Students starting university in Belgium in September are facing an increasingly bleak outlook when looking for small private student rentals, known as Kots. Prices have increased 10% from last year, RTL Info reports.
For example, in Louvain-la-Neuve, the average price of a student room has increased from €310 per month just a year ago to €340 per month. A spokesperson for UCLouvain says that contracts negotiated with accommodation providers have come to an end, leading to a “slight increase” in rents and energy costs.
In Brussels, the situation is even more severe. While in Belgium, the average kot costs €440 p/m, in the capital, it now stands at €500 p/m. Online, the price is regularly even higher, with a 20-metre squared room going for up to €695 p/m, excluding charges.
These prices are putting great pressure on students, especially those for poorer backgrounds. Student federations are sounding the alarm.
“There are four out of five students who rent private accommodation. So, you have to be able to influence these prices by implementing a pricing matrix, because the private market wants to be able to make more profits,” Emila Hoxhaj, president of the Federation of Francophone Students, told RTL Info.
Kots in high demand
The Federation is calling for greater investment into subsidising kots to provide student rooms at affordable prices, thus reducing the financial burden of studying on students.
Existing pricing structures for students are not currently binding. Furthermore, the demand for small student rentals far outstrips supply, with a shortage of around 10,000 rooms in Brussels alone. As the number of students joining higher education increases, this shortage is set to become even more critical.
A study conducted by Brik, a student help service for Dutch-speaking students, suggests that student rents in Brussels are even higher than previous estimates. For Dutch-speaking students in the capital, they believe the average price is now €531 p/m. For international or English-speaking students, this figure is often up to €100 more.
