3 reasons why student accommodation cleaning is so important
Further education in the UK looks completely different from the way it did two generations ago. The sector’s expansion has changed the profile of student accommodation. Traditional flat- or house-shares have declined in favour of more purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), much of it operated by private providers. But as with 50 years ago, living away from home is an integral part of being a student for most university and college students. So the choice of accommodation is crucial in shaping their experience and enhancing their well-being. And a key element in keeping student tenants happy is to keep their accommodation clean. In this blog, we look at the context of student accommodation in the UK, and three reasons why Fidelis delivers on cleanliness and hygiene.
What does UK student accommodation look like?
PBSA usually consists of cluster flats (multiple rooms with shared kitchens and living areas), or private studios. Many have attached leisure facilities and communal areas. In 2018-19, universities owned 69% of current PBSAs, although the private sector is expanding rapidly to meet the demand for new rooms. In that year, full-time student numbers outweighed PBSA bed spaces by 3:1. Across the UK, around 30% of full-time first-year students lived in private PBSA in 2018-19, up from 22% in 2013-14. Of course, the Covid pandemic made this picture slightly more complicated; it forced many students to relocate while disrupting private providers’ building plans. But the trend towards more privately provided PBSA remains on track.
At Fidelis, we can work with providers to provide student accommodation cleaning, regardless of ownership and operation. Whether it’s a university-provided hall of residence or a private block, the reasons for providing student accommodation cleaning are the same. Here are three ways that Fidelis’s cleaning services help.
- Meeting the demands of students
Over the past few years, Knight Frank (in conjunction with UCAS) has published a series of surveys on student accommodation. Each survey covers some 70,000 new and current students at universities across the UK. The latest survey for the academic year 2020-21 took place against the backdrop of the Covid pandemic. This added pressures for students and accommodation providers alike – from students coping with classes moving online to providers needing to implement reactive Covid cleaning protocols. Favourably, 69% of respondents said they were satisfied with their providers’ response to the pandemic.
But beyond Covid, successive surveys have shown the importance of cleanliness for students in judging their accommodation. Understandably, value for money came in as the top factor prompting decisions about where to live. But for first-year students, the cleanliness of the bedroom was the second most important influence in their decision-making. This dropped slightly to third place for second-year students, who were also focused on the overall cost of the accommodation. Clearly, cleaning matters to students.
The full study can be found here: >> https://content.knightfrank.com/research/1663/documents/en/knight-frank-ucas-student-accommodation-survey-report-2021-7707.pdf
- Keeping safe with student accommodation cleaning
Sadly, Fidelis can’t ensure that there won’t be a nightmare flatmate in a student block. But our student accommodation cleaning services at least ensure cleanliness and hygiene. And one key element of student accommodation cleaning is student safety. Our fully vetted and accredited staff are available to undertake both regularly scheduled cleaning and urgent 24/7/365 ad hoc services for any immediate cleaning requirements that may arise. Our focus is always on ensuring the safety of students (and teaching staff), with minimal disruption to their day-to-day activities. We can also undertake reactive infection control cleaning if there’s an outbreak of any infections, from Covid to norovirus.
- Looking after investment in student accommodation
As well as ensuring accommodation providers get the tenants, cleaning is vital to maintain the value of their investment. We cover specialist cleaning for university-owned student accommodation as part of our offer for educational institutions. We can also work with private PBSA providers to ensure the highest levels of cleanliness. Our contract cleaning teams cover regular cleaning work, from bedrooms through to communal areas in cluster flats, and private studios. And we can provide end-of-tenancy cleans to get student accommodation ready for the next year’s intake.
To find out more about Fidelis Group and our services for student accommodation cleaning, contact one of the team today. Or see one of our case studies from a University that we have worked with before.
- Telephone: 0845 431 0382 | 0121 289 3258
- Email: info@fidelisgroup.co.uk
- Website: www.fidelisgroup.co.uk
Post by Jon Shaw
Jon is Managing Director at Fidelis Contract Services Ltd, a business dedicated to performance and professionalism in contract cleaning. Having been part of Fidelis for four years, and MD since December 2021, Jon knows the value of the company’s staff in building trust for successful long-term partnerships with clients in a range of sectors.
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