In what is a perfect situation for residential landlords, education chiefs are asking landlords to come to their rescue. A university in Northern England is appealing to landlords to come forward and offer accommodation to its students.
Cumbria University is desperately trying to find landlords willing to take on at least 100 students. Lucy Roberts, Commercial Services Manager for the Carlisle Campus at the seat of learning, said that landlords in the area seeking tenants should contact her immediately.
She went on to say that landlords should not fear the reputation of students being bad tenants but grasp the opportunities available. Explaining how the residential landlord could prosper she said “As long as there is a good contract in place and deposits have been paid we have less reported problems than you might think. We have had at least 100 inquiries from new students and are hoping to solve the accommodation problem through the private sector.”
Landlords should bear in mind that to rent to students from the university they must be registered with the appropriate authorities. In this case landlords must register with the County Council and meet all Health and Safety requirements. Landlords would also be well advised to take out landlord insurance.
It is thought the shortfall in accommodation has come about because the university has taken on more students through the “clearing system” to alleviate the shortage of places at universities throughout the country.