Gap in Standard of Student Accommodation Widens Across the UK

Survey Reveals That Top-End Student Accommodation has Reached New Heights of Luxury While Some Private Halls Providers are Leaving up to Half of Their Residents Dissatisfied.

LONDON, August 25, 2010 - A national survey of over 10,000 students across the UK reveals the
changing face of student living. While some students are paying more than
GBP150 per week for accommodation, which can include everything from en-suite
bathrooms to private fitness facilities and weekly cleaners, conditions for
students on budgets of less than GBP60 per week can be much more difficult.

Nearly one in five students in private rented housing who responded to
the National Student Housing Survey reported problems getting repairs done
and, despite the declining trend (down from 24% in 2009), a further one in
five private renters are still living in houses with six or more bedrooms.

The picture in halls of residence is also mixed. While many universities
still manage their own halls, there is a growing trend for institutions to
partner with private companies or outsource their accommodation provision
altogether.

Overall satisfaction levels are good in both university and private
halls, with 85% rating their accommodation positively, but closer examination
of private halls in particular reveals a huge disparity between the top
performers and the rest. Of the six major private halls providers examined,
one had satisfaction scores of just 50% and over 40% said their relationship
with the management was 'Bad' or 'Very Bad'. While all halls have problems
with noise, ratings again vary considerably between providers.

"The private student accommodation market is increasingly competitive, so
it is important that students and their parents consider all the options
available to them very carefully. We believe that providing students with
quality, secure and well managed accommodation allows them to focus on
achieving the best academic results possible to secure their future. Whatever
your budget, our advice is to shop around to ensure you know exactly what you
are paying for and make sure there are no hidden extras."

- Charles Marshall, BRANDEAUX / Liberty Living- 2010 Best Private Halls
Provider

To download the full research report please visit
www.nshs.co.uk/download/2010/

Awards

Each year the results of the National Student Housing Survey are used to
calculate three awards designed to recognise the achievements of
organisations who are leading the way in improving accommodation standards
for students.

The 2010 awards winners are:

Best University Halls is awarded to the institution demonstrating the
highest levels of student satisfaction amongst residents. The 2010 award goes
to Lancaster University.

Best Private Halls Provider is awarded to the private halls provider
achieving the highest levels of satisfaction amongst residents. The 2010
award goes to BRANDEAUX / Liberty Living.

Best Student Living Experience is awarded to the town, city or locality
achieving the highest levels of student satisfaction in the private rented
housing sector. The 2010 award goes to the City of Stirling.

About the National Student Housing Survey

The National Student Housing Survey (NSHS) is an annual survey of
students in higher education across the UK. The survey measures satisfaction
levels in all types of accommodation, and allows participating institutions
to measure their performance against national and regional benchmarks. The
2010 survey attracted over 10,000 responses from more than 120 universities
and colleges across the UK.

The project is managed by Red Brick Research, an independent market
research agency with a specialist practice working with students in Higher
Education. For further information, please visit www.nshs.co.uk/ or
www.redbrickresearch.co.uk/ .

    Contact:

    Tim Daplyn
    (Managing Director)
    tdaplyn@redbrickresearch.co.uk
    +44(0)844-884-5498

Contact: Tim Daplyn (Managing Director), tdaplyn at redbrickresearch.co.uk, +44(0)844-884-5498