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Student housing crisis ‘putting thousands at risk of homelessness’ in Scottish cities
Scottish politicians have warned that “acute” urban housing shortages are leaving thousands of students at risk of homelessness.
A new report for the Scottish parliament’s cross-party group on housing identified a shortage of more than 25,000 student bed spaces across the country’s largest cities. Earlier this year, the Scottish government declared a national housing emergency after several local authorities made similar announcements.
The deficit in accommodation, compounded by a lack of affordable and accessible options for students with additional support needs, or mature students with families, has left many facing precarious living situations, the research found.
Universities were relying on “no more than informed guesswork” to assess whether local private rented sector accommodation could meet their students’ needs, it said.
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There was far too little information available, in general, on students’ housing needs in Scotland, the report added, with “significant gaps” in reporting student homelessness – and ambiguity around who is responsible for dealing with it.
Addressing student housing insecurity and homelessness demands a joined-up approach between universities, councils, housing providers, students, local communities and the Scottish government, the study said.
It called for “comprehensive” data on student accommodation, including market trends, affordability and provision of houses in multiple occupation, to further understanding of imbalances and guide decision-making.
Graham Simpson MSP, convenor of the cross-party group on housing, said: “The Scottish government declared a housing emergency earlier this year, but students are often left out of the conversation.
“We have come up with a set of recommendations for the government that is clear and challenging,” he added. “These include the need for a collaborative approach to student housing, more robust data on student accommodation, and the integration of student housing into local housing strategies.”
The report, co-authored by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Scotland, the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE), the University of Stirling, StudentCrowd, the Edinburgh Student Housing Co-operative and Slurp Edinburgh (Students for Action on Homelessness), identified a shortfall of 13,852 bed spaces in Edinburgh, 6,093 in Glasgow and 6,084 in Dundee.
Lawrence Williams, co-president of Slurp Edinburgh, said the research was a “promising first step” towards recognising an overlooked element of the housing crisis in Scotland and the structural barriers students can face.
“We urgently need bold measures like rent controls, cooperative student housing and guaranteed emergency accommodation for homeless students,” Mr Williams said.
The report noted the impact of rising student numbers because of increased participation in higher education, a lack of affordable housing and the growing cost of participating in higher education as exacerbating factors in housing insecurity.
“The inflow of students in certain areas can lead to tension with residents, negative societal perceptions, and policies that marginalise student renters,” it said. “Other structural issues include limited tenancy lengths, unaffordable rents, and discrimination against students by landlords.”
The likelihood of students sofa-surfing or being otherwise “hidden homeless” made the true extent of the issue more difficult to gauge, it added.
The study recommended setting up non-profit, city-wide one-stop shops to guide students to housing options most appropriate to their needs.
It said higher education institutions and councils should work together to match student numbers to existing housing, and should draw up collaborative plans for how homeless students should be supported and housed.
Another recommendation was that the Scottish government and local authorities should work with investors to pilot more affordable “mid-range” purpose-built student accommodation to address unmet need.
“The issue of student housing can be contentious, as developers compete for prized land and local residents may feel pushed out due to lack of affordable housing supply,” said Ashley Campbell, a policy and practice manager at the CIH Scotland.
“The challenge for government, local authorities and universities is to work together more proactively to ensure everyone can access a home to meet their needs and that students can find their place within existing communities.”
