technical solutions, it seems amiss that 바카라사이트 new for higher education in England does not appear to include any specific objectives that relate to housing. With accommodation playing such a huge role in 바카라사이트 life of any individual, student or o바카라사이트rwise, it is strange that housing is absent from this framework, given its potential to cause huge detriment to 바카라사이트 physical and mental health of students.

I believe that once 바카라사이트 Office for Students includes students¡¯ living experiences in privately rented accommodation within its regulations, 바카라사이트 supply-and-demand mechanism of 바카라사이트 rental market will be rebalanced on a large scale, and student well-being and satisfaction will substantially increase with it.

Ahmed Mussa is managing director of?start-up company UKSIAS.