Marte Vesterås (27) moved to Sogndal three weeks ago to start at the University of Western Norway. But when she got to the dormitory she had rented, she turned the door. – There were forgotten shoes in the hallway, old food in the cupboard from the people who lived there before and the light in the bathroom didn’t work. It was simply very creepy. A few years ago, she probably had to make do with the room in the collective she had agreed on. But this autumn, the situation is turned on its head. – I checked hybel.no and ten minutes later I was on another show. I moved in the same day, and felt very comfortable, she says. – Landlords get a reality check The reason why the students have so much to choose from is that only 85 per cent of the students showed up for the start of their studies in August. It was Sogn Avis that first wrote about the changing dormitory crisis in Sogndal. Sogndal University has 716 new students this year, while last year there were close to 1,000 new students. This means that a number of dormitories are now empty. Photo: Geir Bjarte Hjetland / news But in the rest of the country, the situation is completely different, many are entering the new school year. Recent figures from the student associations show that 4,587 people are queuing up to get student accommodation. It is a significant improvement from the last two weeks, when nearly 10,000 queued. Since 15 August, 1,064 students have received student accommodation. In Sogndal, the student dropout has led to a number of landlords being left with empty flats. It is probably about 150–160 units in total. From a student perspective, the situation is absolutely great, says Johanne Sofie Iversen (25), campus trustee at the University of Western Norway in Sogndal. – For a long time there have been few residences and many students, something many landlords take advantage of, she says, adding that this also applies in many other parts of the country. Now Iversen hopes that the dormitory situation can lead to a reality check for the unscrupulous landlords, so that they raise the standard and lower the prices, which are “extremely high”. Can pick and choose At the student association Saman, which is by far the largest landlord in Sogndal, the situation is quite similar. Everything is rented out there and the waiting lists are long, says professional director Vigdis Valeberg Høyheim. – What does it mean for the students that they can now choose from so many dormitories? – It is positive. This could lead to the unscrupulous actors possibly being picked away, the prices falling and the standard being raised. Now the students can pick and choose. Jørgen Sakshaug is among those who have noticed this. – The fact that the selection is large also makes the prices more favorable. And should something go wrong, it is not impossible to get out of the tenancy either, says the student. Will sting for homeowners That a number of landlords are now standing with empty flats in study towns such as Sogndal is not usual. That’s what Jan Erik Mardal, district manager of Sogn og Fjordane in the Home Owners’ National Association, says. The vast majority of study places have a lot of pressure. After there has been strong pressure on the rental market in Sogndal for several years, the situation is quite different this year. Photo: Simon Skjelvik Brandseth / news For landlords without rental income, their wallets will burn in the future. – Housing costs and rent are on the way up, so there will be great financial pressure on the landlords now, says Mardal, who believes that the situation will eventually normalize. – Can the competitive situation in Sogndal push for higher quality on the hyblane? – I think the standard is quite good. The student association has a number of housing estates, so that has probably meant that many in the private sector have already increased the quality, Mardal believes. – Great pressure across the country The Norwegian Student Organization (NSO) believes that the situation the students face in Sogndal is far from normal in Norway today. Maika Marie Godal Dam says it is too expensive to live across the country on today’s student budget. Photo: ISMAIL BURAK AKKAN / news – The students face a pressured rental market with high rental prices. Our weak economic situation often means that we have to take what we get, says Maika Marie Godal Dam, leader of the organisation. She points out that 1 in 5 students say they live in flats with damp, damage and other health-damaging conditions. In addition to expensive rent, the students also notice that the expenses in society are increasing – something that the student aid does to a lesser extent.
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4,587 students are still in the housing queue, but in Sogndal there is a tenant’s market in Sogndal – news Vestland
