Police pitch up at Portico after more sign up for rent strikes

Over 500 students are set to join the rent strike, increasing the amount of withheld rent by UCL, Cut the Rent activists to over £1,000,000.

To celebrate their success, seven activists took to the roof of Portico dressed as Michael Arthur, but were then ushered down when police vans arrived on scene.

Since 2009, UCL has increased student rent by 56 per cent, yielding annual profits of 45 per cent: a whopping £15,800,000. Despite this, UCL claims they are a not-for-profit institution and that all the money raised from rent is used to covers costs and make improvements to the accommodation that UCL offers.

In order to tackle the high rent costs, the UCL rent strike was announced last month by 150 students who are fighting for a 40 per cent rent cut and a social rent policy at UCL.

UCL management’s response to the strike has been “patronising and threatening” according to activists, claiming they will carry out evictions against students who are involved in the strike and that they intend to withdraw licenses to occupy halls of residences from strikers, but the campaign hopes that the increasing number of pledging students will eventually encourage management to appropriately address the issue.

Anabel Bennett from UCL Cut the Rent said: “The response from residents in UCL halls has been overwhelming. First-year students are now organising themselves on an unprecedented scale – the strike is expanding exponentially as more and more students see that the only solution is to take action.”

UCL, Cut the Rent has also gained support from the Radical Housing Network. A spokesperson from the Network declared: “As millions now suffer in the housing catastrophe, the Radical Housing Network stands in full support of the inspiring actions of UCL Rent Strike and will defend students against any attempts at intimidation or eviction, with all of the resources at our disposal.”

CTR claims it intends to “extend and escalate the dispute until its reasonable and proportionate demands are met,” adding: “We will not be intimidated.”