Students urged to stop paying rent to protest fee hikes

AUCKLAND: Students living in Auckland University halls are being encouraged to stop paying rent from next month to protest what are being called ‘‘unjustifiable’’ price increases.

Students living in the halls of residence nationwide are facing rising costs. The weekly cost to live in a single standard room at the University of Auckland’s Waipa¯ru¯ru¯ Hall, the country’s biggest student residence, jumped from $470 last year to $540 this year.

Students for Fair Rent have been planning a rent strike for students, which was launched yesterday afternoon. The strike will involve Auckland University students not paying any accommodation fees from May 1.

The group’s chairman, Matthew Lee, said they did not know how many students would sign on. But fees should be in line with rents paid for private accommodation in the city, he said.

‘‘Two years ago I was living at

Waipa¯ru¯ru¯ Hall. I was paying $435 [a week]. Now it’s at $510 to $540, so it’s a massive increase. It’s been an 8% increase year on year for the past few years.

‘‘These are students that are paying. We’re fulltime students — we should be studying fulltime. We shouldn’t be expected to work 10, 20, even 30 hours just to pay rent.’’

Mr Lee told Nine to Noon discussions with the University of Auckland had not gone as constructively as they had hoped.

He said the university was within its rights to evict students who did not pay.

‘‘I think the university has a responsibility to provide safe, secure and affordable accommodations to its students. Unfortunately, it doesn’t.’’

In a statement, Auckland University said the fee students paid to live in the halls included furniture, power, WiFi and access to the recreation centre.

‘‘With the massive jump in CPI in 2022, and high inflationary pressures since, our costs have risen. Many of the costs associated with student accommodation have increased at a much higher rate than the CPI, for example, in 202324, food (12%) and wages (10%).’’ — RNZ