Students ‘battle with families to get a home’
STUDENTS are locked in an ‘intense competition’ with working families for accommodation in Manchester city centre, a new report has said.
More purpose-built student housing could now be built in Manchester to stop students competing for mainstream properties.
Figures going before councillors next week show that student council tax exemptions will cost the town hall £17m of potential income in the 2019/20 financial year.
The council wants to discuss the future of housing in the city. It could see more accommodation for students built in ‘appropriate locations’ – most likely the city centre and around the universities.
A report to be presented to councillors next week shows that more students are opting to live in the city centre, which has led to the ‘intense competition’ between them and working households.
Landlords often favour students, it said, adding that international students often pay up front and don’t ask for their deposits back.
The report said that this competition is creating problems for the town hall, which loses out on council tax income from students, who are exempt.
But it suggests that more stock aimed at students would free up the mainstream housing for individuals who do pay council tax.
The report also outlines the issue of affordability, saying that Manchester is one of the most expensive cities for purpose-built student accommodation.
But if no affordable student accommodation is built, students in cheaper parts of south Manchester will stay there – meaning they will have ‘little choice’ but to compete with working households in the mainstream market in places such as Hulme, it said.
Council leader Sir Richard Leese said: “The evidence suggests that we need to begin a conversation about carefully managing new, high quality purpose-built student accommodation in appropriate locations and replace old stock to help meet demand.”
A MAN was found unconscious after being attacked by a group of thugs in Manchester city centre.
The 47-year-old was found blacked-out on Whitworth Street. It is believed he had been assaulted by three men, who later fled.
Police said two of the men were wearing dark hooded tops. The third was wearing a white hooded top. All of the men were carrying rucksacks.
Police say the victim walked into McDonald’s on Oxford Road at around 9.40pm on Saturday, where people helped treat his wounds. It is believed he was attacked around 10 minutes earlier on Chepstow Street.
At 12.30am, the victim was found collapsed on Whitworth Street by three men. He was taken to hospital with serious head injuries, and remains in a stable but critical condition.