Is there a housing crisis in Durham?

Hi

Offer holder for 2024 here. I got a chance to go to the Post Offer Visit Days and loved the campus and all. But, today, this video came into my feed:

A Crisis of Affordability? | Durham Student Housing in 2023/24
[video="youtube;p5WcoppuL8w"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5WcoppuL8w[/video]

Ngl kinda scared now. Is there really a housing crisis? Are students really paying £180-200+pppw? Do you have to find your second year house in October? Seems really scary.

Any current DU students here to reassure?

Reply 1

Durham Students

Official Rep

Original post by JoeFarmer2

Hi there

I'm a final-year student at Durham who has been living in shared houses for the past 3 years so can share my experience with you.

House prices have indeed gone up. In first year, I was paying about £475 pcm inclusive of all bills whereas now I am paying £525 pcm. It has not been a massive increase for me but I have seen other house prices going up massively. The closer you are to the main campus, the higher the rent goes. Although, this can partially be attributed to the cost of living crisis and the rise in energy bills which has ultimately inflated the rent.

Students have been in a state of scare because they think houses will run out but that is definitely not the case. I would advise against signing a house in October because you'd be doing it in a rush without knowing who you'll be living with. It's better to wait until the end of Michaelmas term to find houses as you'd know people on a much more personal level and thus can decide whether you want them to be your housemates or not. Also, houses are still being advertised by estate agents, students and landlords on the Facebook group, which shows that rooms are still available and there is no need to rush.

Hope that helps :smile: