Which universities have problems with accommodation?

[badgeronthedrums]

We're just starting the journey round open days etc, and it would be really helpful to know which unis currently have accommodation problems or where it is particularly expensive. For example the stories of Bristol students having to commute from Wales. Current shortlist is Manchester, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Lancaster but do tell me about anywhere else too!

I’m pretty sure that Sheffield is ok - they guarantee accommodation for all first years, including those that have Sheffield as insurance or come through clearing.

I think Edinburgh can be problematic

DD finished at Edinburgh last year. Halls were very expensive. Uni owned flats for second year seemed to be universally disappointing (mice, damp, poor quality furnishings and decor). Plenty of private accommodation for 2nd year onwards, but again expensive, and like places like Brighton, they have to move quickly to secure the nice ones.

Yes Sheffield is good and Lancaster and Manchester are both fine too.

Edinburgh not sure.

Bristol has a problem and York never has enough - they put them in Hull one year!

Bristol
London
Edinburgh
York
Durham
Glasgow
Manchester

Heard Surrey been a problem before as well.

My son's friend is at a different Sheffield based higher education institution. Accommodation is plentiful and so, so cheap.

Manchester is more problematic.

Though I think it was Manchester Met that had the issues.

Lancaster has fabulous accommodation on campus and the rent in Lancaster is a lot cheaper than the other Unis.

My son and friends found Manchester was fine for living out in shared rentals in the second and third years, as long as you could stand a certain level of grim. The transport links are pretty good so you can tram/bus/cycle into the centre.

Sheffield (different DC) was fine.

York struggles, and we are paying £200 a week next year.
Reasonably priced and plentiful in Nottingham.

Loughborough seems to have lots...but town council has apparently decided not to award anymore student house landlords so likely to be more problematic in future years

Portsmouth have plenty, my son is in halls at 175 a week, nice double en-suite.
Is in his second year and house let fell though but had no problem getting halls again even though only 1st years are guaranteed them. From this sept is renting a house with friends at 125 a week all in

Accommodation issues are sometimes that house shares are dictated by who can afford what or where is perceived a prime location ie near bars and nightlife as opposed to near the campus. My child is at one of the places with a perceived accommodation issue but anecdotally all of them found their houses, some are in better condition because they are slightly further out etc.

I agree some places such as Bristol have expensive rentals. The commuting in from Hull to York sort of issue I believe was because of Covid. All offers from unis are legal and binding meaning there were more students at the universities than they could cope with, if students achieved the grades they got in. Hence the whole students being offered money to defer.

Agree with @Shinyeyes about Edinburgh. However they do guarantee accommodation for 1st years if you apply by a certain date (can apply with a conditional). Plus there is some cheaper uni accommodation for 1st year if you are lucky in the ballot (where DD stayed is £5k per academic year and there us cheaper). Occasionally they have space in uni accommodation for returners. They are building a new hall complex but not sure whether that will improve things (they might just take on more students). DD had found accommodation easily for her last year but her group started looking early (and lease is over summer). DDs BF who looked in August last year as he was on placement is in a shithole albeit a well located one.

Manchester had a shortage two years ago but there was no problem for the current first years. They have also leased additional halls of residence for Septembers freshers. Finding accommodation in 2nd and subsequent years is not a problem and prices are lower then many cities.

Bristol had shortages 22-23, not sure about this academic year. Some ended up living in Bath.
Was it Exeter or Durham that showed kids queuing outside an estate agent through the night to be first in when they opened?

I have children at Manchester and Durham and disagree with you regarding both of these.

Manchester had a shortage 2 years ago but it was fine this year and they have taken on additional accommodation next year. Private rentals are plentiful and more reasonably priced then many cities.

Durham has no problem with college accommodation. There has been a problem with private rentals in previous year (increased numbers with teacher assessed grades) but this year despite the initial panic it has been plentiful. There are still many available properties for September and some landlords have dropped rents. Durham is however on average more expensive then Manchester although my children will be paying the same as each other.

Bristol is difficult. Ds got first year halls accomodation with UWE OK.although there is no way to chose and prices vary widely.
But finding a shared house for 2nd year onwards was absolute hell. And it is very expensive. He had many sleepless nights waiting to see if his application for houses had been approved. It's effectively a beauty parade for landlords. They made an accommodation CV in the end to send to letting agents. It was a full time job for several weeks.
They did find some where but still havent had the tenancy agreement nor paid the deposit. Makes me quite nervous tbh.

Sure - things change from one year to the next. Of course we all read stories about these uni cities and some have sorted themselves out for Y1. I thought Durham was still a bunfight for Y2 onwards.

Coventry has plentiful accommodation, which covers both Coventry and Warwick universities, cheap too compared to other areas

Durham was absolutely fine this year - I have a daughter currently in year 1 - there are still houses for let in the viaduct for £130 pw. Saying it’s a bun fight spreads a false narrative and if anything causes problems as people think they have to sign in October. The main estate agents still have many properties in desirable locations and have been reducing the rents on inlet properties. The last year of the Covid bulge is the current year 3 so next year should be even easier. Durham also provide a lot of college accommodation for 3rd years (my daughters intention is to move back to college for year 3).

I wasn’t saying it was a bunfight, I said I thought it still was. No need to be so touchy.

It depends whether you are talking about university provided accommodation eg halls, or private accommodation.
Problems with halls are generally either due to not enough accommodation for all those eligible - some universities offer only first year accommodation whereas others offer to anyone who applies. This is a long term issue and difficult to resolve. Or they are specific - eg where new halls are being built and the building work over runs so they do not open in the autumn as planned. Which are usually short term issues.
Problems with private accommodation are usually around the cost and demand vs supply - often connected!

Edinburgh did historically but less so in recent intakes. Agree finding property after first year can still be an issue for availability and cost, mainly due to legislative changes for ll.

Glasgow has had difficulties in recent years and accomodation was the only concern I had about my DS's enthusiasm to move there. But at open days we were given a lot of reassurance that all the Universities in the city have been working hard to tackle the issue and that it's much improved. I think rented houses can still be quite tricky to come by for 2nd years and beyond but there seems to be a lot of private halls and they're open to all years so hopefully it will be ok.
My elder son is in Leicester where accomodation seems to be relatively cheap and easy to come by.

No issue at Durham this year based on:
www.palatinate.org.uk/landlords-panicking-as-they-continue-to-reduce-rents/

Exeter hasn't seemed overly problematic either - DS and friends turned down several 7 bedders before selecting one, despite letting agents telling them they'd miss out.