I think the arms race in university accommodation is largely to blame (although many universities only provide year 1 accommodation for their uk undergraduates, leaving a captive market of students for the private landlord market to rip off for their remaining years).
Universities set the bar in that first year, with their extremely high accommodation costs, leading the way for private landlords to follow. Expect to pay upwards of £500 a week all year. If it’s cheaper, be very grateful.
My DD1 went to oxford, as did I, but 30 years ago. Accommodation was allocated to my DD1 on a random basis and everyone paid the same (a lot, even though term time only).
DD1 had an en-suite bathroom with shower and her own fridge, all new mod cons and a queen size bed. I had a sink and - shock horror - had to cross the corridor to use shared toilets, baths and showers. We didn’t have a swanky gym but we had a lovely modern library, a couple of washing machines, a chocolate machine. We thought it was all great. Unsurprisingly it was far cheaper.
This expensive swankyness is replicated across the country and we parents have to pay through the nose for it.
It’s also changing the social fabric of many universities. For example London is off limits for many uk students once they see the accommodation costs - and the undergraduate population is now disproportionally made up of extremely wealthy overseas students, changing the university’s dynamic.
At other unis, you can choose between very expensive, posh accommodation and more basic accommodation - entrenching social inequality into new friendship groups, the very moment your child walks through the door. I remember my friend dropping off her daughter at the top notch accommodation at Bath and commenting on the number of Range rovers in the car park ....
It’s a giant mess.