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A poll of students living in York, a popular university city, have accused landlords of cashing in by holding on to deposits at the end of tenancies and failing to deal with serious problems such as mould, damp and vermin infestation.
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NOUSE Student Survey
The survey carried out by NOUSE revealed that 44% of students had lost their deposit when they moved out of their accommodation. This was despite the fact that a third of those surveyed reported excessive mould and nearly 25% were concerned about vermin in their homes. Many of the students had paid more than £200 as a deposit and an overwhelming percentage of them believed that the landlord or letting agent was partly or completely unjustified in keeping their deposit when they moved out.
Student Accommodation Not Good Value
35% of students felt they were not getting good value for money from their accommodation. Lesser complaints included not being provided with appliances such as dishwashers, microwaves and correct keys, despite these being mentioned on contracts. More serious failings on the part of landlords and letting agents included a lack of general maintenance and failures to carry out repairs. One student said they had been left without a working toilet for weeks and another claimed the landlord had not fixed a faulty shower for months.
In general, students felt that landlords and letting agents treated them ‘like dirt’ and talked down to them. Many students felt unexplained charges were unfair and in the worst cases, even felt endangered.
Are you a student landlord? If so what is your experience of student tenants?
