Whether it be internet sites or social media Im noticing cheap and surprisingly well kept house shares that state clearly student only. They are the cheapest around much more affordable that the ‘professionals only’ ones.
Am I guessing correctly when I say landlords are aware that as the country is now a train wreck and the unemployment and housing crisis just went into record figures, this is the new way to ensure theres no people in difficult situation / crisis renting in private houses?
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Student lets come with their own problems. A whole raft of them actually, so I’m not sure that’s the reason.
Students having parents as Guarantors is one of the biggest advantages. The other is you get a much bigger yield for a 3 bed property with 3 students paying than if it’s just one family staying there . Eg 3x £400 vs 1 x 800
I have wondered this same question, however it is not a new development related to the pandemic or brexit, it has been like this for years as I have been searching for a flat myself the past 5 years and have had this issue throughout and have only just found something in my area that fits the majority of my most important needs. It seems that the majority of the flats in my city are student only, I don’t understand why there isn’t anything in place to stop there being such an insanely excessive amount of lovely student accommodation for reasonable prices and barely anything remotely nice for a reasonable price for regular working people. I have been told that it has something to do with council tax, however I don’t really understand why council tax would make any difference seen as it is the tenant who pays the council tax not the landlord (unless they state it is included, which is very rare). And I have even seen properties where they state a higher price for professionals, even though the prices are exclusive of bills and council tax. I don’t understand how this isn’t discrimination. Honestly has confused and enraged me for several years. Wishing you luck in finding a reasonable place!
I see it as a type of discrimination too. Theres a split between over priced professionals only and cheaper students lets. Theres a whole set of roads in my town that are nearly all students only. Where all the low income people supposed to go? 65 pw for nice ‘student’ accommodation would be a blessing for someone on a 16 hr contract! If a landlord can afford to charge so low, why do so for students only??
Students cannot possiibly be the best tenants. Professionals arent necessarily tidy and considerate people.
The landlords would get more money for low income people than students so I dont get it.
Theres thousands of families needing whole homes too, they are being put up in temporary accommodation like b&bs presumably at higher cost of council funds.
Theres something not right about it all.
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student accom, has always been seen as more profitable. With all the student accom. around and student life under pandemic ,is there not a surplus of student lets?
Yes Colin youre right, there seems to be a surplus. There way too many and maybe the landlords should be rethinking the student thing because theres a suspicion of mk II of this ‘flu’ and the unis and houses will be left again. This is where the councils should be offering incentives to landlords to help the working poor or the unemployed. The students have their fancy purpose built blocks already.
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I think the reason why the student only lets are cheaper is because there aren’t many students renting at the moment so landlords had to put their prices down. The reason these accommodation are better quality is because landlords need to compete with the increasing supply of student accommodation in their area. The properties are advertised as students only usually because students want to live and socialise with other students especially if they are undergrads. Students usually ask who else is living at the property, what they are studying, etc, and they usually prefer someone they have similarities with. Also, we have student lets but dont advertise them as ‘student only’ which means that we get contacted by the occasional professional who then realises that the rent is too expensive if they also have to pay council tax on their own since the rest of the tenants are students (yes, we do specify in the advert that council tax is not included in the rent). The other benefit of renting to students is that they have guarantors so there’s hardly every any issues with rent arrears. There is also no problems with them leaving after the end of the tenancy so if they were problematic tenants then there would be no need to go through the whole process of gaining possession of your property. So with these in mind, I suppose there are some landlords who prefer to rent only to students but I’m sure that with the current difficult times many of them are probably willing to consider renting to professionals if they are approached by one. Of course, I’ve only identified the advantages of renting to students but there are very many other challenges that comes with renting to that market too.
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Thank you Joseph, really good info, given me insight. Perhaps with a surplus, landlords could adjust the agreements, rent by the room, all inc etc. I think that councils do a bond whatever? for the lower income/ unemployed. Theres a shortage of accommodation for such as councils are not spending any money making studios (like the fantastic new ones for students) and the idea of converting the near 300, 000 empty homes in this country into social / affordable units/homes is way too philanthropic.
Landlords being forced to keep their properties in good shape, and prices down because of an oversupply?
Wouldn’t it be great if that happened with non-student places too! We can dream…
Wouldnt it just be great 
and theyd get a cross section of people not just young noisy ones that are not making a place a home.
Perhaps the HOUSE is Configured as COPFFIN SIZED rooms Barely able to Walk around a single Bed IE a 7 * 4 ft wide room you can get many more of these per floor of the home . Canadian Rental regulations Prevent DISCRIMINATION of any kind. If A person can afford the rent then HE SHE is to be offered the room regardless. Rental is ON a First come First rented basis ONLY .
Peter
They’re pretty much all coffin-sized rooms in this country. “Double Bedroom” essentially means you can just about fit a double bed between the walls… It’s a joke.
Chris That’s what I’ve figured out long ago. A home I once Lived in 48 Meadway Canvey Island. Had 2 Bedrooms upstairs . Equal Sized .
It came up for rent And MY OLD bedroom had been made into 4 just enough to shuffle between the partition and a SINGLE Bed… My Mothers rout in 1953.She was a London transport Clippie. Bases in Uxbridge. I used to cycle to the Gravel Pits from West Drayton to Watford . Thus I WAS familiar with the region.
MY target region is the
CENTERED From Harefield in a 15 Mile radius Except High Wycombe too close to Relatives .
Second choice Is Canvey Island to Essex coast to the east end of the Thames Estuary . Coastal Strip
Third is SW England . Cornwall and the toe.
I Would consider a FULL FLAT 1 bedroom I am an ONLD man and don’t want any children .
BUT WHAT THE HELL is involved
I see rents I can Consider in NE Anglia but Does the Advertised RENT include TAAXES ETC. They on the odd time appear Less costly than A single COFFIN SLOT. WHAT Is the Story I need to know . The last house my parents rented Cost 4 pounds per week I think could have been month .
We always had a coin GAS meter. And A fire hazard FUSE box.
MY income will never drop below 900 Pounds per month. I loose a benefit once I have been out of Canada more than 6 months. But I can make Life good despite the loss. . It’s a Canada OAP Pension for life.
Regardless Chris I am Still planning on Coming HOME in August Were having An issue with Astra Zenas a Vaccine MY FIRST SHOT. Getting the second shot into western Canada. On Monday I will go and apply for my Passport it should arrive about 2 weeks after I have Had M<y Shot in time I wall not need to Quarantine. Upon arrival . IF I recall It’s a # 24 Bus from West Drayton to Uxbridge bus Depot
I am certai8n you can Find me something , so Please do your best. Thank You . I apologise for CANADAIN spelling however When I went to school here I had to Switch . to this abusive use of the Language.
Thanks
Peter McCorduck.
+1 780 709 6478
