The case in summary: The Norwegian Student Organization (NSO) warns of a student housing crisis, with a shortage of almost 14,000 student housing. A landlord in Bergen experienced enormous interest in an apartment she put up for rent, and ended up with 10 potential tenants who all bid exactly the same. NSO has a target that 20% of students should be able to live in student housing, but in 2024 the coverage rate is 14.94%. The Minister for Research and Higher Education, Oddmund Hoel (Sp), believes that a national target figure could lead to too many student housing being built in some places, while there is a lack of housing in other places. Hoel says that the government adapts student housing based on what is on offer on the private market, and that the municipalities also have a responsibility to prioritize land for student housing. NSO leader Ingdal Hovdenak believes that the situation is serious, and that many students are desperate and willing to offer to pay more for housing. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s ​​journalists before publication. – It is heartbreaking to say no to such desperate students. That’s what Mona Kristin Schnell says. This summer, she put the lower floor up for rent through Finn.no. Schnell, who is an experienced landlord, says she has never experienced similar interest in the small apartment in Sandviken in Bergen. – It was absolutely enormous. In the end, I was left with 10 potential tenants, who all applied exactly the same, she says. Many of the candidates were supposed to start their studies in Bergen in the autumn, but were in other cities. Some of them therefore offered to rent without having seen the apartment. Others were willing to pay more in rent, according to Schnell. – It was completely impossible to choose between them, so it was pretty much just flipping coins and kroner, she says. – A serious situation Fresh figures from the Student Housing Survey 2024 show that Bergen has one of the lowest offers of student housing in the country. – We have enough to think about before the start of studies, but have to spend a lot of time looking for and fighting for a roof over our heads, says Kaja Ingdal Hovdenak, the head of NSO. The Norwegian Student Organization (NSO) fears that students will drop out of studies as a result of a lack of housing before the start of their studies. In Bergen, one of Norway’s largest student cities, only 13.77% of students are offered student housing. Photo: Ola Hana / news The student leader is concerned that new students will give up their study place and this out of their studies, due to a lack of housing and poor student finances. The students’ annual housing survey The Norwegian Student Organization (NSO) is a national interest organization for student democracies at 34 different Norwegian universities and colleges. The student democracies represent approximately 270,000 students. NSO’s aim is to promote students’ professional, social and economic interests. The student housing survey has since 1991 been the most important source of information on Norwegian students’ living conditions. The survey is published by NSO every summer, with updated figures both for the overall national coverage rate, as well as figures for the individual student association and each place of study. “Coverage rate” shows the proportion of students who have the opportunity to live in student accommodation owned by the student associations. NSO’s overall goal is a national coverage rate of at least 20 per cent, i.e. enough student accommodation to house one in five students in Norway. The figures used are only based on housing owned/distributed by the student associations. Student housing owned by student housing foundations or other private actors is not included in the survey. Student housing construction is a collaboration between the government, the host municipalities and the associations. Source: Norwegian student organization NSO has a goal that the coverage rate should be 20%. This means that 1 in 5 students should be able to live in student accommodation. But in 2024, the coverage ratio is 14.94%. In total, NSO therefore believes that there is a lack of 13,887 student homes for the students, based on their targets. By comparison, there was a shortage of 14,629 student homes last year. – At first glance this may seem undramatic, but the situation is very serious for many students. In the past year, only 15 new student housing has been built, and that is far from good enough, explains Hovdenak. The vast majority of students rent from private landlords instead of student accommodation, but the student leader believes that this is problematic in itself. – The private rental market has run amok and is out of control. Building more student housing will benefit the whole community, she says. NSO believes that more student housing will have a cooling effect on the rest of the rental market. Together with SV, they are asking the government to increase the subsidies so that more student accommodation can be built. Thinks target figures will make it worse The Minister for Research and Higher Education, Oddmund Hoel (Sp), says, on the other hand, that the government does not want to set a national target figure, as NSO does. – If we set a national target figure, we may risk that too many student homes are built in some places and remain empty, while in other places there is a lack of housing, says Oddmund Hoel. Oddmund Hoel (Sp) is chiefly responsible for higher education policy in Norway. He focuses on the positive and is therefore happy to see that the degree of coverage of student accommodation is constantly increasing. Photo: Sandra Amalie Lid Krumsvik / news The government adapts student housing based on what is on offer on the private market. For example, the degree of coverage of student accommodation in Inner Finnmark is 45%, while in Oslo it is just under 14%. – For us, it is most important that student housing is built to suit the needs at the individual study location, and that we put in extra effort where the need is greatest, says Hoel. After increased cost limits from the government, there is now a record high activity in student housing construction, with over 3,400 dormitory units under construction, according to Hoel. But he emphasizes that the municipalities also have a responsibility to prioritize land for student accommodation, if the offers are to improve. Other dormitory initiatives from the government This is what Hoel writes in an email to news: The Center Party and the Labor Party have agreed with SV on a revised national budget for 2024. We are now further strengthening the housing policy to ensure that both students and others get a safe and good place to live. We are increasing the loan limit for Husbanken by NOK three billion. NOK 500 million of this will go to student housing and NOK 500 million will go to start-up loans for first-time entrepreneurs. We will spend NOK 15.4 million to build 185 more student housing in Stavanger. During 2024, the government will submit for consultation amended guidelines for the allocation of housing bank loans for student housing, so that non-profit foundations can also receive funds from the Housing Bank to build student housing. Desperation pushes students to pay more NSO leader Ingdal Hovdenak says that she keeps hearing about similar cases like the apartment in Bergen. – It is very sad to hear about. The fact that students are willing to sign a contract without any idea what they are getting into shows that we are in a serious housing crisis. We also know that many landlords see their average as raising the price when there are many people around. The basement apartment is within a short walking distance of the center of Bergen. Otherwise completely ordinary. Photo: Agnieszka Iwanska / news Landlord Mona Kristin Schnell has heard of other landlords in the Bergen area who have also reacted to the fierce interest this summer. Hello! Do you have any tips or thoughts regarding this, or other student matters that I should check out? Then I would like to hear from you! But even though there were many interested parties for the apartment, Shcnell was not tempted to raise the price for that reason. – I have heard of landlords who do that, but I don’t think anything of it. The students have it tough enough as it is, says Schnell. Mona is now preparing the apartment for takeover, which is in just under a week. Photo: Agnieszka Iwanska / news Published 23.07.2024, at 09.12
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The landlord had to bet on students – news Vestland
