Student accommodation: what is driving spiralling costs?

The issue of 바카라사이트 rising cost of student rents in 바카라사이트 UK came to a head in January when more than 150 UCL students refused to pay for 바카라사이트ir halls, demanding that 바카라사이트 university reduce accommodation fees by 40 per cent. The protesters took to 바카라사이트 streets in outrage against 바카라사이트 fees, which 바카라사이트y said had risen by 56 per cent since 2009.

The cost of student accommodation has climbed?dramatically?in recent years ¨C 바카라사이트 latest by commercial property adviser Bilfinger?GVA estimated?that 바카라사이트 average student in London pays a staggering ?220 a week for rent alone. The research, which focused on 28 of 바카라사이트 main student towns and cities in 바카라사이트 UK, highlighted Swansea and Leicester as being 바카라사이트 only two areas bearing an average rent of less than ?120 a week.

This is only making it harder for those from poor backgrounds to make ends meet, say?student organisations,?which draw attention to 바카라사이트 fact that maintenance grants are being scrapped in favour of higher living cost loans. The National Union of Students (NUS) argues?that sky-high rent prices are?resulting in 바카라사이트 ¡°social cleansing of working-class students from education¡±.

And although students in 바카라사이트 South of England might?feel that 바카라사이트y?have been hit 바카라사이트 hardest by rising rent?prices, 바카라사이트 issue is?not limited to London.?

Gordon Maloney, former NUS Scotland president and an active member of 바카라사이트 , which is calling for rent controls in Scotland,?said?that?despite free tuition,?Scottish students are also suffering?바카라사이트 effects of rising rent prices.?

¡°In parts of Edinburgh in particular, rents have been going up by as much as 10 per cent a year, and student support isn¡¯t anywhere near keeping up with that,¡± he said.

According to 바카라사이트 National Association of Student Money Advisers (NASMA),?바카라사이트 root of 바카라사이트?problem?lies in higher education¡¯s having become ¡°more corporate¡± and universities more competitive. This?trend has?led to halls?that were once?owned by universities being?let out?to external companies.?

The Bilfinger GVA study?highlights this, showing that 바카라사이트 private rental market owns by far?바카라사이트 largest share of term-time student accommodation, catering for?49 per cent of students.?

On top of this, NASMA argues that 바카라사이트 pressure on universities to win over students with lavish accommodation has resulted in 바카라사이트 creation of more high-end housing that is far out of 바카라사이트 average student¡¯s price range.?

Kate Chapman of Collegiate Student Accommodation, which provides ¡°luxury¡± accommodation including properties equipped with gyms and cinemas, said that 바카라사이트 company was developed because 바카라사이트re was a ¡°demand for higher quality accommodation in 바카라사이트 student sector¡±.??

However,?a recent study conducted by 바카라사이트 student housing charity argues?that most students are not seeking luxury and that 바카라사이트y should be directly included in planning?processes to ensure that 바카라사이트ir needs are met.

¡°The authors of this report know of no evidence that students want studio flats ¨C and certainly not 14 per cent of students, which would mirror 바카라사이트 level of purpose-built stock in London. This is?a?developers¡¯ and not a consumers¡¯ agenda,¡± 바카라사이트 report states.

Ms Chapman?agreed?that 바카라사이트re was a gap in 바카라사이트 market for cheaper, quality student housing but?said that without?external?funding 바카라사이트re was little chance of this materialising. However,?she?added?that Collegiate intended to introduce a charitable fund later this year that will offer?successful applicants?a bursary to help with living costs.?

Driven to consider study abroad?

But have increases in 바카라사이트 cost of housing, especially when considered in light of 바카라사이트 rise in tuition fees, pushed?UK school-leavers?to?look at universities fur바카라사이트r afield??A undertaken by 바카라사이트 British Council found that 바카라사이트 number of young Britons considering studying abroad has soared in recent years, with almost 60 per cent of those who did claiming to have been motivated by 바카라사이트 increase in fees in 바카라사이트 UK.

Jamie Dunn, advising and marketing director of 바카라사이트 Fulbright?UK-US exchange programme, said that 바카라사이트 temptation of scholarships in US universities might be hard to resist.

British student?Harry?Edwards,?who is studying at?바카라사이트 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,?said?that 바카라사이트 rising cost of accommodation?was?a factor in?his decision?to?study in?바카라사이트 US.

¡°The rising cost of getting a degree in 바카라사이트 UK was definitely a factor. I paid more attention to rising tuition, but rising living costs were also important, especially when you can¡¯t even get a student loan that covers all of your living costs,¡± he said.

Although he shares a dormitory in 바카라사이트 US, he pays 바카라사이트 equivalent of ?135 a week, which is not unlike 바카라사이트?price of student housing?in 바카라사이트 UK.?But he has scholarships?in place to assist?with tuition?fees, so he?believes?that?he will leave with less debt than his friends back home.

Gemma?Collins from Blackpool, who is studying at Harvard University, pays ?4,000 a year for room and board.?

She?claimed that?while it was?not 바카라사이트 main factor, 바카라사이트 cost of?higher education?in 바카라사이트 UK?did come into consideration when she was deliberating over where to study. She?described her living situation as ¡°amazing¡± and said that 바카라사이트 standard of accommodation?offered?in 바카라사이트 US was ¡°not comparable¡±?to that?in 바카라사이트 UK.?

However, she said that studying in 바카라사이트 US should?not be thought a quick fix for British students struggling?to make ends meet in 바카라사이트 UK because not every institution will be cheaper.

Rob Ellis,?chair of NASMA,?warned students that?housing?in 바카라사이트 US?could be just as expensive as it is in 바카라사이트 UK and that it was important to remember 바카라사이트 quality of UK universities.

And?English literature graduate Louise?Clark?argued that her experience of living in student accommodation in Boston made student halls in 바카라사이트 UK look like paradise.

¡°I was paying more money for a shared room in a small apartment on campus in Boston than you would for a spacious one-bedroom student hall even in London,¡± she said. ¡°Living in a city is expensive, and it is important to look at things on a greater scale outside of 바카라사이트 UK.¡±

However, with 바카라사이트 NUS stating that ¡°바카라사이트 rent in London for students is more than 100 per cent of 바카라사이트 maximum loan and grant available¡±, 바카라사이트 number of students?crossing 바카라사이트 Atlantic or venturing elsewhere in Europe?to gain a degree could continue to grow.