Stirling Uni students hold rally opposing rent rises amid claims some may be forced on to 'double digit budgets'

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Students at Stirling University have led angry calls for the institution to reverse rent increases which they believe will hit some of the poorest attendees hardest.The Solidarity Space society hosted a rally last week opposing changes to rent increases which they say are between seven and nine per cent - including rents which had been frozen in prior years to help students on lower incomes.It believes the move means that rent costs in the cheapest accommodation for those on the lowest level of student loan could leave them facing what it describes as a “double digit budget” to live on per month.At the rally, attendees including the National Union of Students president Ellie Gomersall, demanded a reversal of the rises and rent freezes to be introduced across the board.However, a Stirling University spokesperson denied claims that it had introduced the rent rises in late March without any announcement and said the revised rents would be in place for the next academic year, with no impact on existing accommodation contracts.The anger over rent rises follows on from other complaints by students regarding the condition of accommodation provided at the university.A Stirling Solidarity Space statement said: “The university is raising rent amidst a cost of living crisis, we simply cannot afford it.“We need rent controls immediately which include student accommodation.“At the Stirling Solidarity Space we have been canvassing student halls over the past couple of years, with support from our students union.“We’ve found all sorts of problems which have just been ignored such as; flats with insect infestations, mould in bathrooms, windows which either don’t open or don’t close, heating and hot water turned off for weeks, doors