Sian Killean compares different kinds of student accommodation.
When it comes to student accommodation, there is a new provider in town – not universities and their own halls of residence, not private landlords renting out rooms and flats in traditional housing, but purpose-built student suites developed by private sector property companies.
In East London, for example, halls of residence belonging to the University of East London (UEL) are now rivalled by a new site, Stratford Unite, in a central location only a few minutes’ walk from the Olympic Village, with views of the Olympic Park and the surrounding city.
But there’s a price tag attached – residents of Stratford Unite typically pay £50 a week more than UEL students at the Docklands campus.
Is it worth it? To find out, I interviewed two third year students: Victoria, residing at Stratford Unite; and Melissa, a UEL tenant.
Victoria (Stratford Unite): ‘There is so much more on offer here with a games room, study area, a cinema, pool tables and Xboxes, and it is accessible with Westfield and the Underground five minutes’ away. I had a job over summer so I saved up for the rent of £175 a week, but I could definitely see why people would struggle since this is a lot to ask of a student.’
Melissa (Docklands Campus): ‘I like the fact that it’s familiar to me – I know where everything is. Being in third year I need the campus library a lot which is open 24 hours a day. But the rooms are old and tired. There are always problems with things such as my chair, my shower and my curtains.
‘These halls are boring, there is nothing for us to do. But to live here, it’s cheap, and that’s what is important to me, the price.’
Melissa went on to say that if she had known about newly opened Stratford Unite, she would have tried to find the extra money ‘as I have lived here for three years and I don’t get any discount – there is no loyalty.’
Student accommodation is no different from anything else – you get what you pay for. If you can pay a further £50 a week, you can expect much more.