YUSU is backing the plan for a student Union run letting agency, which will revolutionise student housing in York.
An online referendum will be held in week 4, to decide whether to pass the motion put forward by the York Student Socialist Society.
The new letting agency would be accountable to the student body, as opposed to the current system of using independent companies that hold students as their target market. Although the size and cost of the scheme is yet unknown, general response has been positive, with the prospect of the cost of off-campus housing declining.
This motion is part of a wide ranging housing campaign by the York Student Socialist Society. Megan Ollerhead, the leader of the project, explained how the drive includes ideas such as “a mandatory landlord accreditation scheme, and further campaigning regarding the sky-rocketing on-campus rents.”
Ollerhead said: “We’ve been petitioning around campus since about spring term last year, and we’ve had nothing but positive responses to the idea.”
One third year Management student strongly supports the idea for a YUSU run letting agency, and told Vision how he felt “ripped off” after being charged at the end of the year for “mould already present in the house when we moved in.”
Third year Environmental Science student Fraser Kirkley echoed these sentiments by explaining how his landlord’s “inexperience” caused huge problems.
Ollerhead added: “We’ve been listening to a lot of students and other residents concerns and horror stories about the exorbitant prices being paid for what was often really low-quality housing.
“The letting agency would be a not-for-profit organization, we believe it could drive the prices of off-campus rents down, and accordingly the ones on campus too.”
Not only has the campaign had the support of students, but has also garnered attention from YUSU. Ollerhead told Vision: “YUSU have been really receptive to the proposal and we’re happy that they’ve taken what we and the student body have had to say on board to propose this as a referendum this term.”
YUSU President Kallum Taylor added his support to the motion, saying: “In recent years there’s been a massive squeeze on students’ finances. Away from the cost of living shooting up, a stand out reason has been with the cost of housing – both in rent and simply the fees involved with securing a tenancy in the first place. I’m not surprised that students are demanding a solution to this which is student led and city wide. Whatever your view, do make sure you vote come the time as you’ll be essentially setting YUSU a pretty big task should it go through!”
Third year History student Freya Sydney-Smith told Vision: “I am really glad such a seemingly-viable and exciting idea has been put forward to sort out ongoing problems that have affected thousands of students. I will definitely be voting in the referendum.”