Just published! 2006 NUS-Unipol Accommodation Costs Survey

What the report is about

This year, NUS, in partnership with the housing charity Unipol, is launching its new Accommodation Costs Survey, to make it an essential information tool in the student housing industry.

The NUS Accommodation Costs Survey aims at defining accommodation costs for students in the UK, and other related information such as deposit levels and length of tenancy. It is a key NUS piece of research, well respected and known in the education sector. The survey covers: institutional accommodation, and private halls of residences.

You will find a detailed breakdown of rents by university and private providers, as well as regional averages for the academic year 2006/07.

Key findings and policy implications

This report highlights the need for in/stitutions and private providers to be able to offer a range of accommodation, and especially some more-affordable accommodation, to meet the needs of poorer students who might be put off studying at a certain institution because of associated high housing costs. More could be done as well to house an increasingly diverse student population, including, for example, disabled students, especially in private halls of residence.

The report also highlights the need for greater clarity and transparency on what rent includes and what it does not, as multiple add-ons such as internet and energy mean significant increases in the rents students pay over the academic year.

The grey area of booking fees needs to be looked at more specifically. It could be an area of further research, to determine what booking fees are levied for, and whether they are necessary.

A key trend that is clearly apparent in the report is the increase in the privatisation of the sector. It is likely that more and more undergraduate and international students in the UK will be housed in private halls of residence. Private halls are also pushing the way towards more luxurious en-suite accommodation, with universities following suit.

In terms of regulation of the sector, student accommodation standards need to rise in line with higher rents. The Approved Codes of Standards of UUK and ANUK are the perfect vehicles to achieve this. However, both Codes should have access to an independent and fast complaints procedure (as is currently the case only with ANUK), resulting in a more professional service offered to students in their halls of residence.

It would be logical as well for deposits in the university sector to adhere to the same deadlines as the Tenancy Deposit Protection Schemes that will be introduced in England and Wales in April 2007.

The key message of this report is the need for accommodation managers to stop developing more and more lavish accommodation, and to start concentrating on the needs of poorer students. The risk is that accommodation costs, coupled with the burden of top-up fees, may well deter poorer students from entering higher education.

How to order your copy

The accommodation costs survey is available free of charge to students' unions who are members of NUS, and institutions who have filled in the questionnaire.

Members of the public, research consultants, etc can buy a PDF of the report for £20. Please send a cheque for £20 payable to "NUS" to Agnes Gautier, Welfare Unit, NUS, 2nd Floor, Centro 3, Mandela Street, London NW1 0DU. Alternatively, you can ask to be invoiced. Send an e-mail to agnes.gautier@nus.org.uk if you want to be invoiced.

NUS members can download their free copy (access to registered members only) Download your free copy (NUS members only)

Please give your e-mail address on any request for the report as it will be sent to you by e-mail in PDF format.

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