‘Rats died in my walls’: Students living in Cardiff share their accommodation nightmares

Year-by-year accommodation horror stories are shared, from light-hearted anecdotes told at the pub to near-traumatic experiences that can affect academic performance, health and wellbeing.

The saying “Your university years are some of the best years of your life” does not necessarily apply to those scraping by the skin of their teeth. Most use the remainder of their SFE on Greggs sausage rolls and get giddy when scrolling the Lidl Plus app.

The fun of university, however, gets ever so slightly spoiled when you suddenly don’t have 30p for circuit laundry, and every other notification from your phone is a reminder to pay your month’s overdue rent, because your part-time job from home hasn’t paid you what they owe you yet.

Research from PFP Students found that 70 per cent of students living in halls felt lonely and isolated, with 51 per cent saying their living conditions limited their ability to socialise.

Wonkhe found that one in six students have considered dropping out due to the impact in cost of living.

Russell Group universities, particularly in high-traffic city areas, are notorious for their ridiculously high accommodation prices and little availability.

According to The Guardian, Unite Group, a large student housing provider, already has 68 per cent of beds in reserve for the next academic year.

As “prestigious” universities, this barricades opportunities for prospective students – a disappointing reality in a world where efforts to foster a diverse and inclusive student body still face constant resistance.

The Times reported that the number of UK students avoiding university accommodation is growing, due to high rent and living costs. Around 30 per cent of new students are now planning to live at home, up from 14 per cent in 2007.

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The Cardiff Tab conducted numerous polls via Instagram, investigating how students living in Cardiff have been impacted by the housing crisis – garnering similar results. It was revealed that 68 per cent of student respondents were disappointed with student living while studying in Cardiff.

One student revealed they found “silverfish everywhere” in their accommodation in the previous year. Another living in Cathays revealed: “There were rats behind my oven… and they lived and died in the walls”.

@lilssssssssssssss

#fyp #cathays #rats #help

♬ Very scary chase theme – Robux

Alarmingly, while UK national students struggle with living costs, international students often find difficulty in even applying for housing in Cardiff: “For international students, it is a nightmare because they [letting agencies] want a UK homeowner guarantor.”

This growing issue affects not only the students and fuels the housing crisis, but also the wider education system. Students are now unable to study in their preferred city, forced to compromise their degree choice, or even reconsider whether to study at all.

While the problem persists, it is up to university bodies, students and policymakers to keep pushing for change – the cost of living should not dictate the choice in obtaining a higher education.

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Featured image via TikTok