Coventry University among the best for rent prices and property availability

Coventry University has been named one of the best universities in the UK in terms of rent prices and the availability of properties, according to Sellhousefast.uk.

The university tops the website’s rankings for the number of properties available per student, and is second best in terms of average rental price per month, the data has shown.

Coventry has approximately 1,630 available rental properties within a one-mile radius of its campus. This is three times more than its regional neighbour, the University of Birmingham, where 572 properties are available in the same scope according to figures from Zoopla.

Rental properties within the catchment area of Coventry University were also named as being the second cheapest at an average of £917 per month, £54 more expensive than the University of Sheffield which saw the lowest average rent.

At the bottom of Sellhousefast.uk’s average rental cost rankings are institutions located in central London such as King’s College, with 868 properties available in a one-mile radius at an average monthly rental value of £5,953.

The report excludes the rental market around universities beyond a mile radius, including the University of Warwick where student housing is situated within up to a 10-mile radius in towns like Leamington Spa and Warwick.

Sellhousefast.uk highlighted a lack of properties available near the universities of Bristol and Edinburgh, the latter of which has a student body of almost 26,000 and 199 rental within a mile of campus, meaning “there are about 120 students for a single property near campus”.

At the University of Nottingham, the ratio of 24,587 students to the 106 properties available for rent in the same radius amounts to 231 students per property.

We are particularly concerned by the high costs of some of the new purpose-built accommodation and will continue to lobby private suppliers over affordability

– Ben Newsham

The Boar asked Warwick Students’ Union (SU) President Ben Newsham how they will be tackling student concerns about housing affordability and availability. He said the union recognises the “stress” housing causes students and that work is being done.

“We want our members to have choice over their accommodation and for there to be good quality but affordable accommodation options available to all students,” he continued.

“We work with the University to ensure there is a ladder of rents on campus and are attempting to work with partners in the local community to ensure all students have access to affordable accommodation which is of a good standard.”

He added how newer housing can be unaffordable for students, pointing to on-campus developments specifically.

The president elaborated: “We are particularly concerned by the high costs of some of the new purpose-built accommodation and will continue to lobby private suppliers over affordability.”

This year, Bluebell is the most expensive accommodation on central campus with a monthly rent of £189, followed by Arthur Vick at £174 and Jack Martin at £171.

Within Cryfield Village, rooms in the newly built Apartments and Townhouse cost £170 and £163 respectively, while Cryfield Standard – which has not seen any construction work – is priced at £92, the second cheapest halls of residence on campus.