Revealed: the most expensive student digs

Published on Friday 27 August 2010 18:41

PARENTS of students may want to look away now. The cost of university-provided accommodation has soared through the £200 a week barrier after a 20 per cent increase in charges over the last three years.

• The interior of a student room at John Burnett House

The most expensive student digs in Scotland has been revealed as seven premium rooms in the halls of residences at Edinburgh University, which will cost a whopping 216 a week.

In second place, according to a survey by Scotland on Sunday, is St Andrews University in Fife, where some catered, en suite rooms will cost students - or more likely their parents - up to 188 per week. Even self-catered rooms will cost 135 per week, almost twice the amount charged at the cheapest halls of residence at the University of the West Coast of Scotland in Paisley.

The charges match those being asked for by Unite, a private company which has moved into the student market in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen with facilities such as wide-screen TVs that would be unrecognisable to students of the previous generation. For around the same money, students could obtain a two-bedroom flat In Edinburgh's New Town on the private rental market or a three-bedroom property in other areas of the city.

Student leaders and some university rectors have described the charges as "appalling" and warned it could prove a disincentive to applicants in the current financial climate.

Broadcaster Iain McWhirter, the rector of Edinburgh University, said: "I've been approached repeatedly by students who are really appalled by the cost of accommodation.

"Edinburgh University insists its accommodation is no more expensive than comparable universities in England but there is no doubt that it could become a major disincentive to students."

A survey carried out by Scot-land on Sunday found a huge range in the prices charged by universities to house students. At Edinburgh, its top-of-the-range individual rooms, for just seven lucky students, are in catered halls of residence, with two meals a day, utility bills paid, internet access and local phone calls are available for 216.

The remainder of the 6,500 rooms offered by the university range from 170 for standard catered rooms to up to 95 for shared self-catered accommodation.

Rooms at St Andrews, which has almost 4,000 university-owned rooms, cost up to 188 for catered halls and 138 for self-catering. However, all rents include heating, power, insurance and a telephone and internet connection.

Many universities offer far cheaper rooms. Glasgow University offers catered room at up to 135, dropping to 105 for self-catered.Glasgow Caledonian's most expensive self-catered rooms in halls next to the city centre campus cost up to 87. Accommodation at Strathclyde University varies from 77 to 102, depending on room size and whether cleaning services and bills are included. Aberdeen prices vary from 65 for self-catered flat style accommodation to 149 for an en suite room with meals provided.

A survey by the National Union of Students Scotland (NUS Scotland) found there has been an 18 per cent increase in university accommodation costs since 2006-07.

Average weekly costs rose from 86 a week in 2006 to 101 last year, an annual cost rise from 3,096 to 4,045 at a time when students are under increasing financial pressure.

Liam Burns, President of NUS Scotland, said: "Our research shows average rents have increased by nearly a fifth in Scotland over the last 3 years, while the financial help students get has stayed near enough static. This can only put greater financial pressure on students and risk hardship, and ultimately drop out."

More than 50 per cent of Scottish students are paying more than 90 per week with over a quarter paying 120. Universities say they have been upgrading their student accommodation in recent years because they can earn extra funds from renting it out to tourists and conference delegates during the long vacation periods.

An Edinburgh University spokeswoman defended the highest cost accommodation as "top of the range" and said the vast majority of rooms were cheaper.

"Our accommodation for students starts at 54 a week for shared self catering accommodation and our average weekly tariffs for students are around 170 for catered and around 95 for self-catered accommodation.

"The difference in prices simply reflects variations in terms of age and location of building, style and size of room, facilities within each building and whether the room is en-suite. Those rooms at the higher end of the tariff scale are extremely popular but the university recognises the need for, and indeed successfully provides, a significant range of lower cost options."

A spokesman for St Andrews said: "It is widely accepted that St Andrews is a comparatively expensive place to build and maintain property and our residences are run to break even on student rents, not to make a profit from this revenue.

"University rents are highly competitive and very good value - unlike many other places, all are inclusive of heat, power, telephone and internet connection. If these additional services are factored out, our rents stand very favourable comparison with the private sector and residences in other areas of Scotland.We are also committed to maintain 500 beds at the lowest levels of student rents in Scotland."

Kevin Dunion, the rector of St Andrews and Scotland's Freedom of Information Commissioner, said: "Yes, the cost of accommodation in St Andrews across the peaks is expensive but the university has quite a lot of accommodation in some of the lowest bands across the country.

"Costs are something we look at extremely carefully. I have regular contact both with the university and with students and we've had things such as a low-rent campaign, but I don't think St Andrews is significantly more expensive across the board than other universities."