Closed petition End Discrimination in Student Housing

Closed on 30 March 2015

Canvassing students at Bournemouth University, it quickly became apparent that a large number of us struggle to meet the requirements of rental agents with regards to providing a guarantor.
This ends in embarrassment and frustration for students who do not have family members who are home owners. They face losing their holding fee, being unable to live with friends and severe difficulty in finding accommodation beyond the first year.
Students with parent home owners often face family disputes over the requirement and feel disempowered in their moves towards adulthood by having to be vouched for by a parent.
We request that research is conducted into alternatives, including a situation where the Student Loan Company acts as guarantor for students. Any default would either be taken from the students' next grant amount, or added to the sum total of their loan. This would smooth the move from first to second year for undergraduates, whilst placing accountability with the individual