A mum who has been trying to help her son find somewhere to live while he studies at university says she has called more than 200 agents but has got nowhere. Patrícia Silva said that most of the time they don't even return her calls or messages.
Patrícia lives in Portugal, but is shortly due to travel to the UK to help her son, Rodrigo, who needs to find somewhere to live from September when he returns to The University of the West of England (UWE) after a year studying away. During his second year of studying at UWE he was forced to spend his first two months living in a hotel, paying around £500 a week, reports Bristol Live.
Bristol Live said that finding a home in the city was harder than ever, but for foreign students it was even more difficult, as they require an English guarantor. Patrícia has paid for this service, however most agents do not accept this form.
She said: "It's been a nightmare. We have called so many people and no one gets back to us. I will have to go over there, it's very hard to even arrange an appointment. In Portugal, we have a service in which you can pay for them to find your accommodation. There needs to be something similar in Bristol.
"It's a big worry for me and my son. We don't know where he will live. We are happy to pay up-front, no one seems to want international students."
She has reached out to the university, but said it had not been able to offer any support.
A UWE spokesman said: "We are sorry to learn this student has not managed to secure accommodation in Bristol for September 2023. Bristol has become an increasingly popular city to live in and has a very competitive marketplace for accommodation in the private rental sector.
“We recommend that students begin their search for private rental housing in November or December, ahead of starting their course in September. UWE Bristol’s Accommodation Services team supports students in their first year to find university-owned accommodation. Students in later years of study at the university are supported by the Students’ Union Advice Centre, which offers independent advice on private renting issues: https://www.thestudentsunion.co.uk/advice-centre/contactus/.”
Their situation is echoed across the city, with hundreds of renters struggling to find somewhere to live. One woman told Bristol Live she couldn't rent a small one-bed flat because she was not earning £29K.
