Students condemn price of new Riverside accommodation

The price of the new student accommodation being built in Riverside has been criticised by student housing activists.

The cheapest option for the new build, named Riverside Quay, is a lower floor three bedroom flat on a 44 week contract, which is £165 per week and an annual total of £7260.

Cian Ireland, who was elected as Housing Officer in March’s union elections, and the founder of the Tenant’s Union and Cooperative Society, said that any new purpose built student accommodation should be at a lower price that students can afford.

“The prices at the Riverside Quay development are completely unaffordable, being £53 a week above the average Scottish rent for Students. With the chronic shortage of affordable student housing any new build like this should be made of at least 25% affordable student housing.”

Ireland called on Stirling Council to provide cheaper housing for students, and for them to make sure that a percentage of new accommodation is made affordable.

“It’s clear that Stirling Council need to ensure that in any future student accommodation new build there is a provision of at least 25% affordable housing to ensure that new student housing is entering the market to offset the HMO cap.”

He added that the council should have provisions to protect vulnerable students.

“The council needs to ensure that new builds have affordable student housing provision to protect vulnerable students who are suffering as a result of the price rises from the lack of student housing supply caused by the HMO cap.”

The Stirling Student Tenant’s Union condemned the prices:

“It is representative of a damaging culture of predatory landlords in Stirling, charging extortionate rents in an attempt to take advantage of students.

“It is our opinion that any new development of student housing should be affordable for all students, not high and above normal student income.”

The accommodation is being built by Fresh Student Living, who own student accommodation all over the UK.

Riverside Quay is due to open in September 2019.

Stirling Council and Fresh Student Living have both failed to respond to the comments made by Ireland and the SSTU.