University rent strikers launch wave of building occupations across country

Rent strike groups have formed across the UK, Zoe Tidman writes

Students camp out in an occupied building on Sheffield Hallam campus (Supplied)

“We have had to escalate the rent strike to just get them in the room, really,” a Sheffield Hallam student tellsThe Independent from an occupied building on campus. 

Since the coronavirus pandemic struck, rent strike groups - made up of students withholding rent to demand concessions and commitments from universities - have formed across the UK.

And on Wednesday, students at Sheffield Hallam, Sheffield, Manchester and Nottingham universities decided to take their protest to the next level, occupying and hanging signs from campus buildings.

At Sheffield Hallam, students have vowed not to leave until the university meets their demands, which includes having discussions with the rent strike group and firm action against sexual violence on campus.

Images show student occupiers camping out on the floor in sleeping bags.

The group has also called for the university to end relationships with accommodation providers who do not offer students “substantial” rent rebates for the second term, which has been online for many students.

Students at the University of Manchester hang flags out of an occupied building on campus (Supplied)

The Hallam student in the occupied Cantor building, who wished to stay anonymous, said students should get rent off the last two terms due to the lack of face-to-face teaching. “There’s no reason why we needed to be in university,” he added. 

In the same city, the University of Sheffield is facing a building occupation on campus, with protesters demanding a rent reduction of at least 30 per cent for the rest of the academic year.

The students - who took over the Arts Tower on Wednesday - have also called for a full rent refund for the duration of England’s latest lockdown, which saw many students unable to return to campus and studying online for months.

All students will be allowed back for face-to-face teaching from next month, after some have been at home since the Christmas holidays.

While many universities offered refunds or waived fees for these students, Universities UK said most students live in accommodation run by private landlords or providers.

But protesters are unhappy with the whole university experience, not just during lockdown.

Speaking from an occupied building at the University of Nottingham campus, Joel Butterworth tellsThe Independent: "We were told to come to university that would have a relatively normal year. That has not been the case.”

He adds: “We’ve paid for a streaming service. A lot of lectures have been on YouTube."

Nottingham University students on rent strike have occupied a building on campus in protest (Supplied)

Butterworth is one of a group of students who took over the Engineering and Science Learning Centre on Wednesday to demand tuition fee rebates for this academic year, rent rebates for all students and students allowed to leave accommodation contracts with no penalty.

“If we were forced to see our university degrees as like a product that we’re buying into, we need like rights to say, “No, this isn’t worth what I’m paying for’,” the second-year tellsThe Independent. 

He added: “We’re basically at the will of the university to give us like any rebates.”

Last week, the universities minister said students unhappy with tuition fees should first take up concerns with their university and - if unsatisfied - with the Office of the Independent Adjudicator “which can lead and has led to fee refunds”.

In Nottingham, Butterworth said the atmosphere in the Engineering and Science Learning Centre was “quite peaceful”, with a lot of protesters having deadlines.

“I am just working on an essay,” he tells The Independent from the occupied building.

Over in Manchester, protester Barnaby Fournier paints a similar picture. “We are mostly studying at the moment,” he tells The Independent.

His rent strike group is calling for a 30 per cent rent rebate for all students in university halls for semester two, after a successful campaign - including a tower occupation - the term before.

Izzy Smitheman, another occupier, says this is because there are continued problems with accommodation - such as leakages - and the fact students are paying to "simply just be on the campus and do online learning".

They also want a £1,500 cash rebate for students, the introduction of elections for leadership positions and a commitment of no compulsory staff redundancies.

Ms Smithman said the university has"continued to prioritise profit over student welfare at every term" and “ignore students”, citing last month’s vote of no confidence in the university’s vice-chancellor.

The group also wants to end police patrols on campus, which have been described as “heavy-handed”.

Lucy, another Manchester occupier, tells The Independent security have been “fairly aggressive” amid the protest.

And in Sheffield Hallam, a video has emerged of an occupier pinned to the ground by a security guard.

The student told The Independent he was held by the guard for “one or two minutes” despite doing nothing to “struggle” or suggest he “might be violent”.

Sheffield Hallam said they were investigating the incident.

The university said it supports students’ right to peaceful protest and would continue to talk to protesters.

Sheffield Hallam - which does not own any accommodation -also said it was “working closely with accommodation providers to try and ensure that tenancy agreements reflect the current circumstances” and has a zero tolerance approach to sexual harassment and violence.

The University of Nottingham said it has not charged for unused accomodation since the start of the year, and has made more than £1.75m available for students struggling financially due to the pandemic.

"While we will facilitate peaceful and respectful protest, we will not be negotiating or considering any demands from unofficial protest groups,” a spokesperson said.

A University of Manchester spokesperson said students were occupying part of a building “without permission”, adding: “We would ask that the students leave.”

They said the university understands some students have concerns and would continue to work with elected representatives.

A Sheffield University spokesperson said the institution”supports the ability of students to express their views peacefully within the law”

“However the university does not condone occupation of a building which causes disruption for other students and we would ask those in occupation to leave,” they added.