The rise (and luxury) of student accommodation and what service partners need to deliver

Now worth c£60 billion, the student accommodation sector is booming, especially as we enter the 2022-2023 academic year which will see another increase in the number of full-time students embarking on their university journey.

As an academic powerhouse, the UK attracts some 2 million+ students to its universities each year. With that comes a huge demand for student accommodation so it’s no surprise that there has been significant growth in purpose-built student accommodation over the last few years. And, it shows no signs of slowing down, with almost 25,000 new student beds entering the market during the last academic year alone across 35 locations.

The student accommodation landscape has certainly changed – gone are the days of living in a box room and sharing a kitchen and bathroom with an entire floor! Student accommodation now represents superior, award-winning, modern living spaces with a true home-from-home feel, all uniquely designed around the student experience, which sits at the heart of all new developments.

It’s a huge step moving out of the family home for the first time and stepping into the big wide world of independence! The generation now that will become full time university students over the next few years have grown up with everything at their fingertips; televisions, mobile phones, devices, information….they live in a world of instant communication and so student accommodation has to live up to their expectations. They want to have space that allows them to thrive academically whilst having fun and, more importantly, feeling safe, as they live away from their parents and family probably for the first time as young adults.

More than 1.18 million students live and study outside of their home region, and more than 25% of the student population in this country comes from outside of the UK, which is why the student experience is key. Student accommodation represents a student’s first new home, where they will spend a large part of their time studying, relaxing and socialising. It’s got to be welcoming, homely and safe, but not just from a design aspect; it’s the people there that make the biggest impact to the student experience.

We work with some of the biggest operators of student accommodation in the UK, and it’s without doubt their property teams that make a lasting impact on their student tenants. It takes a special kind of person to be there to ensure the smooth running of the property; to make the students and their visitors feel welcome and at home; to provide assistance in the small hours; and to be that someone who stops for a chat after a stressful day or week of studying and taking exams. It’s these people that often represent the missing link between university and home, and as trusted partners to our clients, it’s imperative that our people do the same.

We have been delivering front-of-house and concierge services within the student accommodation sector for more than ten years, with our people wholly embedded in the property teams for our clients such as Greystar, Unite Students and Downing Students.

Our people are there for the students in the same way as our clients’ staff, ensuring the smooth running of each property and the safety and welfare of the students. As such, we ensure our people are trained to the highest standards in customer care, health & safety and safeguarding, to deliver over and above our clients’ expectations.

We are a trusted extension to our clients’ own teams, and it’s more important than ever that the student experience lies at the heart of our service.

Chroda FM is fast becoming the provider of choice within the student accommodation sector, with our service delivery aligned to the superior and prestigious standards of the buildings themselves. To find out more about how we can support your property team to create the best student experience, contact us today!