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University accommodation: Students struggle to find housing

Getty Images To let signs outside student terraced housing in PontypriddGetty Images
A lack of affordable or adequate housing means some students are travelling long distances to get to lectures

University students are finding it increasingly difficult to find a place to live because of housing shortages, a student union has warned.

The president of National Union of Students Wales, Orla Tarn, said it was a "real issue" in Cardiff and elsewhere in the country.

The student housing charity Unipol also expects a shortage of accommodation for students in the Welsh capital.

Cardiff University said it would house students with guaranteed accommodation.

"Institutions are recruiting more students to try and even their books," said Orla.

"They are not necessarily thinking about the number of beds that they have for students or where they're going to live."

Orla Tarn, NUS Wales President
Orla Tarn said some students are having to commute between Wales and England because of a lack of housing

Orla some students in north Wales in places like Bangor and Wrexham were now commuting from northern England because they could not find affordable or adequate accommodation.

Sera Louise White, 18, from Llannefydd in Conwy county, got a place at Cardiff University through clearing after her first choice of university fell through.

But she said finding a place to live was not easy.

"We ended up having an email that hundreds of other students got as well, basically telling us that you no longer have assured accommodation - which is a very scary thing to receive," she said.

Sera Louise White
Sera Louise White said she found it tough to find student accommodation after getting her university place

Despite receiving other suggestions from the university like private accommodation, she said everywhere was "sold out".

"It didn't feel like they really cared," Ms White said.

She said her mother went on social media to ask whether there were any spare rooms in the city.

Eventually, she found a place with a group of third year women.

"We managed to get a space with seven older girls who had a spare room and they were very happy to help me. They've been lovely in the whole process," Ms White said.

"I'm so happy that I've managed to get a space because I know so many others that haven't managed to do that."

Cardiff University said in a statement: "All students with an accommodation guarantee will be housed."

It added: "Students who did not have an accommodation guarantee are being directed to the private sector."

Cardiff Metropolitan University said it had offered accommodation to all those who meet their criteria.

University of South Wales said all first-year UK undergraduate students had been offered accommodation for the start of their courses later this month.