Exeter’s housing crisis: ‘It feels like the city doesn’t want me’

Developers are building hundreds of new homes in and around Exeter. But residents, charity workers and politicians say the crisis is getting worse, not better.

Andy Fletcher lives in YMCA-supported accommodation. The young worker said he cannot find a single affordable flat to rent in the city.

According to the BBC, one-bedroom flats in Exeter are running at around £800 a month before bills. To compound the problem, a large numbers of student developments and co-living studios are reducing the supply of ordinary housing for working residents.

“To me it feels like Exeter doesn’t want me,” Fletcher told the BBC.

“It feels like they’re happy enough to welcome all the students in – yes, they’re really important for the economy – but it’s pushing residents like me out of the city.”

The University of Exeter now has more than 27,000 full-time equivalent students across its Streatham and St Luke’s campuses. That figure is more than double what is was two decades ago and now accounts for around 20 per cent of the city’s total population.

A Devon Housing Commission report from 2024 found the university’s economic impact “comes at the expense of increased housing pressures in the city.”

via Pixabay

Students themselves aren’t immune; the same report found annual student rents were approaching £9,000 in 2024.

Si Johns, the joint CEO of Exeter YMCA, argued the oversupply of co-living and student accommodation is driving up prices for the housing people actually want.

“Not everyone can live in co-living – it’s probably not the preference for most,” he said, “and when you create a lot of things that are not the preference, it’s simple supply and demand.”

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Studios at the Gorge co-living block on the old police station site already go for £1,100 a month. In December, the council granted planning permission next door. It approved a further 414 co-living studios and 399 student flats.

Additional developments are currently underway or have received approval on Summerland Street, Western Way and next to John Lewis.

Ryan Hill, a retail manager who returned to Exeter from London, said the only rental he could find was “above a takeaway and really smelly and in a bad condition.” He took out two mortgages to buy a flat without mould or a leaking ceiling.

“That’s what the housing stock is like in Exeter when you do viewings,” he said.

Labour currently runs Exeter’s City Council ahead of May elections. It claims co-living is “an important part” of its housing policy.

Green leader Diana Moore has called on the council to “be bold” and actually build affordable homes.

The Liberal Democrats, meanwhile, say co-living is “just student accommodation by another name.”

The University of Exeter said it is “committed to reducing pressure on the city’s housing stock” and is currently building 1,800 new student bedrooms on its Streatham campus.

The University of Exeter, Exeter City Council and Gorge have been contacted for comment.

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