Cardiff, supposedly one of the cheapest cities to attend university in, has seen a 106% increase in rent prices since 2020. With costs for houses spanning between £328 and £676, students are understandably concerned.
The competitive housing market has caused these problems for themselves. Landlords began increasing prices which created a knock-on effect where all other landlords had no choice but to also increase their rent prices. The cost-of-living crisis has its part to play in this situation; however, it is the students that feel the brunt of the problem. The real problem here, though, is student finance. Students’ main income is often not enough to cover rent, let alone sustain their life. The unfair means testing puts pressure on the students to receive aid elsewhere, which is not always available. Many students turn to part-time jobs to meet rent—giving them less time to work on their studies. Still, students across Cardiff have expressed that the cost of rent is “unmanageable” even with consistent income from a part-time job.
Additionally, jobs in Cardiff are few and far between with there being only sixty-one part-time jobs within 10km of the city. This is concerning when we consider the job-to-student ratio. Sixty-one jobs compared to the 32,725 students as of 2022/2023 is untenable.
This combination of increased rent, poor funding, and lack of jobs leads to unnecessary finsncial stress to students in Cardiff. This concern is widespread, with students noting that people will “struggle to meet these new increases.” Even when letting agencies maintain a fixed price for some students who re-sign the same property, the surge for new tenants can reach up to £100.
Some students, however, feel that their rent prices are fair. With one noting that they pay £395 for a four-bed property with 2let2. The student explained that they live slightly further out and finds it is a good compromise for cheaper rent prices. However, this might not work for other students whose buildings are further out or if they have accessibility issues.
The housing and job markets in Cardiff need to improve, along with funding provided by student finance, or the quality of life for students will reach dire levels.