The UK government has set robust targets for increasing participation in higher education. Between 1996 and 2005, total participation at UK higher education institutions grew by 31% from 1.75 million to 2.34 million, with 76% of full-time students enrolled in universities outside their home county and 56% of students living in the traditional private rented sector (Savills Student Housing Report 2007). As student numbers from home and overseas continue to grow, the proportion of students entering the private rented market is expanding. There needs to be a plan for where they live. Purpose built-accommodation provided by suppliers such as UNITE Group increases supply into the market, releasing much-needed accommodation back into the community.
| Here’s why the student population must be considered and addressed to tackle the shortage of stock in the private rented sector: - It’s not just registered social landlords that can help tackle the housing shortage, but also companies like UNITE Group, which have no recourse to government subsidy. A typical UNITE Group property of 400 beds frees up the equivalent of some 80 terraced houses.
- Through the UNITE UK Student Accommodation Fund – the largest of its kind in Europe – we are stimulating valuable institutional investment into the private rented sector.
- Students contribute significantly to the local economy. However, it’s a perception that large numbers of students can sometimes also create a few problems within communities. So we work closely with local people and organisations to ensure that our properties help students to become valued members of the neighbourhood.
- London’s supply of student halls accommodation falls particularly short of demand: just 52% of first-year students can find a place in student halls, compared to 85% outside London. UNITE Group devotes significant resources specifically to London, and is working hard to close the capital’s student accommodation gap.
- We strongly believe that greater professional involvement and a customer-focused approach in the private rented sector can be used to foster a standardised approach to regulation and a commitment to high standards, delivering decent accommodation for all.
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