Report Highlights Increasing Demands from Student Tenants

LONDON - June 2, 2015 - PRLog -- A new report,What Students Seek,¹ compiled by Glide Utilities, the utilities and service provider for shared households, has found that while three quarters of students are satisfied with their shared accommodation, this figure has been in slow decline year-on-year, and 66% of students have experienced problems with the way their property is managed.

The 2015 report reveals what students look for when it comes to their accommodation.

More Luxury

Increasingly students are looking for more comfort when it comes to private rentals. Well over half, 61%, want double beds, and a third have also highlighted their desire for ensuite bathroom facilities. Aside from this, practicality governs the majority of their decisions. Fast Internet access is by far the most popular item on their wish list: 83% highlight this as something they look for, while good storage, 72%, is the second most popular response.

The Price has to be Right

Money is always an important factor when it comes to students choosing accommodation. The report revealed that across the country the average weekly rent for students is £95, which remains at the same level as 2014, The good news is that almost half students, 49%, think their weekly rent represents good value for money, however, 37% disagreed.

Location, Location, Location

The research revealed that students prioritise their studies over socialising with over half, 55%, saying it’s very important to be close to the university; 31% highlight the need for good transport links; a further 13% are looking to be in a well-populated student area; while just 9% called out ‘good access to bar and clubs’ as a very important factor.

Make Lives Simpler

Over one in ten students, 12%, have been left to pay someone else’s bill. Arguing over bills can happen in shared accommodation and can easily be avoided. 74% of students rate inclusive bills as either an essential or important factor when choosing a property and 58% believe that broadband should be included alongside other utilities as part of their inclusive package.

Mindful Management

59% feel positive about the way their property is managed, however 66% admitted they have experienced problems at some point. One of the biggest issues cited was ‘lack of communication’. 29% of students said that their landlord or agent not communicating was a problem they’d experienced.  A fifth, 21%, also called out intrusive or unannounced visits and inspections as an issue. 39% highlighted a lack of response on maintenance issues, and 28% said poor property upkeep was an issue.

3 is the Magic Number

More students live in groups of 4 or 5, than any other numeration.  But while students tend to share in these numbers, they would prefer to be living in smaller groups.  Three is the magic number when it comes to shared households, with over a fifth saying they wanted to live with just two other tenants. Over half, 59%, also said they were after a large and functional communal room.

James Villarreal, CEO at Glide Utilities said of the findings; “The secret to gaining student appeal in 2015 is definitely ‘more is more’. While the majority of students are satisfied with their accommodation, we can’t ignore the fact that this figure is gradually falling. This isn’t because conditions are slipping, necessarily, but that student expectations are rising. We’ve seen this in our own business and have made changes to keep attracting more customers.”

ENDS

For more press information please contact Shelley Doyle or Chevi Davis at Present PR http://presentpr.com/

1.    Results taken from a survey of 714 students in March 2015. Research was conducted by Accommodation for Students and was nationwide.

Notes to editor

·         Glide is a utilities and service provider for shared households. Founded in 2006, Glide was the first company in the UK to offer multi-tenant billing, taking the headache and financial risk out of bills for people living in shared accommodation. Glide’s mantra is bills made simple, life made simple. They exist to take the pain and stress out of utility bills, so letting agents, landlords, and tenants have more time to do the things they love.

·         Glide is recognised as one of the UK’s fastest growing businesses, having entered the Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 in late 2014, and has achieved several accolades for achievement: notably, Best Business Award for Innovation: Best Business Awards 2014.

·         www.accommodationforstudents.com is the UK’s leading student accommodation website. Founded in 2000 by Simon Thompson, the site has gone from strength to strength and now attracts over 3 million visitors each year. There are over 770,000 students registered with the site and around 20,000 landlords and letting agents with active accounts