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Derwent Living finds out what’s on a student’s wish list

Date: 21 September 2006

POWER showers, “comfy” sofas and en suite bathrooms are just a few of the things that today’s students want from their accommodation while they study at university.

Gone are the days when students would put up with sticky carpets, damp walls and peeling paint – it’s now very different.

Housing provider Derwent Living which manages thousands of student bed spaces in cities and towns throughout the Midlands carried out extensive research to find out just what its customers wanted.

“Student accommodation has really changed over the years,” says Derwent Living’s Steve McDonough.

“Organisations like Derwent Living realise that student accommodation has been enhanced to meet the needs of the ever changing student market.

“It’s true to say that student accommodation is more like hotel chain standards. To keep up with the growing trends for top-notch student accommodation, we researched students to find out what their priorities were when it came to where they lived.”

Through focus groups of students and parents, Derwent Living – which runs 3,500 student bed spaces across the Midlands including Sheffield, Leicester, Nottingham and Birmingham - discovered that, like us all, students like the finer things in life.

Researchers asked scores of questions, including what would be on their wish list when it came to their accommodation. Students suggested not only en suites and power showers, but also dishwashers, on-site gyms and “doors which close quietly.”

Derwent Living’s own student customers were interviewed, along with students from other schemes. But students are green when it comes to their accommodation – they requested more recycling facilities on site. Other students asked for cigarette machines – and some even wanted a cleaner!

Parents were also questioned. They said they would like their sons and daughters to have good quality security and to be in close proximity to university.

At one student scheme, Derwent Living has included a gym and dishwasher, microwave, TV, and mini fridge for students in their rooms. Other features include Security by design and advice desks for students.

En suite bathrooms are the norm at Derwent Living schemes, while other larger schemes have studio flats for people who want to be alone. In Birmingham, Nottingham and Sheffield, Derwent Living’s students rub shoulders with professionals in fashionable city living areas.

Mr McDonough, added: “We have a reputation for providing superior, well managed accommodation for students in what are safe environments.

“We will use this research to plan how we look at student accommodation now and in the future. It’s important that we listen to students and make note of their needs.

“Many students are living away from home for the first time, and they need to be safe and comfortable in order to get the best out of university.”

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