Ask any student how often they use the sauna in their student accommodation and the answer probably won’t surprise you. With lectures, part time jobs, assignments and, most importantly, socialising, it would seem paying an extra sum each week for a sauna is unnecessary expenditure.  Why is it then, when developers build purpose built student accommodation, they ignore the financial restrains of the many, for the needless additions that suit the few?

The basic maintenance loan for students starting university in September 2017 works out at £136.50 per week, spread over 52 weeks, meaning students need to be frugal with their money. Juggling rent, food, bills, gym membership and socialising, many students will learn to budget for the first time by moving to University; in fact a recent article on Yahoo explained that many may not be budgeting enough money for living costs, according to a poll by YouthSight.

With this in mind, there are a few things that student accommodation developers can do to make high quality living more accessible to students, whilst ensuring they have enough money left at the end of the month to enjoy university life.

Building design

Buildings can be designed in a way that makes the most of the communal spaces available, allowing students to socialise, make friends and spend time in their new home. If the communal areas are unkempt, lacking in resources and uninviting, then students will spend more time, and money, outside of their accommodation.

CityBlock’s student accommodation is designed around the whole student experience, ensuring high quality accommodation that provides value and fantastic facilities at a reasonable price, meaning students can use the remainder of their budget each week to enjoy everything else their new cities have to offer.

Offering

To know you are providing what students are happy to pay for, you have to talk to them. We regularly conduct surveys and focus groups, asking students what they want and what they need from their student accommodation, in order to understand their priorities and what is feasible.

Key for students is a space to socialise with friends, so we build communal areas that allow residents to congregate and share their time together, to deliver a sense of community. We have also included 24 hour security, student welfare managers and on-site maintenance, making the student accommodation experience as smooth as possible for our residents and ensuring value for money.

Budgeting

Gas, electric, internet, water, rent; the list of bills students will receive is endless. This, alongside deadlines, exams, part time work and actually enjoying their university life can cause unprecedented amounts of stress for students.  One way to help alleviate this is to roll all outgoings into one manageable payment. When a student moves into CityBlock, they have one payment to manage, that can be paid in full or termly, depending on their financial situation.

We understand what it’s like to be a student in today’s economy; we know it can be hard. There doesn’t need to be the extreme gap between £2500+ a month student accommodation, which boasts sauna rooms and personal chefs, and the stereotypical dingy student bedsit. Today, thanks to an understanding of the economy and a considered approach to design and amenities, students can have the best of both worlds with CityBlock. We’re all about students – their welfare, their experiences and their new homes.