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Owners' Briefings 2022 - 2023

16/01/2023

Owners Briefings take place to inform our landlord members of emerging trends in the student accommodation sector, both nationally and locally. 

The latest briefings in Leeds and Nottingham took place in December 2022 and were well attended.

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National Trends

  • Home undergraduate students -1.7% (440,510)
  • International undergraduate students +4% to (62,200)
  • Non-EU international students +9%
  • big increases in PGTs from, Nigeria, India and Pakistan with different requirements and budgets that traditional markets
  • Rising shortages in accommodation - A complex picture including growing student numbers, PGTs, reducing nominations, the decline of the shared student house, and falling PBSA development 
  • Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards - Government consulted on these changes in 2021 but there is still no legislative timetable
  • Renters' Reform - Still no Parliamentary timetable, estimated at 2024 at earliest. 
    Indications are that end of section 21 is still definitely on the agenda
  • no sign of landlords moving away from “bills included” arrangements. These arrangements are now more favoured by students and parents, despite rent rises
  • Unipol have developed an online course, which will be free for Code members. 
    Covers key areas of the Unipol Code, as well as legal and best practice guidance.

AnchorHighlights from Leeds

  • The University of Leeds has seen a fall in undergraduate students but an increase in taught postgraduates. Undergraduate recruitment weighted towards Yorkshire region.
  • Leeds Beckett University saw a fall of 4% in undergraduates but a marked increase in taught postgraduates.
  • 2,149 new beds will be available in 4 new PBSA developments.
  • Housing supply has tightened and Leeds in moving into a housing shortage for 2023-2024.
  • Unipol will be undertaking a student housing market assessment in 2023 to understand the amount of available student housing, and recent changes; student number changes and residence patterns; changes in types of accommodation available to students and how city centre and inner North West Leeds residential patterns are changing.
  • Leeds City Council, with support from Unipol and the NRLA, has successfully bid for Government funding aimed at improving standards in the PRS.

AnchorHighlights from Nottingham

  • Nottingham Trent University took around 1,400 fewer undergraduates - a significant contraction where the effect on accommodation demand will be felt through 2023-2024 and 2024-2025.
  • University of Nottingham cut back their home undergraduate intake by around 500.
  • Steady growth in postgraduate numbers for NTU year-on-year. 
  • The numbers of students requiring accommodation has decreased. PBSA supply has increased significantly.
  • student housing market is likely to move in to surplus in 2023 by around with 3,000 bed spaces for 2022-2023.
  • Over 3,800 PBSA bed spaces on track to be delivered in Nottingham in 2023.
  • Likely to be a tricky couple of years for PBSA providers, particularly those focused on first year market, unless student numbers dramatically increase.