In an open letter, the Edinburgh University Students’ Union (EUSA) Vice President Community has called for a rent freeze on university-managed student accommodation rents.
The call was made ahead of a decision later this month by the University of Edinburgh on whether to increase rents for the next academic year.
VP Community Ruth Elliot said that affordability of accommodation has become “the biggest challenge”, adding:
“This situation is forcing rising numbers of students to cut down on food shops and sacrifice turning on their radiators in the winter.”
Elliot criticised the university for increasing rents last year by eight per cent, twice higher than the national inflation rate, and called on it to rethink its approach.
The letter laid out three main demands: the university must commit to never raising rents above inflation, it should increase the availability of affordable rooms, and implement a transparent, annual rent review process that actively involves students.
It estimated that over 70 per cent of student loans are typically spent on rent alone, excluding essential living costs, which already places significant pressure on student finances.
For the 2023-2024 academic year, English students received a maximum of £9,978 in student loans, while Scottish undergraduates can receive funding of up to £11,400.
According to estimates by the University of Edinburgh, accommodation costs range from £370 to £1,402 per month, while living expenses push monthly costs to between £920 and £1,959.
With limited low-cost housing options, most students face expenses closer to the upper range.
Speaking to The Student, University of Edinburgh students expressed a mix of frustration and urgency.
“Edinburgh University is taking advantage of the need to have housing in an attempt to make more money for themselves,” said one fourth-year Economics and Politics student.
Another added that:
“Inflation-based increases make sense, but anything more is hard to justify, living costs are becoming a serious concern.
“Beyond the rent freeze the University needs to provide more support for students with financial difficulties,” they continued.
At October’s EUSA student council meeting, Elliot expressed frustration that EUSA’s Sabbatical Officers were not consulted on last year’s rent increase and said they are trying to make their voices heard this time around.
Alongside meeting with the university to discuss the issue, EUSA are also holding a demonstration in Bristo Square on Wednesday, 13 November, to highlight students’ dissatisfaction.
A University of Edinburgh spokesperson told The Student that decisions to increase rents are never taken lightly” and are subject to broad consultation.
“We understand that many of our students are experiencing challenges regarding the affordability of accommodation, which has been impacted by recent cost of living rises, inflation and economic instability,” they continued.
Noting that rental prices are impacted by operational costs and the costs of securing accommodation, the spokesperson said:
“Our rent prices remain below the average for the higher education sector and commercial purpose-built student accommodation providers.”
“Pollock Halls of Residence” by Steven Hill is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.