Ben Nicholson - Nominated for SRC Accommodation Officer

[BenEsq]

Bon matin mes copains.
I'm running, hopping, skipping and jumping to be Accommodation Officer.
Questions, queries, quandries or qualms - I shall answer them all.

[hr]

Lions and tigers and bears...Oh my!

[Bonnie]

Ben, you lead a very busy life and have flatmates who suck: how will this affect your being Accommodation Officer?

[hr]

I love cheese.

[BenEsq]

Quoting Bonnie from 13:35, 14th Mar 2006
Ben, you lead a very busy life and have flatmates who suck: how will this affect your being Accommodation Officer?

[hr]

I love cheese.

Busy life? Yes, it's a balancing act of being Societies' Officer (my term ends before I might begin as Accommodation Officer) & Rector's Assessor & academia that so far works for me; I actually have to schedule when to sleep.

Flatmates who suck? Well, you're my flat mate Bonnie.

[hr]

Lions and tigers and bears...Oh my!

[sweet]

Are you regrowing the ginfro?

Also what useful stuff would you do if you were elected to this post?

[BenEsq]

Quoting sweet from 19:19, 14th Mar 2006
Are you regrowing the ginfro?

Also what useful stuff would you do if you were elected to this post?

Hello!

1. Yes, I am. An old lady I just passed in the street screamed "Ooooh, Highlands' hair".

2. If elected, I promise to campaign for/be involved with:

-Rent Prices: Some accommodation here more expensive than LSE – produce price comparison with other universities; commission think-tank proposal for increased student loan; campaign against estate agents’ high pricing.
-HMOs: Council cap on student flats unfair: questionnaire to all Council election candidates on student issues.
-Hall Committees: attend meetings monthly.
-Landlords’ Charter: Revamp – raise benchmark of standards; get University signed up.
-Lists online: Make renting flats easier.
-Damage charges in Halls: Reduce; make reasonable.
-Tenant contracts: Make fairer, more comprehensive and fill the legal provision gap.


[hr]

Lions and tigers and bears...Oh my!

[The Kinky Monkey]

Hi Ben,

You mentioned above about revamping the landlords charter.
How would you implement this?

Its apparent to me that:
1)The university can't accomodate all students. That goes without saying really.

2)The landlords/estate agents are charging way too much. This is because, basically they have a monopoly over the town. We NEED the accomodation, and they provide it for whatever the hell they want.

I would personally like to see an accomodation officer investigate this. Its not fair that all the landlords are like this. Its not competitive at all.

I am under the impression (from two seperate sources) that all the estate agents know each other, and all raised the benchmark for prices together, cos they know that they can get away with this. Barbara in Aikmans told me that a certain estate agent in town sent a letter to all the others and private landlords telling them that 'This was their chance to rake in some money, because loads of people would flock here'. This was in reference to when the Prince started here.

You know, it is ILLEGAL for pubs to liase with other pubs. This is to keep everything competitive. I don't see why it shouldn't be the same for estate agents/landlords. I would like a big push from the union and university to put pressure on these estate agents to back down a little.

Also, the fact that another one was charging students to have an accomodation list is appalling.

This town is becoming ridiculously expensive, especially with the accomodation prices as they are.

Regards,

Dan Holland Nominated for Nothing in Particular

P.S. I know this was basically a rant, but I'd like it to be interpreted as a question!

[hr]

Do good to all men, but at the end remember to collect your fee.

[BenEsq]

Quoting The Kinky Monkey from 19:42, 16th Mar 2006
Hi Ben,

You mentioned above about revamping the landlords charter.
How would you implement this?

Its apparent to me that:
1)The university can't accomodate all students. That goes without saying really.

Agreed.

2)The landlords/estate agents are charging way too much. This is because, basically they have a monopoly over the town. We NEED the accomodation, and they provide it for whatever the hell they want.

I would personally like to see an accomodation officer investigate this. Its not fair that all the landlords are like this. Its not competitive at all.

I am under the impression (from two seperate sources) that all the estate agents know each other, and all raised the benchmark for prices together, cos they know that they can get away with this. Barbara in Aikmans told me that a certain estate agent in town sent a letter to all the others and private landlords telling them that 'This was their chance to rake in some money, because loads of people would flock here'. This was in reference to when the Prince started here.

You know, it is ILLEGAL for pubs to liase with other pubs. This is to keep everything competitive. I don't see why it shouldn't be the same for estate agents/landlords. I would like a big push from the union and university to put pressure on these estate agents to back down a little.

Also, the fact that another one was charging students to have an accomodation list is appalling.

This town is becoming ridiculously expensive, especially with the accomodation prices as they are.

Regards,

Dan Holland Nominated for Nothing in Particular

P.S. I know this was basically a rant, but I'd like it to be interpreted as a question!

[hr]

Do good to all men, but at the end remember to collect your fee.

Since it's 2.30am, I shall respond with a rant!

It is my belief that there is a cartel - this is illegal. One of my main campaign promises is to highlight this in the public eye. It is unacceptable that the social demographics of the student population are being narrowed by the University and the Landlords. It is my belief that HMOs are no longer for student welfare and safety, but as a political tool for the council. I believe that the Uni will be receptive to making a move against Estate Agents.
The landlord's charter needs to be revamped to include referencing to pricing. I will run a full boycott of all those estate agents who do not comply. I will go to Halls before Flat hunting season and tell students they are being subject to extortion. I will let everyone know that ResBus advertising lists on the Uni website that are from unacceptable estate agents endangers student welfare and students' rights to not be extorted.
I will also be releasing a price comparison between St A's and other Unis, to highlight to prospective students the unacceptable costs here. I will not stop this until I get national press coverage. I have the contacts.
If you want more clarity, please feel free to ring me Dan.

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Lions and tigers and bears...Oh my!

[ja242]

I am under the impression (from two seperate sources) that all the estate agents know each other, and all raised the benchmark for prices together, cos they know that they can get away with this. Barbara in Aikmans told me that a certain estate agent in town sent a letter to all the others and private landlords telling them that 'This was their chance to rake in some money, because loads of people would flock here'. This was in reference to when the Prince started here.


If what you say is true then this is a serious breach of competition commission rules and should be reported to the office of fair trading. You may remember the very publicised so called 'price fixing' of public school tuition fees a month or so ago - this is the same principle (assuming it is true).

To be honest I can believe it is true - the prices for accomodation seem to be very similar across the board with different estate agents but it is difficult to put it down to price fixing/ a cartel. If you feel strongly enough about it, which I am sure we all do and you have some form of 'evidence' then somebody should contact the OFT for an investigation.

I would love to see the estate agents get nailed by the OFT and fined and told to lower their prices, but somehow I just can't see it happening.

[Bonnie]

a) Someone did get in contact with the OFT, but the OFT didn't know what a university was. (That's a jokey way of putting it, but the OFT didn't fully understand that a university could be the largest landlord in a town, considering the vast majority of universities are in large cities.)
b) We need PROOF that the landlords are running a cartel. We know they're all in bed with each other, but if we could get a copy of that letter-- of that would be GOLD!!!
DAN-- get us that letter!

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I love cheese.

[Ben Reilly]

That someone was me. The OFT was no help at all.