Students in London are refusing to pay rent in protest against “soaring” accommodation prices, and are demanding a 40% cut in rental.

More than 150 students in two halls of residence at University College London (UCL), are withholding rent amounting to over £250,000. The UCL ­Cut the Rent campaign says they will not pay until the university meets their demand for their rent to be cut by two-fifths.



Angus O’Brien, an accommodation representative and an organiser of the campaign, says: “The cost of rent has gone up dramatically and it’s preventing people from studying at university. This is a massive problem across London and the country. We are showing that something can be done about rising rent prices; our action could be the start of something much wider.”



Campaigners say that rents at the university have risen by around 56% since 2009. Ramsey Hall, one of the halls of residences with students on strike, has 473 rooms that cost £158.97–£262.43 to rent per week, according to the UCL website. Max Rayne House, the other affected building, is one of the cheaper halls at the university, with 272 rooms that cost £102.97–£232.4.



Nyima Murry, 19, a first-year history of art student and one of the strikers, says: “I’ve struggled massively with the cost of rent. I’m not from a wealthy background, and last term I had to work two jobs, which really affected my studies. I can’t afford to eat if I don’t work. Studying is becoming about your background and how much you’re earning, rather than your ability.

“Many people I know are put off moving to London because they can’t afford to study here. I’m striking so that future students have the opportunity to study at UCL on their academic merit, not because of their financial background.”

The protest follows a UCL protest late last year, against noise and a rat infestation. Students were collectively awarded £400,000 in compensation following the dispute.

The Cut the Rent campaign was set up last year at the university. It says it has previously raised the issue of spiralling costs with the university, as well as setting up a petition and organising strikes against “unbearable” living conditions.

Campaigner David Dahlborn, 22, a third-year eastern European and Jewish studies student, says he wants it to bring about wider change. “This strike is extraordinarily significant. Education is becoming unaffordable because of tuition fees and rent. There’s also a housing catastrophe going on in London, and a student debt crisis. It’s important that we succeed, because we need to change things.”

Shelly Asquith, vice president of welfare at the National Union of Students (NUS), says: “I take my hat off to the students at UCL who, for the best part of a year, have mounted a militant and successful rent campaign. Now they are taking their demands further and asking for a cut in rent. This is not unreasonable when the rent in London is more than 100% of the maximum loans and grants available for students. The UCL Cut the Rent campaign is right to point out that accommodation costs are equating to social cleansing of working class students from education. NUS fully supports the campaign.”

A spokeswoman at UCL has defended the pay increases, saying that the university’s rents are competitive for the London location. She says: “We are seeking dialogue with the Cut the Rent campaign to discuss the issues and set out how the finances of UCL accommodation work. While we understand the concerns around the cost of accommodation in London, it is inaccurate to suggest that UCL accommodation is making a profit for the university.

“All of the money that UCL receives in rent is ploughed back into residences. While the proportions may vary year to year, we invariably spend more on residences than we receive in rental income.

“We make every effort at UCL to keep rents as low as possible, which is a difficult challenge considering our central London location. Our rents are competitive in comparison with equivalent London institutions, and far less than for comparable accommodation in the private sector.”

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