Better deal for Brighton students (From The Argus)
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Better deal for Brighton students
10:30am Saturday 7th January 2012 in News
University of Sussex has launched its own lettings agency to help students get a “fair deal”.
Research conducted by both Sussex and Brighton Students’ Unions has shown that students living in rented accommodation within the city are often left dissatisfied.
In response the University of Sussex Students’ Union has launched its own letting agency, the first of its kind in the south east.
Operated as a social enterprise all profits from the service will be reinvested in providing services for students.
David Cichon, the president of the university’s students’ union, said: “We are aware of the difficulties students face in renting properties.
"The idea of the new agency is to make sure students are supported through the process and that they and landlords get a fair deal.”
Research shows students in Brighton and Hove are paying “London prices” for accommodation”, with rates ranging from £70 to more than £100 a week.
A survey also revealed ‘sub-standard’ properties and ‘poor communication’ from lettings agents led to students becoming dissatisfied with their service.
The new firm, which is based in the students ’ union building Falmer House in Brighton, will not charge any agency fees to students.
All managed properties will also be inspected to ensure they are of a good standard.
Manager David Beaken, who has more than 10 years experience of the Brighton and Hove property market, said: “We will be utilising the full range of welfare and support services to provide a different approach to property management, that benefits both landlords and students.”
Comments(23)
lmlosborne
says...
10:50am Sat 7 Jan 12
The service was launched about a month before Christmas and though it only has one or two properties so far, it's about time! I've seen some shocking student properties in the private rental market; caged hens get treated better!
inadaptado
says...
11:06am Sat 7 Jan 12
A fair deal = not a ripoff
dissatisfied = horrified
difficulties = unmeetable requirements
sub-standard = a dump
poor communication = scam
good standard = livable
a different approach = not being treated like cattle
Alan G Skinner
says...
11:07am Sat 7 Jan 12
rolivan
says...
11:43am Sat 7 Jan 12
Maxwell's Ghost
says...
11:44am Sat 7 Jan 12
The landlord who owns the house next to me and several other properties In the town rents houses with contracts which state that the facilities are untested. Every year the kids move in to find they have no working washing machine, cooker, fridge and the heating doesn't work but he leaves them in the house so it looks good when they view. If I manage to see them during a viewing I tell them.
They recently knocked on my door asking to use my oven and to borrow electric heater and tell me that he lives abroad and he won't answer his phone.
It's an utter disgrace they can't move out as they are tied into a ten month contract. Why don't student rent rooms via the Friday ad where you can give a months notice at any time I don't know. Being tied to a contract is a nonsense in this town. When I was a student I would leave my bedsit every term to save more than a months rent and then look or a new room. It was easy.
deanaprior
says...
1:14pm Sat 7 Jan 12
Own a bit of a dump, you don't want to replace any furniture, one old frying pan, want to turn the lounge into an extra bedroom then rent to students.
mustaphaLeeko
says...
1:52pm Sat 7 Jan 12
Noise till 4am at least 2 times a week, late night parties, smoking drugs out of the back window, and the house itself is a complete state: outside hasn't been painted in 12 years, blocked gutters, rotten dormer window, it took the scum landlord 5 years to fix a cracked window there, and the tradesman I spoke to said it was a real tip inside too!!!
About time Brighton brought in regulated HMO's that had to be inspected, and if an HMO they should make the scummy landlords install noise insulation on party walls!!!
Maxwell's Ghost
says...
1:56pm Sat 7 Jan 12
This town is full of Arthur Daleys making a scum fast buck and the council let them do it. I thought the Greens would take hold of the student issue but alas not a word from them.
NickBrt
says...
11:46pm Sat 7 Jan 12
Maxwell's Ghost
says...
8:42am Sun 8 Jan 12
Already there has been an 8 per cent drop in applications and with colleges applying to the council to build student accommodation fewer private lets will be needed.
With £9,000 annual fees colleges will have to offer cut price purpose built accommodation to attract students which is a good thing. They need to live together as their nocturnal lifestyles are at odds with families and working people who need quiet at night.
lmlosborne
says...
9:03am Sun 8 Jan 12
Morpheus
says...
9:46am Sun 8 Jan 12
wippasnapper
says...
10:11am Sun 8 Jan 12
wippasnapper
says...
10:28am Sun 8 Jan 12
Maxwell's Ghost
says...
11:19am Sun 8 Jan 12
There is no need to leave home or not work full time as stated in Brighton Unis own web site.
Sadly the reputation of HE in the UK is in the gutter and the colleges will have to work hard to turn it around with employers, communities and future students.
thucydides
says...
12:06pm Sun 8 Jan 12
moronslayer
says...
12:26pm Sun 8 Jan 12
As for students, degrees will not be required to work in the Chinese state-run sweatshops that are our future.
Mr Skinner, football is a bunch of overpaid morons chasing a ball around in front of a bunch of desperately stupid people - as evidenced by their love of this 'ball-kicky chasey chasey - , like the shiny, like the shiny' game.
Most footballers, if it were not for this absurd tax on the stupid, would just be appearing on the Jeremy Kyle show.
RottingdeanRant
says...
1:20pm Sun 8 Jan 12
moronslayer
says...
2:06pm Sun 8 Jan 12
Kate234
says...
3:11pm Sun 8 Jan 12
Berkshire Hunt
says...
4:08pm Sun 8 Jan 12
lmlosborne wrote:And behave better. NO ONE WANTS THEM AS NEIGHBOURS
Yes, of course, because every student is a lout with no respect. Every single one. So they deserve the poor treatment they get with damp, squalid rooms. Thanks for the reminder, Nickbrt.
The service was launched about a month before Christmas and though it only has one or two properties so far, it's about time! I've seen some shocking student properties in the private rental market; caged hens get treated better!
sarah.m
says...
11:01am Mon 9 Jan 12
Firstly, 'we' students did not in fact 'vote the greens in'- the majority of student housing is around Moulsecoomb, The Avenue, Lewes Road, Coombe Road and Hanover. All of these areas lie outside the Brighton Pavilion constituency. Irrelevant and a false assumption.
A University run letting agency is a brilliant idea. There'll be much less of a 'swindled' feeling about viewings I hope- group viewings with the big letting agencies are stressful as hell. Multiple groups are taken around by an employee in his/her early twenties who tells you 'all these houses will go today, and if you like one you might not get it if you're not quick'. Cue a manic rush around the house trying to imagine what it looks like without mess everywhere, without being able to talk to the tenants and a run to the agency when you find one you want. Hopefully this competition won't be played up to with the university agency.
Thankfully the University has blacklisted such agencies now for unfair treatment and poor quality service, so I'm glad they're offering an alternative!
NickBrt says...
10:37am Sat 7 Jan 12