Student Accommodation - Durham University

Student Accommodation: University Actions

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Link to:

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Email from Jeremy Cook and Prof Tony Fawcett to all students (17/11/2022)

Dear Students,

We have some important updates for you in this communication about increases to the Durham Grant Scheme next year and support in finding accommodation.

Durham Grant Scheme in 2023/24

We would like to share with you our plans to increase the Durham Grant Scheme by up to 13.6% in academic year 2023/24, providing support to students from low-income households. This increase in the Durham Grant Scheme is above the current rate of inflation.

From next academic year, home undergraduates who do not already have an undergraduate degree and who have a household income of less than £30,000 as assessed by Student Finance England (or equivalent) will receive a Durham Grant of £2,500.

Similar students, who have a household income of between £30,001 and £47,200, will receive a Durham Grant of between £2,495 and £780.

We guarantee the grant will remain at this level for academic year 2024/25 also.

This increase follows the 10% increase to the Scheme for this current year. The Durham Grant is payable in addition to your government funding, and you do not have to pay it back. Further details will be published on our web pages shortly.

Other support measures

In addition to the measures set out on our Cost of Living Hub, the University will continue to invest in measures to support students, including enhanced hardship support and continued subsidised travel costs for all students and staff. We will be able to share more details with you over the coming weeks.

Accommodation

We can confirm that there will be a contact email available from Monday 13 February for any students still unable to find a room for next year. We will work with these students, Durham County Council and the housing market to provide support and guidance in finding accommodation.

The University continues to work closely with Durham Students’ Union and local partners, including our MP Mary Foy and Durham County Council, on the wider accommodation issues within the city.

We encourage students who are experiencing difficulties to contact their College in the first instance, where they will find support.

Yours,

Jeremy Cook, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Colleges & Student Experience)

Professor Tony Fawcett, Acting Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education)

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Statement from Durham University (30/10/22)

"We maintain a regular dialogue with our student leaders, including Durham Students’ Union representatives and Common Room Presidents, through which we capture their concerns and expectations. We work together with them on solutions.

“Working with Durham Students’ Union, we have invested significantly in extra measures to support students who are under financial pressure. These include increases in our Durham Grant Scheme and our Student Support Fund.

“We have also established a housing group, chaired by our Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Colleges and Student Experience, which will include our student leaders. This will ensure that we plan early and carefully for next academic year while continuing to address the current issues related to student housing."

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Statement from Durham University (28/10/2022)

“We have reassured all our students that we will support them in finding suitable accommodation either in College or elsewhere.

“We cannot exert control over the private rental market.

“We have seen some deplorable behaviour by letting agents and landlords in Durham, putting up prices above inflation and releasing properties much earlier than usual.

“We have put in place a package of financial support to help students through the cost of living crisis.

"Like many other UK universities we were obliged by the late change in A level grade boundaries to take in a larger than usual student cohort in 2021. We reduced our intake this academic year.

“We also join Universities UK in calling for increased hardship funds and grants for UK students nationally.”

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Frequently asked questions (updated 07/11/2022)

How is the University taking action on student accommodation?

We are very aware of the current situation. We are sympathetic to the concerns of our students with regard to seeking accommodation for 2023/24. This is an important issue: it concerns us and is receiving our urgent attention.

There is enough accommodation in Durham for the next academic year, based on current plans and our knowledge of the situation. Durham University will support all of its students in securing accommodation.

We want to ensure our students can make informed choices as to their living arrangements without feeling under undue pressure to make decisions. This includes working with our partners, including Durham County Council (DCC), letting agents and private landlords.

What are the reasons for the current situation with accommodation in the city?

In common with many other UK universities, we were obliged as a result of UK Government policy responding to Covid-19 to take a higher than anticipated undergraduate student intake over the last two years, 2020 and 2021. This was due to unexpected national shifts in the grading of A-levels and other Level 3 qualifications after we had issued offers to applicants. We also have had indications of shrinkage in the Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) market since the pandemic.

We always plan our student admissions cycle carefully, with factors such as accommodation and other areas of resourcing in mind. Contrary to some media reports and statements, it is not the case that Durham University admitted students in an irresponsible manner. But we do acknowledge that changes in the private rental market, changes in the behaviour of letting agents and landlords, and changes in government policy have created pressure for our students, and we will do all we can to assist them.

We took active steps this year to ensure we had a lower intake than in 2020 and 2021. We will be doing the same for the 2023 intake.

We anticipated pressure on the private rental market and increases in rents. We had earlier engaged in a dialogue with letting agents to encourage them not to enter into early selling. Unfortunately, we have still seen an early rush for accommodation. We have been working rapidly to communicate with and offer additional support to our students.

We are not able to dictate what private landlords and letting agents decide to charge. Students have described cases of significant increases to rents in HMOs. We understand that cost pressures due to inflation and interest rate rises will inevitably see changes to rents, but we urge that all parties agree that rises should be no more than government inflation indices.

How is the University working to find a solution?

We continue to engage with Durham County Council, our local MP and our student leaders.

We have established a housing group, chaired by our Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Colleges and Student Experience and including our student leaders, to ensure that we plan early and carefully for next academic year while continuing to address the current issues related to student housing.

As part of our dialogue with private landlords and letting agents, we will be urging that they advise us at an early stage of their plans to release their rental properties for students and that any price rises should be no more than government inflation indices.

We do not have access to comprehensive and critical information on the private market for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in Durham City. We believe there are about 12,000 beds in HMOs across the city and local area, but only HMOs with four or more beds are required to be registered with the County Council. We are engaging with the County Council to help us better to understand the city’s accommodation supply challenges.

What did the University do to help accommodate students for 2022/23?

We experienced an unusually high demand for University accommodation this year, but were still able to guarantee University-managed accommodation for all new undergraduates who chose this option.

We also made additional University accommodation available for returning undergraduate students and established a housing helpline for general advice and guidance on finding and locating accommodation.

How can students seek support?

We actively support our students, including working closely with Durham Students’ Union and other student leaders, keeping lines of communication open and working with them to find solutions.

We encourage students who are experiencing difficulties to contact their College in the first instance, where they will find support.

What is the University doing about accommodation in the city in 2023/24?

Looking ahead to the 2023/24 academic year, there is enough accommodation in Durham, based on current plans and our knowledge of the situation.

We will continue to guarantee University-managed accommodation for all new first-year undergraduates who choose this option.

Additionally, we will, as always, provide opportunities for returning undergraduate students and also new postgraduate students to live in University-managed accommodation.

We will shortly be taking expressions of interest from current students who wish to return to live in College. We anticipate between 750-800 beds in Colleges being available to book from late November. We sell our rooms later because we have committed to taking the pressure off students by not offering rooms until late in the Michaelmas term (Term 1).

In addition, by mid-Epiphany term, the University will be creating a contact email for any students still unable to find a room for next year. We will work with these students, Durham County Council and the housing market to provide support and guidance in finding a room.

We took active steps this year to ensure we had a lower intake than in 2020 and 2021 and will be doing the same for the 2023 intake. Along with the graduation of the majority of the 2020 intake, we believe these measures will mean there is less demand for accommodation in 2023/24 than in 2022/23.

How is the University helping with the cost of living?

Rising food and energy costs are a cause for concern. We want to reduce the impact on our students and ensure they have access to the right support.

Working with Durham Students’ Union, we have invested significantly in extra measures to support students who are under financial pressure. These include increases in the Durham Grant Scheme and the Student Support Fund, free breakfast clubs and surplus food initiatives (‘Too Good to Go’).

Looking ahead to academic year 2023/24 we are planning a further uplift to the Durham Grant Scheme. We will be providing details of this shortly.

Students are encouraged to visit our Cost of Living webpages for more details: www.durham.ac.uk/cost-living-hub/. We will continue to invest in measures to support students in hardship.

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Statement from Durham University (26/10/2022)

“Durham University will support all of its students in securing accommodation for next academic year. We want to ensure they can make informed choices as to their living arrangements without feeling under undue pressure to make decisions. This includes working with our partners, including Durham County Council (DCC), letting agents and private landlords to find a solution.

“We are aware of the current situation with student accommodation. It is an important issue receiving our urgent attention. As with many universities, we were obliged by external circumstances to take a higher than anticipated student intake for 2020 and 2021 due to unexpected national shifts in the grading of A-levels and other Level 3 qualifications. We took active steps this year to ensure we had a lower intake than in 2020 and 2021. We will be doing the same for the 2023 intake.

“Another factor is the uncertain nature of the private Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) market in the city. We believe there are about 12,000 beds in HMOs across the city and local area but only HMOs with four or more beds are required to register with the County Council. Early indications suggest that there may have been a slight reduction in provision due to Covid-19, cost-of-living issues and draft HMO legislation. We are engaging with the County Council to help us better understand the city’s accommodation supply challenges.

“As a result of these factors we experienced an unusually high demand for University accommodation this year. We were still able to guarantee University-managed accommodation for all new undergraduates who chose this option. We made additional University accommodation available for returning undergraduate students and established a housing helpline for general advice and guidance on finding and locating accommodation.

“We work hard to support our students across both academic and non-academic matters, including working with Durham Students’ Union and student leaders. We encourage students who are experiencing difficulties to contact their College in the first instance where they can find support.

“We had anticipated pressure on the private rental market and increases in rents, and had earlier engaged in a dialogue with letting agents to encourage them not to enter in early selling. Unfortunately, we have still seen an early rush for accommodation. We have been working rapidly to communicate with and offer additional support to our students on this matter. Students are providing the University with reports of some very unscrupulous behaviour. We also have evidence of some rents increasing by over 35%. This is very disappointing. We understand that cost pressures due to inflation and interest rate rises will inevitably see changes to rents, but we hope that all parties would agree to that rises should be no more than government inflation indices.

“We continue to engage with Durham County Council and our local MP. We have established a housing group, chaired by our Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Colleges and Student Experience and including our student leaders, to ensure that we plan early and carefully for next academic year while continuing to address in-year issues related to student housing. As part of our dialogue with private landlords and letting agents, we will be urging that they advise us early on of their plans to release their rental properties for students.

“Looking ahead to the 2023/24 academic year, we will continue to guarantee University-managed accommodation for all new first-year undergraduates who choose this option. Additionally, we will provide opportunities for returning undergraduate students and also new postgraduate students to live in University-managed accommodation. Details on pricing and how to apply will be published shortly.

“We recognise that rising food and energy costs are causing challenges for students and, working with Durham Students’ Union, we have invested significantly in extra measures to support students who are under financial pressure. This package includes bursaries, hardship funds and other help. We would invite students who are under financial pressure to visit our Cost of Living web pages for more details: www.durham.ac.uk/cost-living-hub/. We will continue to invest in measures to support students in hardship next year.”

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Email from Jeremy Cook to all students (26/10/2022)

Dear Students,

I am writing regarding recent reports on student accommodation which continue to receive our urgent attention.

Please be assured the University will do everything possible to support all of our students in securing accommodation for next academic year. We want to ensure you can make informed choices as to your living arrangements without feeling under undue pressure to make decisions. The current pressures on student accommodation are as a result of the additional student intakes due to national changes in the examination processes together with indications of shrinkage in the Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) market since the Covid-19 pandemic.

We had anticipated pressure on the private rental market, and had earlier engaged in a dialogue with letting agents to encourage them not to enter into early selling. Unfortunately, we have still seen an early rush for accommodation. We have worked rapidly to communicate with and offer additional support to our students on this matter.

Finding accommodation: how we can support you

If you are experiencing difficulties, we encourage you to contact your college in the first instance, where you can find support. Next year’s first-year undergraduates will continue to be guaranteed a place in college should they desire it. We will shortly be taking expressions of interest from current students who wish to return to live in college. We anticipate between 750-800 beds in college being available to book from late November. We sell our rooms later because we have committed to taking the pressure off students by not offering rooms until late in the Michaelmas term.

Additional steps we are taking

The University is establishing a housing group, chaired by myself as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Colleges and Student Experience. It will include your student leaders. This will ensure that we plan early and carefully for next academic year while continuing to address in-year issues related to student housing. This includes working with our student leaders, including Durham Students’ Union, and our partners, such as Durham County Council, letting agents and private landlords, to find a solution.

We recognise that rising food and energy costs are causing challenges for students. Working with Durham Students’ Union we have invested significantly in extra measures including bursaries and hardship funds to support students who are under financial pressure. Please visit our Cost of Living webpages for more details: www.durham.ac.uk/cost-living-hub/. We will continue to invest in measures to support students in hardship.

With warm wishes,

Yours,

Jeremy Cook

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Colleges and Wider Student Experience)