Coventry has too much student accomodation (9 Viewers)

[Nick]

Imagine the shock that there's loads sat about empty.

Coventry has 'too much student accommodation' report finds

Trinity View in the city centre will be let out to non-students as demand for student accommodation is falling

www.coventrytelegraph.net

 

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[Deleted member 5849]

Welcome to Coventry, your neighbours on either side are hookers on short term lets.

 

[clint van damme]

Imagine the shock that there's loads sat about empty.

Coventry has 'too much student accommodation' report finds

Trinity View in the city centre will be let out to non-students as demand for student accommodation is falling

www.coventrytelegraph.net

Or not enough students!

 

[chiefdave]

Welcome to Coventry, your neighbours on either side are hookers on short term lets.

where do I find one of these flats?

 

[shmmeee]

Or not enough students!

There was a big drop off with Covid, and Brexit, what are student numbers like these days? Did they ever bounce back?

 

[San Francisco]

Should just rent them out as affordable housing if that's the case.

 

[clint van damme]

There was a big drop off with Covid, and Brexit, what are student numbers like these days? Did they ever bounce back?

Not according to the article.
I wonder if some of this accomodation can be repurposed?

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Cov Uni is well known to be in serious financial trouble so if it did go under, that’s a lot of ugly looking buildings to decide what to do with.

 

[LastGarrison]

There was a big drop off with Covid, and Brexit, what are student numbers like these days? Did they ever bounce back?

Actually didn’t drop off too badly in Covid, believe it or not, and then they had a couple of boom years, internationally at least, when they opened back up as you had in essence two years of students trying to come in one year plus countries such as Australia and New Zealand weren’t ‘open’ so the UK took their market share as well.

Unfortunately, Cov’s UK numbers have been declining for some years (as the sectors have) and their international numbers are struggling, through various reasons I won’t bore you with, but as Brighton says they are financially in a world of trouble if rumours are to be believed.

People have moaned about too much student accommodation (and in a way with good reason) and needing an ‘NUS card to go into the city centre’ but if the Uni does go pop this city is in for a rough ride.

 

[Saddlebrains]

I was at the uni for a shirt period a while back due to redundancy and taking whatever paid the bills


It was on its arse then, they haven't got a pot to piss in and il be very surprised if they don't go under within the next few years

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Actually didn’t drop off too badly in Covid, believe it or not, and then they had a couple of boom years, internationally at least, when they opened back up as you had in essence two years of students trying to come in one year plus countries such as Australia and New Zealand weren’t ‘open’ so the UK took their market share as well.

Unfortunately, Cov’s UK numbers have been declining for some years (as the sectors have) and their international numbers are struggling, through various reasons I won’t bore you with, but as Brighton says they are financially in a world of trouble if rumours are to be believed.

People have moaned about too much student accommodation (and in a way with good reason) and needing an ‘NUS card to go into the city centre’ but if the Uni does go pop this city is in for a rough ride.

Then it would seem we have two choices, to either do what we can to help the university, or to decide what to do with all those buildings in the city centre. One seems easier than the other

 

[LastGarrison]

Then it would seem we have two choices, to either do what we can to help the university, or to decide what to do with all those buildings in the city centre. One seems easier than the other

You have to remember that the majority of student accommodation buildings in the city are privately owned rather than being Uni owned so it’s not as simple as that.

There’s a reason why the council have agreed a 3 night minimum stay in some of these blocks and that is so not to have a detrimental effect on the cities hotels, B&B’s etc.

The other factor is the demographic of international student, which a lot of this accommodation is aimed at, has changed for Cov and you will see a lot less Chinese and East Asian students around the city who had the affordability to stay in these expensive private rooms and suites and they have been replaced with students largely from South Asia who, on the whole, have less affordability so tend to gravitate towards shared houses with fellow students.

 

[shmmeee]

Why fewer Chinese? Are they just studying abroad less?

 

[Liquid Gold]

Basically every city moans about student accommodation, it’s always an issue in Bristol too, but it’s actually good dense housing.

When I was a student I didn’t mind being packing in like a sardine and it theoretically freed up proper housing stock to be returned to family accommodation.

 

[shmmeee]

Basically every city moans about student accommodation, it’s always an issue in Bristol too, but it’s actually good dense housing.

When I was a student I didn’t mind being packing in like a sardine and it theoretically freed up proper housing stock to be returned to family accommodation.

Shame the uni is skint because it should be normal halls really. Either way more housing stock should mean cheaper housing for the rest of us so hopefully not a waste. A flat an hour-ish from Euston should be an easy sell you’d have thought.

 

[Nick]

Welcome to Coventry, your neighbours on either side are hookers on short term lets.

Basically every city moans about student accommodation, it’s always an issue in Bristol too, but it’s actually good dense housing.

When I was a student I didn’t mind being packing in like a sardine and it theoretically freed up proper housing stock to be returned to family accommodation.

Some of the blocks in the city centre actually look really nice, gyms and everything. Maybe move people from Caradoc and the one in Bell Green into them?

 

[fernandopartridge]

Shame the uni is skint because it should be normal halls really. Either way more housing stock should mean cheaper housing for the rest of us so hopefully not a waste. A flat an hour-ish from Euston should be an easy sell you’d have thought.

Isn't there a difference in standard for student housing compared with the (already pretty low) standards for housing on the open market? I am sure I had read / heard that somewhere before.

 

[shmmeee]

Isn't there a difference in standard for student housing compared with the (already pretty low) standards for housing on the open market? I am sure I had read / heard that somewhere before.

Possibly. I thought they were just classed as HMOs

 

[ccfctommy]

There was a big drop off with Covid, and Brexit, what are student numbers like these days? Did they ever bounce back?

Nope. Cov Uni barely has any EU students to Brexit. I'll imagine that's the same everywhere.

 

[ccfctommy]

I was at the uni for a shirt period a while back due to redundancy and taking whatever paid the bills


It was on its arse then, they haven't got a pot to piss in and il be very surprised if they don't go under within the next few years

I hope not. I work there!

 

[LastGarrison]

I hope not. I work there!

Hopefully not in Estates, Project Team, Digital Services, Planning or GDPR after news I heard from an ex-colleague today.

 

[LastGarrison]

Why fewer Chinese? Are they just studying abroad less?

Combination of that and other markets aggressively pushing to attract them (Oz, US, NZ, Canada etc) coupled with the political rhetoric not helping things.

These are some slides from a recent Enroly conference where they provided their real time YOY stats figures to give a snapshot from across the industry (they work with about 70 odd universities providing a platform to assist admissions, visas etc) and it is very easy to see why some uni's who are reliant on international recruitment (mainly those mid and low ranked universities) are in for a rough ride......

 

[ccfctommy]

Hopefully not in Estates, Project Team, Digital Services, Planning or GDPR after news I heard from an ex-colleague today.

Nope, thankfully!

 

[chiefdave]

People have moaned about too much student accommodation (and in a way with good reason) and needing an ‘NUS card to go into the city centre’ but if the Uni does go pop this city is in for a rough ride.

This is one of the things that was being routinely highlighted. That we were becoming over reliant on the University and seemed to have no contingency for when numbers inevitably dropped.

Of course people who pointed that out were mocked as there seemed to be a group think that student numbers dropping was not something even worth considering.

Hopefully something can be done as there's a lot of universities on the brink and a lot of problems coming down the line if a solution isn't found.

 

[chiefdave]

Isn't there a difference in standard for student housing compared with the (already pretty low) standards for housing on the open market? I am sure I had read / heard that somewhere before.

One of our clients is a development company, according to them the build standard on student accommodation is appalling. Built to order for investors with returns over a short period, as low as 10 years, based on pretty much full occupancy. Essentially build it cheap, make your money quickly and then its someone elses problems when there's loads of fucked buildings in a few years.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

I hope not. I work there!

Think that applies for a fair few people in the city!

 

[Mr Panda]

I also currently work there. Brexit has probably been the main factor destroying the University but it’s eye watering how much money they’ve allowed to be spunked up the wall on projects I’ve been apart of - consultancy fees alone were incredible.

Investment is now centred towards offering the degrees abroad rather than relying on students coming to us. There’s sites all over the world now that offer Coventry degrees and apparently this is what sets us apart from a lot of universities which remains to be seen I guess.

 

[shmmeee]

TBF I’m not sure there’s been anything built in the last 50 years that I haven’t heard stories from those in the know about how standards are terrible and it’ll be a disaster. I’m not an expert but can you even build a building to code and it’ll only last ten years?

 

[LastGarrison]

I also currently work there. Brexit has probably been the main factor destroying the University but it’s eye watering how much money they’ve allowed to be spunked up the wall on projects I’ve been apart of - consultancy fees alone were incredible.

Investment is now centred towards offering the degrees abroad rather than relying on students coming to us. There’s sites all over the world now that offer Coventry degrees and apparently this is what sets us apart from a lot of universities which remains to be seen I guess.

Not sure Brexit has had the effect the VC makes out considering in the next breath he, rightly, says that universities lose money on home students who only pay £9250 per year which EU studentssure also did so although it undoubtedly has played a part I am not it is the main part and particularly when they had about 3 years to restrategise.

Cov have undoubtedly gambled and over projected on their international student figures and this has backfired massively which has left a gaping hole in their finances.

Although they do have a strong TNE prescence (particularly in Oman and Egypt) I am not sure this is their saving grace and unfortunately I think things will get worse before they get better. You have to remember as well as the two campuses they have in Cov they have another 4 in London, 1 in Scarborough and 1 in Poland and I'd be intrigued to see, apart from the main London campus, actually how much income these campuses actually generate.

Personally, I think the Uni's growth has been a major contributor to the cities mini revival (more bars, restaurants, shops etc.) and if it starts to decline and we see less footfall (money) coming into the city then some of these places will start to become financially untenable. I sincerely hope they do turn it around.

 

[chiefdave]

TBF I’m not sure there’s been anything built in the last 50 years that I haven’t heard stories from those in the know about how standards are terrible and it’ll be a disaster. I’m not an expert but can you even build a building to code and it’ll only last ten years?

Not my field in the slightest but I think the general idea was that even by new build standards student accommodation was piss poor and the finances were calculated on basically full occupancy and making a return over a short period at which point the investors could offload it and leave someone else with the maintenance.

Not like this country hasn't seen a burst of high rises being built only for them to be left to go to shit in the past.

From what was said it's a lot easier from a regulatory pov to get student flats built.

 

[shmmeee]

Not my field in the slightest but I think the general idea was that even by new build standards student accommodation was piss poor and the finances were calculated on basically full occupancy and making a return over a short period at which point the investors could offload it and leave someone else with the maintenance.

Not like this country hasn't seen a burst of high rises being built only for them to be left to go to shit in the past.

From what was said it's a lot easier from a regulatory pov to get student flats built.

Im not sure how. A student flat is just a flat you rent to students. There’s no special student tenancy or building laws AFAIK.

 

[Earlsdon_Skyblue1]

Not sure Brexit has had the effect the VC makes out considering in the next breath he, rightly, says that universities lose money on home students who only pay £9250 per year which EU studentssure also did so although it undoubtedly has played a part I am not it is the main part and particularly when they had about 3 years to restrategise.

Cov have undoubtedly gambled and over projected on their international student figures and this has backfired massively which has left a gaping hole in their finances.

Although they do have a strong TNE prescence (particularly in Oman and Egypt) I am not sure this is their saving grace and unfortunately I think things will get worse before they get better. You have to remember as well as the two campuses they have in Cov they have another 4 in London, 1 in Scarborough and 1 in Poland and I'd be intrigued to see, apart from the main London campus, actually how much income these campuses actually generate.

Personally, I think the Uni's growth has been a major contributor to the cities mini revival (more bars, restaurants, shops etc.) and if it starts to decline and we see less footfall (money) coming into the city then some of these places will start to become financially untenable. I sincerely hope they do turn it around.

How much are tuition fees across Europe in different countries? I would imagine the UK is pretty high these days on that list. If we're charging foreigners more, then I suspect that's an even bigger issue, although it is pretty easy to just blame brexit.

If I had the choice for University of Skegness for 9k a year, or Malaga University for 1k a year - I know which option I would be choosing.