StudentTenant.com, has examined the demand for property around the top universities in the UK. During research we uncovered the growing crisis of students starting their studies, but unable to secure living accommodation before doing so.


StudentTenant.com took each university and used the student search function on a leading property portal to award each university a score, based on the level of student properties listed and those that had already had a let agreed. Despite being four months into the current academic year, a number of universities are still ranking extremely high where demand for student property is concerned.


The University of Exeter tops the list with a demand of 62%, by far the highest statistic for property demand surrounding a UK university. The next closest competitor is a three-way tie between the University of Reading, the University of Bath, and Bath Spa University holding a demand of 53%.


There has become an alarming increase in the number of students unable to secure accommodation before starting the next step of their education. The University for the Creative Arts in Farnham is perhaps one of the most extreme cases. Ranked in fourth place with demand at 50%, some of the current first year students were forced to camp in the university grounds because they were unable to secure a place to live! The University of Roehampton and Durham University have a 49% demand for student housing, and are closely followed by the University of Essex with 43% demand and Lancaster University at 42%.Tenth place goes to Royal Holloway, associated with the University of London, with a 38% demand for student living accommodation.


Ranking

University

Let Agreed

Non Let Agreed

Rentable Properties

Demand %

1st

University of Exeter

197

75

122

62%

2nd

University of Reading

541

252

289

53%

3rd

University of Bath

545

258

287

53%

4th

Bath Spa University

545

258

287

53%

5th

University for the Creative Arts

2

1

1

50%

6th

University of Roehampton

85

43

42

49%

7th

Durham University

758

384

374

49%

8th

University of Essex

194

110

84

43%

9th

Lancaster University

110

64

46

42%

10th

Royal Holloway, University of London

568

351

217

38%