Students across Wales are grappling with substandard living conditions in their rented accommodations, facing issues such as mould, bed bugs, and rats, all while seeing their rents steadily increase. Campaigners are calling for urgent rent controls, arguing that students and other tenants are being “ripped off” by landlords who fail to maintain their properties but continue to charge higher rates. The situation has become particularly dire in the capital, Cardiff, where rental prices have surged by 13% in just one year. At the same time, a growing number of renters feel they have no choice but to make a housing disrepair claim to get structural issues fixed.
Students Left to Shoulder the Burden
Megan Haf, a Cardiff University student, is one of many students who have endured poor living conditions. Megan, 21, recounted the nightmare of moving into her house in Cathays, a popular student area, where she and her four housemates encountered bedbugs upon arrival.
“We had bedbugs, which we paid to have fumigated ourselves out of our own pocket, because it was unliveable, and we couldn’t move in until they were gone,” Megan explained. Despite paying for this treatment, the problems didn’t stop there. “Come Christmas time, we noticed that mould had started to appear, and it’s worsened quite rapidly, especially in our bathroom where there’s no window.”
Adding to the list of grievances, the students are now dealing with rats. Megan described the “lack of urgency” from their landlord in addressing these issues, which has made their home feel increasingly uninhabitable. “Nobody wants to be in the house, and we’re constantly having to find places outside the house to work, or even to eat now,” she said.
Despite the disrepair, Megan and her housemates face a difficult choice – move to a more expensive rental property or remain in their current situation. Unfortunately, as Megan stated, “At this point, I don’t mind – they can take my money, as long as I get a nicer house.”
Rising Rents, Declining Standards
Cardiff University student Elin Griffiths, 20, shares a similar story. Living in a house plagued by leaking bathrooms and mouldy walls, she and her housemates have struggled to cope with their deteriorating accommodation. “It is really frustrating,” said Elin, a third-year medical student. “We’re finding it really difficult to live in these conditions, especially in the winter when we’ve been getting chest infections.”
Despite these issues, their rent increased last year with no improvements to the property. “We’re paying more than last year, and the standard of the house has just got worse and worse,” Elin said, expressing frustration that their concerns were not taken seriously by the letting agent or landlord.
Letting agency CPS Homes acknowledged the delay in addressing the issues, stating that “the landlord, together with his contractors, haven’t been quick enough or effective enough” in responding. Improvements have since been initiated, but for Elin and her housemates, it was too little too late. They have already found a new place to live but were met with higher rental costs, with many houses now averaging £500 per person, often in properties shared by six to eight people.
The Broader Impact on Students
The struggle with poor housing conditions and rising rents is not unique to Megan or Elin. According to Deio Owen, vice-president of Cardiff Students’ Union, such issues are widespread. “It’s nothing new that student housing isn’t the best quality, but complaints are often not taken seriously,” Owen said. The financial strain of high rents, coupled with the stress of living in poor conditions, is taking a toll on students’ physical, mental, and academic well-being.
The Push for Rent Controls
Community and tenants’ unions like Acorn Cardiff have been vocal in their calls for rent control measures to combat these rising costs. “People are getting ripped off because they’re paying more than ever for these houses that aren’t suitable for them to be living in, or have got major issues and need repair,” said Holly Firmin from Acorn Cardiff.
Firmin acknowledged that while rent control alone won’t solve all the problems in the private rental sector, it would be an important step toward addressing the immediate crisis. “Introducing some kind of emergency rent control measure is at least going to go some way to dealing with that immediate issue,” she said.
The Welsh government has responded by considering new legislation on fair housing. While current laws, like the Renting Homes (Wales) Act, limit rent increases to once per year and require landlords to give two months’ notice, these measures haven’t been enough to keep rent affordable. In a statement, the Welsh government said that evidence from a recent consultation “identified a need for better data on rents and affordability,” which will be examined as part of a White Paper to be published later this year.
Housing Disrepair Claims: A Growing Solution?
For students and other tenants who find themselves living in properties with serious disrepair issues – such as mould, pest infestations, or structural problems, making getting legal representation may offer a potential remedy. These claims allow tenants to seek housing disrepair compensation and force landlords to make necessary repairs when they have failed to meet their obligations.
In cases like those of Megan and Elin, where landlords have been slow to respond to problems, a housing disrepair claim could be a vital tool for tenants to hold their landlords accountable. These claims can be made when landlords fail to maintain their properties to a livable standard, and tenants are left to suffer the consequences. In some cases, compensation can be awarded not only for the inconvenience caused but also for any financial costs tenants have incurred, such as paying for repairs or alternative accommodations.
With student housing increasingly becoming a financial burden on top of academic pressures, tenants may begin to explore legal avenues to protect their rights. Campaigners like Acorn Cardiff are pushing for stronger legislation to protect tenants, but in the meantime, disrepair claims offer a more immediate form of recourse for those suffering in substandard conditions.
