University of Wollongong students are experiencing long waits, complicated applications and crowded inspections in the battle to secure a rental before the new year.
Wollongong’s competitive rental market continues to create barriers for students seeking to find housing off campus.
Second year student, Lauren Pendergast, said she was worried she wouldn’t have anywhere to live.
“We started looking early because we really didn’t have a choice, as in we were going to be homeless at the end of our student accommodation contract,” Ms Pendergast said.
“We ended up paying double rent for about a month, just to make sure we had a house to live in.”
Landlords are becoming increasingly particular with who occupies their home.
Ms Pendergast said they didn’t even consider modern houses.
“Newer properties are harder to get into.”
“Landlords could be worried that students are going to trash them,” she said.
Property Manager, Candace Dawson, said this generally isn’t the case.
“At the end of the day university students are going to pay the money as well. Usually, it comes down to who’s most suited in the quickest amount of time,” Ms Dawson said.
Wollongong’s median price for a 4-bed rental is $800.
First year student, Isabella Weston, said that a lot of properties aren’t worth the cost.
“Some properties barely meet minimal standards but still ask for a lot,” she said.
“Unfortunately, you just have to put up with it for a place to live.”
Ms Weston said the application process is a challenge she faced.
“It was extremely difficult because we also had no rental background,” she said.
“They look at everything; bank statements, pay checks and Id. It feels like an invasion of privacy and if you’re not willing to give that then you have no chance.”
Whilst 58% of properties in Wollongong are rentals, it can take several months to be accepted.
Ms Weston said she was lucky to secure a house so early.
“My friends struggled to find a house last summer and were attending inspections with people out the door,” she said.
“Because of their experience, I decided to apply before summer and got really lucky.”
University students looking for a share house are urged to prepare themselves and start looking now to avoid the summer chaos.
