E E FR ISSUE 663 18 JAN 2017 exepose.com
EXEPOSÉ Photo: Natasa Christofidou
The real cost of living in Exeter? Cardens defends raising rental rates yet again for 2017/18
Students say rent increases are “unjustifiable” Hannah Butler Editor
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TUDENTS have voiced frustration after seeing rental prices increase yet again for the upcoming year – but Students@Cardens have defended the rise. Their properties are still cheaper than University halls or purpose-built accommodation, Cardens letting agent Ivor Bull told Exeposé. Since the 2017/18 property listings opened in Exeter, numerous students have come forward to say their property
is increasing in price next year. While often small increases – for example, £5£10 a week – these nonetheless added up to larger figures when considering the number of students in each property. “The price increase is not a sign of improvement, but greed,” said one final year student - whose 5-bed property will be increasing from £99 per week to £120 next year. Describing the rise as “wholly unjustifiable,” she added: “Cardens and other renting agencies should be deplored for playing on the anxiety of students looking for housing and exacerbating the issue of high rental costs.” Many students said they didn’t
feel the increases were justified. “The house is definitely not worth what they are now charging, especially when you think that bills aren’t included,” one modern languages student told Exeposé. The weekly rent for her 4-bed property is rising by £15 per tenant next year totalling a £60-a-week increase on the 2016/17 rental price. “I thinks it’s unjustifiable considering nothing is being done to improve the house itself,” another student said. “Our landowner is only raising prices in order to fit with the competitive market and to keep up with other raising house prices. “Not all students can pay this amount
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and compared to the prices of places such as Cardiff for example it’s completely incomparable.” Her landlord owns several properties in the city, “so really does not need to be raising his prices,” she said. “In my opinion it’s pretty selfish.” Many of the students who came forward rented through private landlords, or smaller rental agencies, including Star Lettings and Exeter Property. However, several were with Students@Cardens – a city-centre company advertising the “largest selection of accommodation available within the city.” In recent years, Exeter students have
notoriously queued outside the central Exeter estate agency in the early hours to secure properties for the upcoming year. November 2016 saw students queuing from 1am, according to Jon Cardens, agency director – and within two hours of opening, the company had let out 50 of its 300 Exeter properties. Exeposé asked Cardens what the average rental increase was for 2017/18, and whether the agency thought these raises were acceptable. However, according to letting agent Ivor Bull, there is “no clear response” to these questions.
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