CUSU data confirms just how dramatic the rent situation is

This year CUSU put tackling the disproportionate rents at the top of their list of objectives. And to help work out where there's a problem and just how big it is they carried out some research which has been published today.

To start it would be unsurprising to hear that Robinson had the highest average rent per student, £58.17 more expensive a week than the cheapest average rent at Pembroke. Based on three 10 week terms that's £1,745.10 extra a year – just for being a different college. Of course this is just based on rent and does not take into account other charges but is still fairly telling.

The information about average rents is not new but their studies on student satisfaction are. According to the study 15 colleges have a net dissatisfaction rate when it comes to their accommodation – eight of these have a net rating of -50 per cent. The worst of all is at Newnham where only two per cent of the student population reported being satisfied with their room.

Also it came out that the more you pay the less likely you are to feel satisfied with your accommodation. Which again is perhaps not a surprise.

Primarily the report highlighted just how unequal the colleges' systems of rent are and how different life at Cambridge can be dependent on where you end up.

CUSU stressed that they endeavour to help as much as they can by supporting students directly – for example by having rent forums of which they had their first today.

The full report can be accessed here.