New Census knowledge highlights elevated demand amongst college students for lifestyle-focused communal dwelling

Pupil numbers have definitely risen over the previous decade. The variety of pupil enrolments, together with each undergraduates and postgraduates, has elevated from 2,503,010 college students in 2010/11 to 2,751,865 in 2020/21. However that progress stands at 9.9%, that means that it’s a larger proportion of the coed physique now dwelling in group institutions, not only a larger quantity.

Graham Hayward, Chief Working Officer, Housing Hand, says: “The brand new Census figures replicate college students’ rising desire for communal institutions. Now we have seen demand develop over the previous decade, notably for purpose-built pupil lodging that gives pupil renters a extra lifestyle-focused strategy to their lodging.”

When it comes to the larger image, there are a selection of issues on the not-too-distant horizon. In line with StuRents, the UK is on observe to face a shortfall of around 450,000 student beds by 2025, primarily based on the agency’s evaluation of the variety of new beds prone to be delivered by that point, in comparison with rising pupil numbers.

A variety of quickly shifting elements can be making the state of affairs extra complicated, in line with UK rental guarantor service Housing Hand. CEO Graham Hayward factors out that the UK was the primary main worldwide schooling centre to get well from Covid, with competitors in Australia and the US lagging behind in restoration phrases. This has pushed larger short-term reputation within the UK for abroad candidates for college locations – a big proportion of whom search out communal institutions equivalent to halls or purpose-built pupil lodging (PBSA) to satisfy their housing wants.

Graham explains: “Following a few years throughout which universities courted UK-based college students extra strenuously, on account of worldwide journey disruption, the lodging sector is left racing to meet up with this renewed consideration from abroad candidates. It is smart from a funding perspective, as worldwide college students pay larger charges, however there’s nonetheless additionally potential for disruption. Let’s not neglect that China, which is overwhelmed solely by India by way of the variety of college students being despatched to the UK, continues to be dealing with vital Covid challenges.”

One other hangover from the pandemic is a disruption to the availability of recent properties within the PBSA sector. Provide chain disruption was felt throughout the development sector by way of timelines, whereas world elements have additionally pushed up the worth of supplies. With landlords of homes in a number of occupation within the UK quickly shutting up store on account of adjustments in laws, that is creating a significant headache by way of the availability of pupil properties.

James Maguire, Head of Gross sales and Enterprise Growth, Housing Hand, feedback: “The coed lodging market is having to reply dynamically to an entire host of shifting elements at current. Universities are methods to make the coed expertise extra accessible to worldwide candidates, equivalent to partnering with Housing Hand to take away obstacles to renting within the personal rental sector, to maximise their larger charge potential. Some universities are additionally working with lodging suppliers who’re additional away from campus, with preparations in place to cowl transportation prices within the quick time period. We’ve seen this occur in Bristol, York, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Durham and varied different UK cities and cities.”

The fee-of-living disaster has thrown an additional spanner within the works, main an rising variety of younger folks to query the worth of acquiring a level. Many are exploring the potential of apprenticeship levels as an alternative, the place they’ll work and be taught on the identical time. They’ll develop office expertise and expertise whereas gaining their qualification, together with a more-than-likely assured job on the finish of the method – and with out saddling themselves with tens of hundreds of kilos price of debt.

James concludes: “The results of all that is strain on all these involved – on universities, lodging suppliers and particular person college students and their households. College halls, PBSA suppliers, HMOs and landlords within the privately rented sector will all play a key position in the way forward for the UK’s pupil housing sector. In gentle of the present financial pressures, so too will guarantors. It’s a fancy state of affairs.”