Students in St Andrews are calling for action to tackle what they say is an affordable housing crisis amid record demand for accommodation.
Some students are having to go as far afield as Dundee to find a place to live while attending the university.
The Campaign for Affordable Student Housing (Cash) society claims that the loss of the old Albany Halls – which is making way for a new development – has left students with fewer options.
The group says Albany was the last remaining affordable accommodation in the town with rent set just under £4,000 a year.
It will eventually be replaced with a new 1,000-bedroom development but an opening date and rent costs have not been confirmed.
Elsewhere, the cost of self-catered halls provided by St Andrews University ranges from £4,975 to £7,205 a year, and catered halls from £6,062 to £10,137.
The society says this is unaffordable for many, while private rents are also too high.
Members will meet university officials, MSPs and estate agents next week to discuss the issues and ask key questions.
Call to lower accommodation costs for students
Barry Will, a third-year student who helps to run Cash, said: “Because they’ve been knocking down affordable housing and not building any new ones quickly enough, it means the demand is sky high.
“All of the recent builds in St Andrews have been extremely expensive and many of them are three or four times more expensive than the old Albany Halls.
“They’re replacing what was affordable and functioning halls with luxury blocks of flats that only the wealthiest students can afford.”
Barry says the university should both reduce student numbers, and lower the existing cost of using the halls.
He added: “If that comes at a financial cost [to the university], that’s what it needs to be.”
Lily Von Geyer, a fellow third-year student and co-director of Cash, says the group has received about 40 messages from students and parents in the last week with concerns about the housing shortage.
She said: “There’s just not enough student housing to go around in St Andrews.
“Low-income students are having to make sacrifices like moving to Dundee because they have nowhere else to go.
“That’s why we’ve called for this information night because students deserve to be heard.
“I’m in this awkward position of trying to find a place to live in September, and my only options are that I’ll have to pay £700 a month for a flat in St Andrews, or I’m going to have to live in Dundee and commute, which will be really sad for my fourth year.
“One person I know, whose private rent is currently £900 a month, is going up to £1,500 per person in September – it’s ridiculous.”
Students forced to seek housing outside town
North East Fife MSP Willie Rennie will be among those attending Cash’s information night.
He said: “The housing market in St Andrews was already very hot as a result of the high demand and limited housing.
“The effect has been that students have been forced to seek housing outside the town including as far away as Dundee.
“The demolition of Albany Park and the newish policy on houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) has compounded the problem.
“It is really tough on students returning post-pandemic to find there is a massive shortage of accommodation.
“I will be working with the campaign group, landlords and the university to find short-term and longer-term solutions.”
St Andrews University has confirmed it has an “affordable accommodation option” with Mears Student Housing in Dundee, due to the redevelopment of Albany Park.
That is despite Dundee facing its own issues with student housing.
What is the university’s response?
The uni told The Courier that St Andrews is one of the “most pressured housing areas in Scotland”.
It says more students are applying to live in halls of residence than ever before due to the “quality and value of living in university accommodation compared to the private sector”.
A spokesperson said: “We have comprehensive packages of financial support in place to assist students with accommodation costs.
“All applicants and new students to St Andrews are personally advised of the range and type of support available and have several opportunities to apply for assistance before they begin their studies.
St Andrews already provides more beds per head of student population than any other university in the UK.”
“A separate accommodation hardship fund is available to students and is advertised in halls of residence and communicated to all undergraduate and postgraduate students.
“Albany Park is part of a £100 million investment in student accommodation by the university which will create 1,000 new bedrooms over and above the 4000 that the university already provides.
“The development at Albany Park is part of the university’s strategy to provide more student accommodation with a range of affordable options, easing the pressure on the housing stock in St Andrews.
“Work on this development will begin in spring 2022. St Andrews already provides more beds per head of student population than any other university in the UK.
“Our student services have experts on hand to discuss financial issues with students at any time.”
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