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‘Slum landlords, we’re coming for you’
Harvestable mushrooms, flaky walls, rising damp and huge mouldy patches. Sound familiar?
These, along with other “horror stories” from private student digs, are the focus of a recent campaign, Break The Mould, launched by a group of University of Bristol students to highlight the “dangerous levels” of mould and damp in private student accommodation.
According to data compiled by the University of Bristol’s independent newspaper, Epigram, a staggering 93 per cent of students have encountered mould or damp in their homes.
is needed now More than ever
A 2015 survey by the Students’ Union (Bristol SU) found similar results, with around 75 per cent of students reporting the same issue.
“This would allow students to leave reviews when they move out, sharing their experiences,” said Annie McNamee on Break The Mould campaign
After being ignored by landlords for so long, the students have reached breaking point, reveals Annie McNamee, co-editor-in-chief of Epigram, who had the initial idea for the Break the Mould campaign. The campaigners have a clear message for rogue landlords: “We’re coming for you.”
Bristol24/7 recently met with McNamee, who was pleasantly surprised with the overwhelming response from the student community, having gathered over 490 signatures for a petition to introduce a landlord/rent review system, similar to platforms like TripAdvisor or Checkatrade, to hold irresponsible landlords accountable.
McNamee expressed her disbelief that such a system did not already exist, especially when a large portion of students seek private accommodation after their first year. She said: “It’s becoming a real epidemic, not just in Bristol but across the country, particularly in student housing.
“We decided to take action, so Break the Mould was created to raise awareness of this issue.
“Our goal is to highlight the widespread presence of mould and the serious health risks it poses. We’re also working on establishing a rent review system.
“This would allow students to leave reviews when they move out, sharing their experiences.”
McNamee also stressed that the campaign is not just about tackling rogue landlords, but also about supporting those who care about their student tenants rather than treating them as easy “cash cows”.
“For instance, students could say, ‘This was a great house, and the landlord was very helpful,’ or, on the flip side, ‘It was always cold and damp, even when the heating was on, and the landlord did nothing to fix it,’” she added.
It has been revealed that students are spending around £700 a month on rent alone, before accounting for other expenses, for substandard digs that can slowly make them ill.
The campaigners are not entirely surprised, as they have collected accounts from students who have fallen ill due to mouldy and damp conditions, only to be brushed off by landlords who suggest, “just get a dehumidifier”.
McNamee believes many students are afraid to raise issues with landlords and simply “get on with it,” despite the toll it takes on their physical and mental health.
Private landlords are, of course, aware of the acute shortage of student accommodation in the city, which provides them with added leverage.
A 2015 survey by the Students’ Union (Bristol SU) found that around 75 per cent of students reporting issues relating to damp and mould – photo: Epigram
McNamee, however, refused to take credit for the project, stating it was the collective effort of around 30 students, particularly Livy Naylor, a final-year student and managing director of Epigram.
For the campaign, they created a Hitchcock-esque horror movie-style billboard, showing the “horror of mould.” McNamee said she wanted to create a ripple effect and reach out to Bristol SU and UWE Bristol, where the combined student population of both universities exceeds 65,000.
“Yes, it’s essentially like TripAdvisor for student housing. We’re getting closer to 500 signatures on the petition, and we’ve already received support from Lucy, the housing and student living officer. We’re now reaching out to UWE as well,” McNamee said.
“Our aim is for this to be citywide, not just limited to the University of Bristol. All students face similar issues, so we want to create a system that benefits everyone.”
She reiterated that mould is something landlords should take very seriously, citing the tragic case of toddler Awaab Ishak, who died from a severe respiratory condition caused by black mould in his home.
Lucy Pears, housing and student living officer, said: “I’m very happy to support the work that Epigram is doing with the ‘Break the Mould’ campaign, and I’m looking forward to working with them moving forward.
“In my role as student living officer, I hear about the persistent mould issues that our students face – but it doesn’t take being in this job to know how damaging and widespread mould issues are. A Bristol SU survey found that 75 per cent of students have problems with mould – and that finding was from 10 years ago.
“The situation is terrible, and it hasn’t been getting any better, so I’m pleased to see the ‘Break the Mould’ campaign tackling this head on. I’m eager to point students in your direction and see some change.”
“My goal is to have this brand-new review system at least in its early stages by the time I graduate in July,” said Annie McNamee – photo:Annie McNamee
According to McNamee, the idea is that, in future years, students will be able to check this review system before looking for accommodation. For example, one property might have excellent reviews, while another might have poor reviews with the landlord described as unreliable.
A University of Bristol spokesperson said: “Students in private accommodation deserve to live in safe and comfortable lodgings that support their learning and wellbeing.
“While the University cannot mandate how private landlords run their properties, our Student Accommodation Team can signpost students to advice on finding suitable accommodation and raising maintenance issues with property owners.”
The campaign Break The Mould which was laucnhed in early February has received nearly 500 signatures so far – photo: Epigram
McNamee concluded that her greatest wish before graduating this summer is to see the rental review platform up and running, benefiting future students at her beloved university.
“My goal is to have this brand-new review system at least in its early stages by the time I graduate in July. That’s the timeline we’re working towards at the moment,” McNamee said.
“Of course, I expect there will be challenges along the way. But it would be amazing to leave university knowing that this initiative is on track and ready to start helping students.”
Main photo: Epigram
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