Housing Hand reports ‘extraordinary surge’ as record number of students scramble to find homes at last minute

• Uncertainty over Covid and Brexit has caused many students to book at the last minute
• Universities introducing a range of measures to keep staff and students safe
• Hopes high that coming academic year will be more normal than past couple

UK rental guarantor service Housing Hand has reported an ‘extraordinary surge’ in business, as a huge number of students race to book their university accommodation at the last minute.

“We’ve not seen a rush like this before. The summer months are always our busiest period for student bookings, as young people arrange their homes for the coming academic year. However, this summer we’ve seen a record number of students leaving things to the very last moment before booking their accommodation. Brexit and Covid have created the perfect storm in terms of delaying decisions around committing to the expense of accommodation for the year ahead.”

James Maguire, Head of Sales and Business Development, Housing Hand

Housing Hand is the largest and only award-winning provider of rental guarantor services in the UK. Students from the UK, EU and any other part of the world can use the company as a guarantor for their rent. This avoids the need to pay rent upfront, as the landlord is provided with the comfort of knowing that the rent will always be covered. Housing Hand also provides a free House Finder Service, which connects young people with student-friendly landlords and letting agents across the country.

As students scramble to find homes ready for the start of term, universities themselves are doing all they can to prepare for an academic year that looks a great deal more normal than the past couple have. Different institutions are taking different measures to keep their staff and students safe, with a number of innovative schemes and incentives in place to ensure that as many young people as possible have been doubled jabbed by the time lectures start.

“With the prospect of a more normal academic year finally a reality, students are rushing to find the homes that they need in time for the start of the autumn term. It’s entirely understandable why so many have left it so late, but it certainly adds to the pressure in terms of getting everything done in time for the new academic year.”

Terry Mason, Group Operations Director, Housing Hand