The Trials and Tribulations of Renting in St Andrews

Names have been changed

The whispers typically start in mid-November. “Did you hear they signed a flat already?” and “Yeah I’m on every agency's mailing list, but I’m so stressed.” Every year, students experience the scramble that is trying to find a flat. For all the commotion it causes, one might think that the flats in St Andrews are pristine. Instead, students are met with absent landlords, broken appliances and sky-high rent. 

After viewing his flat in April, second-year Jack James arrived to discover that the property did not match what he had seen at his viewing. “There were brown stains covering every single wall, furniture had been shattered and left with splinters across the room and black mold was visible on multiple appliances.”

Amy Allan arrived at her flat to find that the heating didn’t work. “I couldn't go to bed because I would shiver throughout the night,” she said. While the landlords fixed the heating after about a week, her fridge and washing machine remain broken and she has been living off of “three socks”. “Individual socks,” she clarified, “not even pairs.” 

Even more upsetting were the responses students received from their landlords and letting agencies. James’s landlord “refused to fix any of the property damage and instead offered to remove,” and not reinstall, “basic appliances such as the couch and microwave.” Allan described her letting agencies’ responses as, “unhelpful and unprofessional.” 

Second-year Emma Eaton emailed her agency about a mold infestation only for them to stop responding.“They said they couldn’t clean any of the mold up,” she recalled. “They said it was our fault, somehow.”

Despite the conditions detailed above, student rent in St Andrews is still quite high. According to home.co.uk, the average property rent for a one bedroom in St. Andrews is £1,148 — significantly higher than the national average of Scotland which is ​​£710 as of 2024 (according to the Scottish government). 

As the student body of St. Andrews is quite international, many students are not well versed in Scottish Law. When asked if they knew what their rights were as tenants all students interviewed stated they did not. So, what does the law actually say? 

Under Scottish Law, tenants have extensive and outlined rights. When it comes to broken appliances and unresponsive landlords, tenants are protected by the Repairing Standard. According to the Repairing Standard, properties rented by private tenants must meet certain standards and it is the responsibility of the landlord to ensure these standards are met. These standards include a working heating system, a safe place to store food and electrical devices in proper working order. The complete order can be found on the gov.scot website. 

Despite the law, many students still find that when appliances break in their flats, landlords are not quick to act. Formal channels exist to force landlords to comply with the repairing standard. Tenants can apply to the FTT (Housing and Property Chamber) for a determination. The FTT will consider cases and may enforce repairs by issuing a Repairing Standard Enforcement Order. This law has been in effect since March of 2024 and yet students still deal with unlawful living conditions and absent landlords and letting agencies.

Scottish law also allows for the designation of Rent Pressure Zones by local authorities. In a rent pressure zone, a cap is set for how much rent can increase for existing tenants. However, there are not currently any rent pressure zones in Scotland. 

So the question becomes, is there a more permanent solution to these issues? 

The town of St. Andrews has local representation in the form of its local councils. It is the job of these Councilors to represent the interests of their ward and constituents. The councilors who oversee St. Andrews say they have taken steps to try to aid student tenants. 

Councilor (Cllr.) Robin Lawson has campaigned for more student accommodation in recent years. By last year, “there was a surplus of space available in halls,” he said.

When asked what the role of the council should be in helping students who are without proper care, Cllr. Jane Ann Liston said, “landlords are supposed to be responsible and should all be registered with the council.” She also advocated for the need for more houses in St. Andrews. Development however, comes with its own set of issues, she explained. When a developer wants to build new housing, 25% of said housing is supposed to be “affordable.” If the housing is meant for students or retirees, the 25% rule does not apply. This means that any possible new housing may still be unaffordable for students. 

Cllr. Al Clark credited ‘Houses in Multiple Occupation’ (HMO) restrictions with the high price of rent in St. Andrews. An HMO is a property occupied by three or more people who are not from a single family. Restrictions on HMOs mean that landlords may be renting properties with three bedrooms or more to only two students when the house is suitable for more. To rent an HMO, landlords must apply for a license and planning permission which leads many to only rent two bedroom properties. 

“These restrictions cause an increase in the rents in St Andrews and reduce the amount of accommodation available to students,” Cllr. Clark said.“I have been trying to push the council to review their regulations to support students,” he explained, looking to change the current rules which limit opportunities for students and reduce the overall housing stock available for the rental market.

Despite all of these initiatives, little has changed in St Andrews. Rent has remained incredibly high in comparison to other areas in the country and students consistently face issues.

“As one of the local members of St Andrews I’d be delighted to take up cases if students wish to bring them,” Cllr. Liston offered. Perhaps this is the new channel for students to resolve issues with landlords. After all, as members of the community, the council is here to protect student interests. 

Illustration by Piper Dooley