A student accommodation platform is calling on the government to provide urgent financial aid to students and halls during the national lockdown.
Housemates – backed by Allied Students and Herbal Hill Studios – is arguing for more support at institutional and private levels; enabling rebates for any students who’ve paid for accommodation they’re not allowed to use.
The platform stated that university students are already facing “an extremely difficult start to their working life due to the pandemic and recession” and that immediate government intervention is required to remedy the situation.
Lydia Jones, founder and CEO of Housemates, said there is real risk of “a knock-on effect that will impact the higher education and PBSA sectors, local university towns and greater economy for years to come.”
Lydia stated: “Students have been blamed and dismissed a lot during the pandemic by Government and higher education institutions, often being described as irresponsible, immature or childish, and with some institutions suggesting they should treat lockdown as a ‘retreat’.
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“Yet, when it comes to attending university, they are adults – they leave their homes to travel hundreds even thousands of miles to make a life choice and commitment to education. They are then asked to sign contracts and take on huge debts and legal liabilities.
“It is unacceptable for them to be treated differently from other consumers, especially when they are crucial to the future of our economy and need urgent support to enter the working world.”
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UoM Rent Strike
Danielle, studying at UWE, said she has spent a total of 16 days in her halls but is still being overcharged.
“They are offering students two weeks of a rent refund, but have phrased this as 50% off of four weeks rent,” explained the student.
“We won’t get any actual money back too – only credit for our last instalment and that discount won’t apply until around April anyway.
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“It’s simply not enough and I feel like we are being treated like cash cows rather than humans.”
Housemates said it is hoping to improve the situation by launching a new service in March 2021 – whereby students can request and pay for their selected accommodation dates at a time that suits them.
The company said the solution will provide flexibility for students whilst helping operators fill occupancy for the academic year despite low consumer confidence.
IMAGE: David Dixon / Geograph
Meanwhile, rent protests are still continuing across the UK – with UoM Rent Strike holding a national rally earlier this week.
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The series of protests have been described as “the largest student rent strike(s) in 40 years”.
According to protestors, campaigns are due to take place across 55 university campuses throughout 2021 – with £2,000 already raised via JustGiving for resources.
Uom Rent Strike – alongside Students Before Profit and 9K4WHAT – took up residence in the deserted Fallowfield Owens Park tower block back in November to campaign for a rent cut after problems experienced in semester one.
The University of Manchester’s initial peace offering – a two-week rent reduction – was dismissed as “a slap in the face“.
But the students finally left after settling on a 30% rent reduction for the period up to Christmas.
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University of Manchester admitted that 2020 hadn’t been the year “any of us would have planned and we know we haven’t got everything right” – publishing a five-point accommodation pledge to students in response.
UoM also stated: “Students living in University accommodation who have not returned to that accommodation since the national lockdown announcement on 5 January will not pay any rent until the end of the current restrictions or the date that they return to their accommodation in Manchester.”
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Law requiring landlords to repair hazards within 24 hours comes into effect
Emily Sergeant
Landlords will now have 24 hours to repair hazards reported to them as a new law comes into effect across England.
The law taking effect today comes after a ‘landmark’ new social housing bill – which was given the Royal Ascent to become law in July 2023 – was proposed and approved in early January last year.
‘Awaab’s Law’ is named after Greater Manchester toddler Awaab Ishak, who tragically died in 2020 as a result of prolonged exposure to mould in his Rochdale home, a coroner ruled back in 2022, and following his death, the Government had been pledging to deliver the new reforms.
But today (Monday 27 October), the first part of the law finally comes into effect.
This means that all social landlords – generally the local council, or a housing association – will from now be required to repair any hazards which are reported to them within 24 hours.
Landlords must also investigate ‘significant’ damp and mould within 10 working days of being notified, and then make properties safe in five working days.
For both types of hazards, they must also write the findings to tenants within three working days of inspection.
On top of that, as part of the reforms, landlords now must also consider the circumstances of tenants which could put them at risk – including young children and those with disabilities or health conditions – and alternative accommodation must also be offered if homes cannot be made safe within the required timeframes.
Awaab’s Law is being called a ‘lasting legacy’ to the two-year-old.
“Everyone deserves a safe and decent home to live in and Awaab Ishak is a powerful reminder of how this can sadly be a matter of life or death,” commented Housing Secretary, Steve Reed, as Awaab’s Law comes into effect today.
“Awaab’s family has fought hard for change and their work to protect millions of tenants’ lives will live on as a legacy to their son.
“Our changes will give tenants a stronger voice and force landlords to act urgently when lives are at risk, ensuring such tragedies are never repeated.”
More of Awaab’s Law will be phased in both next year and in 2027 to make homes safer from more hazards, the Government has confirmed.
Featured Image – GMP / Family Handout
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The Greater Manchester high street that now has THREE great wine bars in a 200m stretch
Daisy Jackson
A popular suburb of Greater Manchester seems to be having a bit of a wine bar moment – and for once, we’re not talking about Stockport.
Prestwich has a buzzing little food and drink scene, and just this week has welcomed a brand-new wine bar.
That brings the total number of wine bars in the village to three – and they’re all in just a 200m stretch of the high street.
The latest addition is Cellar Door, headed up by siblings Ben and Sarah and sitting side-by-side with acclaimed neighbourhood restaurant The Pearl.
Cellar Door joins long-standing favourite Whole Bunch Wines (formerly known as Grape to Grain) and the new-ish Chin Chin, which comes from the same team behind Elnecot in Ancoats.
And beyond that, The Pearl has a ‘wine window’ where they’ll pass your drink out to you to drink on their pavement bistro tables.
If you much prefer a decent glass of wine instead of a pint, Prestwich is becoming the new hotspot for a bar crawl.
Read on for more on each of these brilliant independent businesses.
Cellar Door
Cellar Door is the newest wine bar to open in Prestwich. Credit: The Manc Group
The newest wine bar on the Prestwich high street is Cellar Door, opened just this month by brother and sister Ben and Sarah.
It’s their first project together and is stocked with more than 200 different wines, plus plenty of beers (including some local names), selected batched cocktails served ice-cold, and a menu of nibbles too.
Spanning two floors, there’s a sunny balcony upstairs for sunnier days, but in the meantime, get cosy in a booth with a glass of something from their VAST vino collection.
Whole Bunch Wines (formerly Grape to Grain) wine shop in Prestwich. Credit: The Manc GroupWhole Bunch Wines (formerly Grape to Grain) wine shop in Prestwich. Credit: The Manc Group
An ‘off licence with a difference’, Whole Bunch Wines (which used to be known as Grape to Grain) is Prestwich’s original spot for a wine.
Almost a decade old now, Whole Bunch Wines has a proper enomatic wine machine which means you can have a glass of their chosen bottles each week (without committing to a full bottle – though no judgement if you do want to do that too).
They also have a counter stuffed with cheese, meat and fresh bread so you can customise yourself a deli board.
There’s not much better than grabbing a bottle to take away from Whole Bunch, then changing your mind and cracking it open sat on one of the barrel tables outside instead.
Last but definitely not least on this mini wine crawl around Prestwich is Chin Chin.
This lovely spot comes from the team behind Elnecot, who initially opened it as Dokes Pizzeria (but then Rudy’s opened up opposite and honestly, who can be arsed) before pivoting it to be a wine bar.
There’s jazz vinyls playing, an enormous selection of rotating wines, a smart interior of tiled tabletops and moody red paint, and – a weekly highlight for locals – Sunday Sessions with roast dinner-inspired sandwiches and £4 pints.
The Manc -
28th January 2021 
