The City of Edinburgh Council has put out an online consultation on student housing, as part of their current drafting of a new “Local Housing Strategy.”
With the fastest growing population in Scotland, it is notoriously difficult to find a flat in Edinburgh.
In 2023, there were over 100,000 students in higher education in the city. This equates to around 20 per cent of the population.
Both a student-focussed survey and a wider city-wide survey has been released, asking questions about the quality and affordability of accommodation in Edinburgh.
This is part of a wider move by the council to create planning guidance on purpose-built student accommodation in Edinburgh, as well as “to understand your experience and needs around student accommodation and living in Edinburgh.”
In 2023, NatWest ranked Edinburgh as the most expensive city for students to live in,
Last year, they reported that the average student rent in Edinburgh was £819, higher than the UK average of £689.
As well as the price of accommodation being high, rising populations have made Edinburgh’s rental market increasingly competitive in recent years.
Student-led charity Slurp reported that one in six students were homeless at the beginning of September 2023.
Second-year students generally told The Student that they were “definitely not moving again” after the stress of looking for private accommodation last year: “it [flat hunting] was mentally draining, and the thought of doing it again fills me with dread.”
Another student spoke of how they moved in the middle of the semester and got a better deal, but highlighted that this was “far from an ideal situation.”
Students going on years abroad also spoke of an “annoying amount of anxiety” brought on by the thought of returning and having to find a flat again in a year.
However, letting agent company Umega has reported that the market may be beginning to ease, with more properties available and rents consequently dropping. Time will tell if this is an accurate prediction.
All students are encouraged to contribute to the consultation at this link.
Image via Ida Middlemiss Frost.