Our response to potential student rent increases
Liverpool Students’ Union, the union that represents over 20,000 LJMU students is disappointed to learn that two local councillors have put forward a motion which, in our opinion, will directly lead to increases in rent for students within the city.
The motion – which will be decided on at a meeting today (Wednesday 14th September) at 5pm – is to ask the Mayor of Liverpool to ‘write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and the Liverpool MPs to request that councils should be given powers to bring student landlords within the scope of business rates in the same way that hotels, self-catering and holiday lets are within the scope of business rates.’ – In essence giving councils across the country more powers to charge your landlords more to operate in the city, which we believe will ultimately lead to an increase in your rents.
All Students’ Unions in Liverpool are worried and disappointed by this motion for two reasons; given there are currently very few students in the City, it could suggest that this is an attempt to pass this motion without student consultation and behind closed doors. We are also aware that the Council is also facing difficult financial times, however we believe that these proposals will only place additional costs on students.
Whilst the motion implies the extra charges will be picked up by Landlords, we believe they will ultimately be passed onto you, the students, in the form of a rent increase - and at a time when maintenance grants have been cut and fees and the cost of living is going up, it is the poorest students who will suffer as a result. This may also lead to landlords reducing their repairs budget to make up the shortfall, which could then lead to poorer student accommodation.
Liverpool Students’ Union, Liverpool Guild of Students and Liverpool Hope Students’ Union are currently in the process of contacting our other local students’ unions, along with the leaders of the other political parties, to voice our concerns on this action and are looking at ways in which we will campaign and lobby against it.
Liverpool is currently one of the most affordable cities to live in and we believe indirect rent increases like this will discourage prospective and current students from coming to the city to study, with hundreds staying each year after graduation. Affordable rent prices and good quality student accommodation is what you deserve, and we will fight to keep it this way. We will keep you up to date with our progress on the matter.
If you have any questions or queries regarding this motion, or wish to contact your Vice President Community Engagement to discuss this further, please contact Daniel via email at vpcommunity@ljmu.ac.uk.
For more information on the City Council meeting, or you wish to attend, please click here.
