Broadband counts more than location, say student tenants

Thursday 1st September 2011

For the first time, students have rated internet access above location as their top priority when looking for accommodation.

The National Student Housing Survey looked at attitudes of 15,490 students from over 120 universities and colleges, after asking them what they look for in a property and what they expect to get for their money.

The research covered those in university halls of residence, private halls of residence, homes bought by parents, and private rental accommodation as well as those remaining in the family home.

With more private property companies offering accommodation solely targeted at the student population, the survey underlines that smaller landlords and property investors need to start listening to these consumers, or risk losing out to bigger competitors.

The survey shows that 90% of students rate good internet access as a very important factor; 85% put value for money as their priority, but just 75% make location their number one reason for choosing accommodation.

The most negative  factors in students’ experience of accommodation, which they rated ‘bad’ or ‘very bad’, came with their experience of getting repairs done on time, noise levels, and lack of both recycling and environmental facilities.

Cooking and laundry facilities plus decent toilets scored highly in factors which impact on the quality of residents’ day-to-day experience. Lack of fridge space was the number one complaint in all types of accommodation.

The survey revealed that anyone looking for accommodation for the following year usually begins their search in November, although private rentals are more erratic because they are more likely to be influenced by friends and the choice available.

Private accommodation is at its peak uptake between June and September.

While those looking at halls usually only consider one option, the importance of making private student accommodation stand out from the rest is clear: half of the students searching for private rentals consider three or more rental properties before making their choice, whilst 4% of students look at ten or more before deciding.

The top places to hunt for future accommodation were via the university housing or accommodation office, lettings agencies, and internet search engines.

The average rent paid by students in either halls or private rentals is £90 to £99 per week, although university halls are more likely to include ‘extras’ within that fee such as internet access and cleaning.

Tim Daplyn, the survey’s project director, said: “Going to university is no longer a right, but something students pay a lot of money to do. They know what they want and they are intelligent enough to make sure they get it.

“Student accommodation remains a thriving business, but those who will continue to succeed in this market will be those who listen to their tenants and respond effectively.”

The survey is undertaken annually by Red Brick Research.