Sheffield trades council backs city university students as they join historic rent strike

Sheffield’s Trade Union Council (TUC) has shown its support for the city’s university students who have pledged to withold rent on accommodation they cannot use due to Covid lockdown restrictions.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Thousands of students in Sheffield have joined their peers from over 45 other campuses across the country in an historic rent strike amid growing frustration that they’re being billed for empty rooms and are still paying their full tuition fees despite receiving a curtailed university experience.

They want rebates or reductions on rent and are calling on institutions for more support as financial pressures grow.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Martin Mayer, secretary of Sheffield TUC, said the group “wholeheartedly” supports the city’s university students in the strike.

Students from Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield are joining an historic rent strikeStudents from Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield are joining an historic rent strike
Students from Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield are joining an historic rent strike
Read More
Sheffield university Vice-Chancellor welcomes extra £50 million for struggling s...

He said: “Sheffield has one of the largest student populations with two big universities, so this has an even bigger impact here. We are concerned that students are being charged rent for accommodation they cannot use, and we call on both universities to cancel these charges now.”

Students who are unable to return to accommodation owned or managed by the University of Sheffield have had their rent payments frozen until mid-February.

And, while Sheffield Hallam University does not own or manage any of its own accommodation, the institution has urged private landlords and accommodation providers to offer rent rebates and reductions to students.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Zac Larkham, who is part of Sheffield Hallam’s rent strike, said “We really appreciate the support from Sheffield’s trade unions, their solidarity and support for us in our struggle against the landlords and universities is vital in pressuring the universities to take the side of students.”

Mr Mayer said the pandemic has “shone a light on what is wrong with our university sector.”

He added: “This pandemic has exposed the failure of the marketisation of higher education, with universities endangering student safety by rushing to get them back to lectures to justify the exorbitant tuition fees, only to back down when COVID spread through the student population like wildfire and into the community.

“We blame the Government too for speeding the return of students back to university after the summer break before it was safe to do so, a very significant factor in causing the ‘second wave’.

"We need to make urgent changes now and not see another generation of heavily indebted students struggling to make ends meet.”