Bristol Uni housing crisis

[RosyCheekedBird]

Are any of you concerned about your DCs applying to Bristol Uni, considering the massive student housing crisis?

My son is there at the moment, second year. They guarantee halls for first year students and then, its a case of lining up private digs prior to Christmas. My son has just secured his flat for his final year. So long as you do that, you should be okay. But it is expensive! I'm going to feel rich once he finally finishes. However, getting an engineering degree from Bristol should mean he gets a decent job relatively easily so should be able to support himself.

I have a family member who works in student accommodation - this problem is not isolated to Bristol. Durham was the city this year where all their 2nd and 3rd year accommodation for next year went in a blink of an eye in the Autumn.

That's great that he has for somewhere for his final year!
We are just researching it and cannot see how the housing situation will improve in the next couple of years...

That sounds incredibly stressful. Durham is not on the list but Bristol is apparently in dire straits (also Warwick, apparently).

Durham was not that bad this year. The media hyped it up a lot. I have a first year who didn't sign until the last couple of weeks of term, and there was still lots of choice available. He has secured an extremely central house at an average price. I also have a child in Bristol. Their current house was available until the last week of term. Very close to the university. BUT, pretty expensive as the rent has been increased about 15% for next year, and that's after a similar level increase this year. I think if you're willing to commute from further out it's more affordable.

@RosyCheekedBird , Warwick has loads of accommodation, it's guaranteed on campus for first year and there are plenty of options for following years in Leamington, Coventry, Kenilworth etc. It's also quite reasonable and first year options include halls that are under £5k per year (self catering not en-suite).

Not sure where you heard that? Warwick, if anything, has a surplus of accommodation.

I don't have children at university but I do live in Bristol. Can confirm that the housing crisis here is the worst with the most expensive rents outside of London. Last year students from Uni were being sent over to Newport in Wales but I assume transport was laid on.

It was, we passed the coaches several times on the motorway when we went down to see DH family.

I seem to recall a lot of students complaining at the time as they’d obviously wanted to live where their uni was and have the full experience, not do a commute and live miles from campus/nights out etc.

Dd in 2nd year shares house with 4 other girls, secured before Xmas of first year. Incredible that you have to make such a commitment so early with people you barely know.

A few of them have found a new place for third year. It did sound stressful getting the place as things were being snapped up quickly but they’re relieved to have secured it

Prices are horrendous in Bristol. And a lot of payment up front, eg son’s 3rd year house first 3m in June, 2nd 3m in Sept so 6 months paid before first loan instalment received. Would definitely avoid.
Warwick much more reasonable.

Mine decided on Warwick rather than Bristol due to that lack of accommodation. No issues at all at Warwick, plenty of reasonably priced accommodation

What in earth happens if they can't find accommodation?

It's expensive and crap. However York is even more expensive but not so crappy.

Newport is now a permanent option in Bristols' accommodation choices - www.bristol.ac.uk/accommodation/about/residences/newport/

This is one of the primary reasons my DS selected Exeter instead of Bristol - whilst you get to choose 9 accommodation preferences, there's no guarantee you'll get any of those 9 and therefore, could end up in Newport.

The other reasons were cost and standard of accommodation - a lot of the rooms/furniture, primarily in the North village, are very, very dated

Student rents in Bristol are insane. My two dds lived in a house share 2 years ago and the rent was £10k each.

Many students simply cannot afford to rent at anywhere near this level and I was relieved it was for one year only.

Durham not had issues so far, apparently it was the post covid bubble

DC there and secured a good deal where she wanted

Everyone's experiences are different, doing different courses and wanting different locations with different budgets

My DD paid £8,000 a year last year, and £7,500 the year before. Lovely big house 15 minute walk to Uni. There are lots of cheaper places past the Downs and a bus ride in. Trouble is they all want to live in Redlands or Clifton so prices go up. It is more expensive than lots of other cities though.
If Bristol is your firm you are v v likely to get halls in Bristol. Insurance might end up further out, but might still get in the city. Lots of new halls being built too.

Lots to think about...

😬

Trouble is they all want to live in Redlands or Clifton so prices go up.

This. Houses in Clifton and Redlands will cost in excess of £1 million, so rents are going to be high. Students are effectively choosing areas young professionals would not expect to be able to afford.

Last year DD lived in Bedminster. A longer walk/cycle but no further, in the other direction, than Stoke Bishop. Several of her friends were similarly scattered, but not a problem. Students elsewhere, Warwick, London etc, don’t expect to be slap bang next to the University.

We also discovered that there are two distinct rental markets, the student one where you find somewhere months in advance, and the normal one where you start looking a month or so before you move. DD was at home during lockdown and none of her friends moved or had a spare room so we ended up looking in July for a one bed on the normal market , with parental guarantee. Bizarrely though it was central Clifton in a garden square it was cheaper than some of the rooms her friends were renting in student housing, even after allowing for the need to buy furniture from the charity shop. (Which she sold on to the next tenants.)

My child is in her second year. Finding housing caused a lot of stress from Nov till she found somewhere in Jan of the first year. What a waste of their time.

But this time she got lucky. A friend of a friend found an amazing affordable house near the lecture halls. So next year is sorted.

I would give it a lot of thought. There are plenty of good universities and I am not sure Bristol is worth the extra cost and hassle of finding decent accommodation.

Students are effectively choosing areas young professionals would not expect to be able to afford.

Yep. my child is staying in a grotty flat in Redlands. I said it was like me living in London and as a student deciding I wanted to live in posh Hampstead. However, she and her friends refuse to live somewhere more studenty 🙄

Lots to think about.

There also appears to be a premium on larger properties. Students renting a one bed as a couple are not paying nearly as much.

We paid more than we would have normally done at £925pcm (obviously more now, two years on) for DDs post lockdown flat in Clifton because it was her finals year and after lockdown disruptions we wanted somewhere where she could study without interruption. Her lease allowed for two people to be in the flat and the flat had a large bedroom and living room and a separate kitchen, so if she did what London students do she could have had a flatmate and gone without a living room and the rent would have been more affordable. Her neighbours were mainly graduate students.

Part of the problem I suspect is that Bristol attracts a cohort of quite affluent students. If parents are used to paying boarding fees, paying for their DC to enjoy ‘a student lifestyle’ in a large house in Clifton is not such a stretch.

For various reasons I picked up the keys, so treated myself to a few days in Clifton. It was lovely, some smart and interesting restaurants, quirky independent shops, stucco buildings in attractive streets. Bedminister the following year was also nice but more down to earth, and a lot more affordable.