The Student View on Housing 2023

1

Contents
1. A Word from the <strong>Student</strong>s' Union President… Page 3
2. An Introduction to the <strong>Student</strong> <strong>View</strong> on Housing… Page 4
3. Accommodation Availability and Homelessness… Page 5
4. Accommodation Affordability and the Cost-Of-Living Crisis… Page 7
5. Accommodation Quality… Page 9
6. Tenants' Rights Education… Page 11
7. Conclusion… Page 12
8. Recommendations… Page 13
- 2 -

Gina Dunn
<strong>Student</strong>s’ Union President
<strong>Student</strong> feedback provides the University
and <strong>Student</strong>s' Union with the framework to
improve, enhance and shape the
experience of being a student at Cardiff.
Each year, the <strong>Student</strong>s' Union collects
feedback through campaigns such as
Speak Week, where we ask students what
they would keep and change if they ran
the university, and through <strong>Student</strong> Staff
Panels and College Fora. We then collate
that feedback and submit it to the
University in a document called <strong>The</strong> <strong>Student</strong> <strong>View</strong>.
Last year, we decided to change the way we approach <strong>The</strong> <strong>Student</strong> <strong>View</strong> and in turn, our
approach to partnership. In order to focus our efforts, we submitted four 'mini' <strong>Student</strong>
<strong>View</strong>s that home in on specific themes, rather than addressing all aspects of feedback
we collected over the year.
This year we have continued in that way, submitting one in-year <strong>Student</strong> <strong>View</strong> in
December, on the Cost of Living, and three more at the end of the year focusing on key
areas that have arisen through data collection throughout the year.
<strong>Student</strong>s’ living conditions have a direct impact on their student experience at Cardiff
University. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Student</strong> <strong>View</strong> on Housing draws on the findings of a Housing Report we
commissioned by Shelter Cymru to shed light on the housing situation our students are
experiencing in Cardiff. For this document, we have taken the relevant recommendations
from that report to ensure that our students living conditions are not detracting from
their learning.
- 3 -

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Student</strong> <strong>View</strong> on Housing
Introduction
Going to University can change someone’s life. It is an opportunity that provides students
with the tools to improve their career and life prospects as well as giving them a unique
platform to discover their passions and become their best selves.
To foster this opportunity, it is necessary to protect our students’ wellbeing 1 , which can
be done by creating a mentally healthy environment. According to <strong>The</strong> University Mental
Health Charter, many students will spend more time in their residential accommodation
than in lectures and will therefore have a major impact on their mental health, wellbeing
and student experience. 2
Historically, the <strong>Student</strong> Advice department at Cardiff <strong>Student</strong>s’ Union has been
supporting students with housing concerns. Between July and October 2022, however,
more students than usual approached our service to state that they had not been able to
secure an accommodation for the 2022/2023 academic year.
This alarming situation motivated Cardiff <strong>Student</strong>s’ Union to commission Shelter Cymru
with a Housing report (the ‘Cardiff <strong>Student</strong>s’ Union Housing Research Report’) 3 that
aimed to understand the housing market in this area and the pressure students are
experiencing with rising of the Cost-Of-Living. In the same way, this report helped the
<strong>Student</strong> Advice and the Sabbatical Officer teams to know what to do better to support
our student community.
<strong>The</strong> previously mentioned survey was launched over November and December 2022,
and it was completed by 457 university students studying in the Cardiff area, 95% of
them being Cardiff University students. After responding to the survey, the participants
were invited to attend face to face interviews with Shelter Cymru to answer more detailed
questions.
Due to the engagement with 457 university students, the survey findings were
considered by Shelter Cymru to be representative of the current housing situation faced
by students. For this reason, the data and the findings of the ‘Cardiff <strong>Student</strong>s’ Union
Housing Research Report’ have been included in this <strong>Student</strong> <strong>View</strong>. Additionally, the data
collected during Cardiff <strong>Student</strong>s’ Union’s Speak Week campaign has also supported our
recommendations.
1
https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/107925
2
http://www.studentminds.org.uk/uploads/3/7/8/4/3784584/191208_umhc_artwork.pdf
3
https://sheltercymru.org.uk/policy_and_research/cardiff-student-union-housing-researchreport/
- 4 -

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Student</strong> <strong>View</strong> on Housing
Accommodation Availability and Homelessness
In the last decade, Higher Education (HE) institutions across the UK have been
substantially increasing the number of student enrolments 4 (Figure 1). This factor, added
to the natural growth of the population, caused a collapse in the housing market of many
cities that found themselves unable to meet the housing demands.
From looking for accommodation in neighbouring cities like students in Bristol 5 and
Manchester 6 , to queuing and sleeping overnight outside of the letting agencies like those
in Durham 7 or even deferring the course after experiencing homelessness like students
in Glasgow 8 . <strong>Student</strong>s across the country are feeling the pressure of the unprecedented
housing crisis which, according to StuRent, currently reflects a shortfall of 207,000
student beds 9 .
Figure 1. First year higher education (HE) student enrolments by level of study.
Here in Cardiff, between July and October 2022, more students than usual approached
the <strong>Student</strong> Advice department at Cardiff <strong>Student</strong>s’ Union was and stated that had not
secured accommodation for the 2022/2023 academic year. After providing them with
support, our staff members got in contact with private letting agencies to enquire the
number beds available for students to rent in the aforesaid academic year, which
shockingly showed the lack of bed spaces available for students to rent (Table 1).
4
https://www.hesa.ac.uk/news/19-01-2023/sb265-higher-education-student-statistics
5
https://www.ft.com/content/4b059017-8427-4cf8-8712-4565e427e8fa
6
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2022/sep/10/devastated-uk-students-forced-to-livein-neighbouring-cities-in-university-accommodation-crisis
7
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-63391102
8
https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/university-glasgow-students-lefthomeless-28270591
9
https://pbsanews.co.uk/2022/08/25/new-data-reveals-shortfall-in-student-beds-by-2025/
5

Table 1. Number of bed spaces available in private letting agencies for students during
September 2022.
Private Letting Agent
Date
Contacted
Properties
Available
Rooms
Available
Waiting List
4Let 16/09/2022 0/100 0 Approx. 30-40
Cardiff <strong>Student</strong> Letting 16/09/2022 0 1 30+
Harry Harper Sales & Lettings 16/09/2022 0 0 Depends on the property
Horizon 16/09/2022 0 0 No specific number
Interlet Group 16/09/2022 3 single bed 3 No specific number
apartments
Jeffery Ross <strong>Student</strong>s 16/09/2022 0/546 0 Hundreds registered interest
JNR Properties 16/09/2022 0 0 No, properties go too quickly
Keylet 16/09/2022 0 0 No, properties go too quickly
Lettings Angels 16/09/2022 1 3 No, properties go too quickly
<strong>The</strong> Living Room Letting 16/09/2022 0 0 No, properties go too quickly
Agency
Uniek Residential Limited 16/09/2022 1 3 First come first serve
Allen & Harris (Roath) 16/09/2022 1 1 -
Darlows (Roath) 16/09/2022 12, may not
rent to
students
26, may not
rent to
students
2Let2 22/09/2022 0 0 No
Kingstons Residential 22/09/2022 0 0 No
CPS Homes 22/09/2022 4 1 No
Moginie James (Roath) 22/09/2022 2 1 -
This trend was also displayed in the ‘Cardiff <strong>Student</strong>s’ Union Housing Research Report’,
where amongst seven students who reported that they lived in “other accommodation”,
two indicated that, in November 2022, they had not yet secured anywhere to live during
term time and one of them stated:
"I have not been able to secure accommodation, so I surf my friend couches" (Survey
Respondent, Cardiff <strong>Student</strong>s' Union Housing Research Report)
<strong>The</strong> shocking numbers of beds available for rent shown in Table 1 make us believe that
the increase of the number in student admissions across all Higher Education
institutions in Cardiff and the increase is one of the factors for student homeless.
Although the number of homeless students in Cardiff University is low, the sole existence
of this cases in our community is alarming.
Through conversations with our students and the data collected during Speak Week, we
also identified the need for Cardiff as a city to provide accommodation specific to the
duration of the courses. When we asked students ‘What would you change?’, they stated:
“More accommodations for exchange students staying for one semester only. As an
exchange student there for the Autumn semester, finding an accommodation for 3/4 months
only was a nightmare.” (Undergraduate, MLANG, Year 4 <strong>Student</strong>)
“More support regarding accommodation for mature students with families” (Postgraduate
Taught, SOCSI, Year 1)
-
6

Accommodation Affordability and the Cost-Of-Living Crisis
Renters in student accommodation have risen by more than inflation over time, while the
maximum student loan for living costs rises only by inflation 10 . In the 12 months to
December 2022, the private rental prices in Wales perceived a 3.5% increase 11 .
According to the report, 63% of respondents pay £120 or less per week, whilst the 37%,
which corresponds to 170 of the 457 students, pay more than £120 p/w (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Survey respondents by accommodation cost.
In the survey, we also see the comparison in the amount paid by students for
accommodation in relation to the students that answered the NUS Wales Survey back in
2021 (Table 2). We believe that the differences between the two surveys have been
accentuated by the rising market prices.
Table 2. Comparison of accommodation costs Cardiff/NUS Wales Surveys
With the increase of the Cost-Of-Living and the accommodation prices, and the
steadiness of most student incomes, the affordability of student accommodation
decreased.
In fact, the survey showed that affordability was one of the main concerns for 21% of the
respondents (Figure 3). All the interviewees showed concern for the Cost-Of-Living crisis,
especially regarding the cost of heating. Half of the interviewees stated that they were
more likely to spend time in warm places away from their home during winter to reduce
10
https://www.hepi.ac.uk/2020/08/06/student-accommodation-the-facts/
11 https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/bulletins/indexofprivatehousingrentalprices/dec
ember2022
7

costs. Another undergraduate student stated that this was the first academic year where
gas and electricity was their main concern.
Figure 3. Survey respondents by accommodation problems.
Although the concerns regarding gas and electricity are mostly applicable to those
students renting a shared house (HMO), we were able to identify some Speak Week
comments regarding affordability applicable to university residences and halls. When
students were asked what they would change, they stated:
“I feel like there aren't enough residences, and the ones that we have are very expensive. I
think there should be at least some student houses that focus on less privileged students. I
know too many students who have to work at least one part-time job, or in many cases twopart
time jobs (…)” (Undergraduate, MLANG, Year 1 <strong>Student</strong>)
8

Accommodation quality
<strong>The</strong> home and living environment are very significant to human beings. Many students
spend most of their time in residential accommodation, even more than in lecture rooms,
and this will therefore have a major impact on their mental health, wellbeing and student
experience (<strong>The</strong> Mental Health Charter).
To confirm the previous statements, we can observe the results of the Cardiff <strong>Student</strong>s’
Union Housing Research Report. When the respondents to the Cardiff survey were asked
what effect accommodation problems had on them, 35% stated that it had an impact on
their mental health and wellbeing, 22% said that it had a negative impact on their
physical health and wellbeing, and 14% felt that their academic achievement had been
negatively affected by housing issues (Figure 4).
Figure 4. Survey respondents by how accommodation issues have affected them.
Although the responses rates in Cardiff were lower compared to the NUS Wales Survey
(Table 3), it is imperative to acknowledge that half of the respondents to the Cardiff
survey reported that their accommodation was having a negative impact on their lives.
It is also to be noted that during UG HCARE <strong>Student</strong>-Staff Panels, students consistently
raised their concern regarding the accommodation conditions during student
placements.
Table 3. Comparison of effect of accommodation issues Cardiff/NUS Wales Surveys
In terms of the type of housing issues faced by our respondents, the results of the survey
can be observed in the previous section in Figure 3. This shows that the main issues that
our students had to face were damp and mould, disrepairs and affordability.
During the interview phase of the research, a student stated:
“Every student house I've lived in has had mould.” (Survey Respondent, Cardiff <strong>Student</strong>s' Union
Housing Research Report)
9

From the respondents who reported disrepair, damp or mould issues, only 29% had the
issue resolved in 1-7 days, 2% waited over 28 days, and 21% never had their issue
resolved. <strong>The</strong>se response rates were evenly balanced across accommodation types. This
was not only reflected in respondent comments during the interviews, but also in the
ones collected during Speak Week:
“I want the mould gone, I’ve had four chest infections in four months.” (Survey Respondent,
Cardiff <strong>Student</strong>s' Union Housing Research Report)
“<strong>The</strong> mould is a big one - all they do is paint over the mould which does not solve the
problem. It meant we were all very, very ill.” (Survey Respondent, Cardiff <strong>Student</strong>s' Union
Housing Research Report)
“My flatmate has had mould in her room for two months and nothing has been done about
it.” (Undergraduate, MLANG, Year 1 <strong>Student</strong>)
<strong>The</strong> analysis between accommodation problems and accommodation types showed that,
as expected, the respondents who were renting a shared house (HMO) perceived the
highest level of problems across all categories. <strong>The</strong>y were however followed by University
and College Halls (Table 4).
Table 4. Survey respondents by accommodation problems.
Although there is a big difference between the level of problems perceived in HMOs and
University halls, it is imperative to acknowledge the need for our accommodation
conditions to be improved to ensure that they have access to fair living conditions.
“Make sure that it’s actually liveable- should not be living with broken appliances, damp and
mould and have it be acceptable just because it’s student accommodation.” (Survey
Respondent, Cardiff <strong>Student</strong>s' Union Housing Research Report)
10

Tenants’ rights education and available support
It is a universal knowledge that every individual has the right to a standard of living
adequate for the health and wellbeing of themselves, including food, clothing, and
housing, amongst other aspects. (Article 25.1 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human
Rights) 12
<strong>Student</strong> accommodation letting is dictated by single lettings cycles which correspond to
the length of the academic year which starts in September/October. Due to the nature of
this cycle, many letting agencies and landlords have become unaccountable, forcing
students to live in inadequate living conditions. During the interview, only 16% of
students felt satisfied with the management of their housing problems, and 84% of them
felt that landlords took little accountability for their issues and that letting agents acted
as buffers between the student and the landlord. Communication from letting agents to
students was inconsistent and was a factor for unresolved housing issues.
“<strong>The</strong> letting agency were sending people round for viewings when they hadn't resolved any
of our issues.” (Survey Respondent, Cardiff <strong>Student</strong>s' Union Housing Research Report)
<strong>The</strong> poor accountability and responsiveness of letting agencies and landlords are, and
have been, at the centre of a culture of tenants’ complacency, a phenomenon that has
been recorded by NUS since 2012.
“<strong>The</strong>re’s a commonly held perception that poor quality student housing is a rite of passage,
it is both disgusting and unacceptable that students should live in vermin infested housing in
this day and age.” (NUS Vice President Welfare, 2014).
During the interviews, all students felt that there was lack of clarity on where to go for
advice and information. <strong>The</strong>y stated that due to the number of students that the
University was bringing to Cardiff, it had responsibility against the availability and quality
of student housing. One of the interviewed students felt that Cardiff <strong>Student</strong>s’ Union
needed to raise awareness of support and protection for student tenants. Another one
stated that they had received support from Acorn, a community union that supports
people with housing issues. Another student also identified that it would be beneficial to
have a more immediate access to support from Shelter Cymru.
12
https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights
11

Conclusions
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Student</strong> <strong>View</strong> on Housing has collated data and findings from the ‘Cardiff <strong>Student</strong>s’
Union Housing Research Report’, our two Speak Week campaigns and <strong>Student</strong> Staff
Panels, with the aim to understand the housing market in Cardiff and identify the major
and most critical housing challenges faced by our student and the wider Cardiff
community.
<strong>The</strong> Cost-Of-Living crisis and the crisis in the housing market are impacting our whole
society, including Cardiff University students. This year, as a consequence of the housing
shortage and the increase in the number of student admissions, we saw cases of Cardiff
University students experiencing homelessness.
<strong>The</strong> rapid increase of the housing market and the disparity with the living loans received
by students is reflected in the students concerns regarding the affordability of their
accommodation and the essential services, especially the costs of the central heating in
HMOs and laundry prices in university and private halls.
Having access to a good quality accommodation is essential for students’ wellbeing, their
mental health, and their academic performance. In Cardiff, most students have faced
housing issues, the main ones being mould, damp, disrepairs, affordability, rats and
pests. Although the majority of cases were found in HMOs, university halls had the
second highest cases of mould, damp and disrepairs.
Living in a healthy environment is however not only essential for students’ wellbeing, but
it is also a fundamental right that has been disregarded over the past decades. <strong>The</strong>
narrative of students living in houses with mould and pests, facing illnesses several
times a year often seen as a rite of passage in university, needs to end.
<strong>The</strong> first step to do this is to recognise our responsibility towards our students and the
members of the Cardiff community. <strong>The</strong> higher education students living in Cardiff make
up 20% of the Cardiff population and are a big asset to the city economy and its culture.
With each student living in Cardiff between one to seven years, and being part of our
community, Cardiff University and the other Higher Education institutions have the
responsibility and the opportunity to give the students the tools to become well-informed
citizens.
At Cardiff <strong>Student</strong>s’ Union, we recognise that this is not an easy task, which is why we
propose a holistic approach amongst Cardiff-based institutions to protect the wellbeing
of our students and the development of the city of Cardiff. Thanks to the ‘Cardiff
<strong>Student</strong>s’ Union Housing Research Report’, we were able to identify key actions and
recommendations for Cardiff University collected in the next section which we hope will
be welcomed by our colleagues in Cardiff University.
Similarly, the ‘Cardiff <strong>Student</strong>s’ Union Housing Research Report’ collected a series of
recommendations for the Sabbatical Officers and the services offered by Cardiff
<strong>Student</strong>s’ Union that can be found on the <strong>Student</strong>s’ Union website and we are committed
to work on.
12

Recommendations
Recommendation 1: <strong>The</strong> University should adopt a “duty of care” approach to all
students who find themselves homeless due to a lack of available accommodation.
Recommendation 2: <strong>The</strong> University should work in partnership with other Cardiffbased
academic institutions to understand future growth trends, and the impact on
demand for student accommodation in the city.
Recommendation 3: <strong>The</strong> University should take a more detailed focus on property
condition and customer services being experienced in university owned halls.
Recommendation 4: <strong>The</strong> University should develop a communication/education
strategy to ensure that new students and first years leaving university halls are
aware of their legal rights.
- 13 -

- 14 -