Updating post from Reddit.
Hey, so I am doing some research on the UK housing market, especially for students, and I'd like to understand some things from the landlords, especially given there's such a constraint on the supply side:
I would really appreciate any insights you might have whether it's in parts or in entirety of my questions, or above and beyond
When you say conducting research... what do you mean? Is this for an academic or professional reason?
It's primary research for professional purposes, trying to understand what's happening on the ground
You've literally answered nothing in your reply.
Sounds like you wanna get something done free and cheap from Reddit, for commercial reasons. Hence not the straightforward answer. Tough luck free rider. Redditors won't be fooled.
seems like ur straight yap. Point of Reddit is to ask questions for any kind of purposes, personal professional etc for free by taking suggestions of fellow Reddit users. You’re literally dumb if you think asking a question like this is being ‘cheap’ or a ‘free rider’. Go back to school lil bro😂
?? What do you want the answer to? I just mentioned that I'm researching the UK housing market for professional purposes - in direct response to the question. If there are any specific questions then I can answer them. Also how is asking questions getting free stuff from Reddit
Who is your boss. How much are you getting paid. We are doing research and need to know this.
bro stop acting like an opp😭😭😭 this person seems to just be doing genuine research. also doesn't this subreddit say 'there's no such thing as a stupid question', so yall are just prattling on abt nothin.
Classic landlord responses
yall r yapping and hating on this person for no reason. lmao this is too funny
I agree with the other posters, don't answer these questions.
Hey I would love to learn why you probably don't appreciate these questions, it'll make it easier for me to correct whatever is wrong
You’re not doing anything wrong. They’re always massively awkward about anyone asking any questions about their practice. If you want answers though I’d probably say what the “professional reasons” are that you are asking. Has your work asked you to do this? Are you writing a report? What will you do with any answers etc
My job is doing market research. The market I am currently researching is the student accommodation market. I am not writing a report or publishing anything, this information is solely for me to understand the dynamics of a country that I do not live in and form an opinion.
Then surely you are being paid to write a research collection plan, and to conduct proper research in an ethical manner? Not lift off Reddit?
I am not being paid to write any research collection plan or report or anything of the sort :)
So you're doing unpaid work? Or unprofessional work?
I don't think you'll be able to understand lmfao
Also a bit pointless doing research now when in 12 months the whole market will be far different once people realise the gov forgot to include all types of student lets in the rent reform bill meaning students wont be able to let small places from what I gather. It looks like they are going to only allow them to rent in hmo unless they answer the nrla who were the ones that raised this point and distributed it via their winter mag.
Thanks for the insights!
The big risk with international students is that
A) they don't have a UK guarantor
B) they hold little to no assets in the UK
C) if they don't pay up they can fuck off back to their home country, and a CCJ from the British courts won't really affect them unless they want to settle here
Outside the cities with a lot of tourism (Edinburgh and its August festival is a prime example) anything other than a 12 month tenancy is rare.
No such thing as 12 month tenancies in Scotland unfortunately for us! It’s one month rolling here
Oh interesting!
So do most landlords prefer UK based tenants? And why would you rent to an international student in the first place in that case? Is the internal domestic demand not enough?
There's a few things going on.
Lots of international students don't live in the private sector shared homes that local students tend to choose for second and third year. They frequently live in privately owned halls of residence owned by companies like Unite and Vita.
There's multiple reasons for this, one of which is that international students tend to be quite wealthy whereas local students are, on average, nowhere near as wealthy. Even those from wealthier backgrounds are often kept on a tight budget by parents who regard it as being character building - and they frequently have friends they want to live with, who are on genuinely tight budgets. Student houses are frequently poorly maintained by their landlords and the rent is at the cheaper end of the market. International students seem rather less willing to accept the low maintenance standards in the typical shared student house. When I was a student, our kitchen floor partially collapsed, though that is an extreme example. By the way of contrast, the privately owned halls that many international students live in are too expensive for a local students budget, but they are quite shiny.
Another is the issue of guarantors and the ability to chase students who go abroad. This risk can be mitigated if it's 5 domestic students with UK guarantors and 1 international student on a joint and several tenancy. This issue is much harder to mitigate if it's 6 international students.
The cynic in me thinks that some slumlords prefer students because they are less likely to complain, less likely to know their rights, and in the unlikely event that they're very savvy, by the time they've got fed up and started enforcing their rights, the academic year is almost over.
Thank you for your insights!
Students are safer because they are for a short term. Usually have their parents as guarantors.
International students pay upfront.
Would international students require a domestic guarantor and do they pay the year's rent in entirety?
No, international students do not have domestic guarantors.
Alright that makes sense thank you!
