Overnight Queueing for Student Housing Highlights Oxford Brookes Demand

People commonly queue overnight for events like Glastonbury camping, new store openings, or Wimbledon tickets. However, Bella Barnes, a first-year accounting and finance student at Oxford Brookes University, reported waiting in line for 24 hours solely to secure accommodation for her upcoming second year. Letting agency Finders Keepers announced the “launch” of its student accommodation at 09:00 GMT on Tuesday, operating on a “first come, first served” application system. Victoria Lyall, representing the company, stated they “actively discourage” queuing and affirmed “plenty of properties to go around,” yet Ms. Barnes indicated she felt she had no alternative. Ms. Barnes recounted that she and her four housemates initially located their desired property online. She quoted the instructions for applying for a viewing: “‘you need to come to our doors at 9am on Tuesday… it’s first come first served’.” They positioned themselves in the queue in fourth place at 09:00 on Monday. By Tuesday morning, “at least 40 people” were observed waiting for the letting agent’s office to open. Ms. Barnes explained that she and her housemates managed the wait in shifts. She personally queued from 17:00 on Monday until 03:00 on Tuesday, then came back shortly before 09:00. She mentioned they brought blankets and food, and that morale overnight remained “quite high.” She added, “‘Music was playing, everyone was having a bit of a laugh’.” Nevertheless, she described the experience as “tough.” She stated, “‘When we left our toes were very cold’.” She characterized the housing market in Oxford as “crazy,” noting that individuals walked along the queue throughout the night, inquiring about properties others intended to apply for, to avoid waiting for a house already targeted by someone further ahead. Ms. Barnes and her housemates successfully secured their desired rental house, but she expressed, “‘assuming we’re going to have to do this again next year’.” Eleanor Madeley, office manager for Finders Keepers, attributed the situation to “a lack of supply” of quality student housing in specific areas of the city, leading to “strong demand” upon property launches. She added, “‘Having said that, in previous years we have still had properties of all sizes available beyond this launch week and even up to August, right before term starts’.” Ms. Lyall stated that the agency had implemented several measures to enhance the process’s “fair and efficient” nature, such as staggering the launch based on property size and advising students to pre-register some essential information. A spokesperson for Oxford Brookes University confirmed that the institution provides its own accommodation options and guidance for students seeking private rentals. They added, “‘Further support for students, including tips for finding housing and understanding tenancy agreements, is available through Brookes Union’s housing guide.'” They also noted, “‘Students can also contact the University’s dedicated accommodation team throughout the academic year for advice and guidance on housing.'” For further updates, BBC Oxfordshire is available on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. This article is Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC does not endorse or take responsibility for the content of external sites. Details on the BBC’s external linking policy are accessible.