Analysis of current trends in the EU rental accommodation ...€¦ · Richard M. Clugston and Wynn Calder Cool Places: Geographies of Youth Cultures 1998 Tracey Skelton and Gill Valentine

Students Achieving Valuable Energy Savings 2

Analysis of current trends in the EU rental accommodation market for students and their

implications for fuel poverty - Preliminary findings

I. Kousis, M. Laskari, V. Lontorfos, V. Ntouros, M. Assimakopoulos National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

COST Action-Energy Poverty, Athens Workshop

6-8 March 2018

• Overview – fuel poverty among young adults

• Methodology (SAVES2 provision/selection of private student accommodation and implications for fuel poverty)

• Results (questionnaire surveys)

• Conclusions

Contents

Young people have low awareness about energy conservation and efficiency measures in the home

Economic inequalities among young people at school-leaving age are on the rise, while their opportunities for

earning an independent income are decreasing

Reference Title Year Author(s)

Young People, Housing and Social Policy 1999 Julie Rugg

Critical Dimensions of Sustainability in Higher Education

1999

Richard M. Clugston and Wynn Calder

Cool Places: Geographies of Youth Cultures

1998

Tracey Skelton and Gill Valentine

Fuel Poverty among young adults in multiple occupancy housing.

2012 Stefan Bouzarovski et all.

poverty.org.uk

Students are characterized by specific housing demand requirements, which set it apart from other social and age

groups

1. Under reported/supported group 2. “Students squalor”

3. Poor knowledge of thermal comfort and energy efficiency standards

Households living in private rented accommodation – common among young people – are twice more likely to

fall in fuel poverty

Fuel poverty: Identifying the problem - Students

NUS Homes Fit For Study (2017)

UK

Results: • Over half of UK students lived in

household with damp/condensation/mould

• Cold homes intensify students’ mental and physical wellbeing

European Union

SAVES2 – extension and adaptation of the HFFS methodology in 6 more

countries

UK IE GR CY RO BG

LI

Targets: • Understand and evaluate the

experience of students living in the private rented sector in six additional EU countries

• Formulate recommendations of tackling fuel poverty amongst them

Fuel poverty: Approaching the problem

Fuel poverty: Approaching the problem

• ANALYZE current trends in provision/selection of private students accommodation

• IDENTIFY their implications for fuel poverty

Attempt to help Students decrease their exposure to

fuel poverty

Quantitative

Qualitative

• Questionnaires

• Thoughts about energy efficiency • Drivers for choice of housing and/or appliances • Availability of financial motivation for the selection of

better performing homes and /or appliances

• Focus Groups • Interviews

Students and

Landlords

• Perception of importance of energy efficiency • Motivation to improve the quality of property • Experience with students as tenants

• Students Unions • Regional and national landlords’ associations • Local students’ letting agents • Private rental agencies

Students : 12/2017 – 01/2018

Landlords : 10/2017 – 01/2018

Methodology

Bulgaria Cyprus Greece Ireland Lithuania Romania UK Total

Students participating in survey 12 64 67 437 336 59 2870 3845

Gender

Female 65% 78% 67% 72% 45% 71%

Male 35% 21% 30% 27% 55% 27%

Other 0% 1% 3% 1% 0% 2%

Age

Under 18 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

18-20 5% 76% 45% 52% 39% 45%

21-24 45% 19% 27% 33% 48% 47%

25-29 20% 2% 20% 8% 9% 2%

30+ 30% 2% 5% 6% 4% 5%

I’d rather not say 0% 0% 2% 1% 0% 0%

Landlords Participating in Survey 29 8 161 7 9 16 42 272

Gender

Female 54% 43% 40% 33% 44% 56% 37%

Male 39% 57% 53% 67% 56% 44% 54%

Other 7% 0% 7% 0% 0% 0% 9%

Age

Under 30 29% 0% 7% 0% 11% 0% 0%

30-45 18% 71% 38% 33% 44% 7% 15%

45-60 39% 29% 41% 50% 33% 0% 32%

60+ 7% 0% 10% 17% 11% 67% 41%

I’d rather not say 7% 0% 4% 0% 0% 27% 12%

Difficulties on dissemination process • Lack of public awareness towards

energy efficiency and fuel poverty • Some found the questionnaire

longer than they expected • Not direct communication

/connection with landlords

Demographics of the respondents

Finding an accommodation: Criteria 5

2%

30

%

48

%

9%

37

%

36

%

5%

19

%

16

%

0%

6%

10

%

3%

11

%

3%

18

%

6%

0%

4%

11

%

3%

36

%

6%

5%

22

%

23

%

13

%

35

%

33

%

1%

6%

6%

9%

2%

3%

3%

0%

2%

9%

0%

5%

Ireland Romania Lithuania Bulgaria Cyprus Greece UK

Important criteria for choosing a house

Cost of rent Condition of accommodation i.e. state of repair

Appearance of accommodation i.e. design, style of furnishing Size of accommodation

Location and convenience Good energy efficiency

Has an Energy Performance Certificate

No available

data

Finding an accommodation: Provision of EPC 6

%

6%

13

%

27

%

19

%

16

%

37

%

5%

8%

12

%

55

%

0%

16

%

5%

2%

0%

1%

9%

0%

2%

2%

58

%

48

%

30

%

9%

34

%

31

%

29

%

21

%

22

%

29

%

0%

43

%

27

%

23

%

8%

16

%

16

%

0%

4%

8%

4%


Did you receive or request an EPC at your current accommodation?

Received without asking Received upon request

Requested, but have not received Have not received

Don’t know Not applicable2

9%

25

%

0%

47

%

0%

64

%

84

%

57

%

31

%

11

%

33

%

17

% 27

%

9%

14

% 3

1%

33

%

20

%

67

%

8%

5%

0%

13

%

56

%

0%

17

%

1%

2%


Do you provide an EPC to your tenants before they move in? Landlords

Provided without asking Provided upon request Not provided Not applicable

Living: Available Heating systems 1

8%

58

%

62

%

42

%

2%

10

%

80

%

42

%

2%

20

%

17

%

6%

29

%

2%

2%

22

%

8%

8%

0%

3%

0%

4%

0%

3%

8%

2%

18

%

0%

17

%

0%

3%

8%

2%

0%

5%

19

%

8%

1%

8%

0%

0%

8%

18

%

0%

1%

0%

4%

8%

1%

20

%

4%

5%

8%

20

%

29

%

15

%

1%

4%

2%

8%

69

%

48

%

0%


What kind of heating system/s do you have in your accommodation?

Gas-fired central heating Oil-fired central heating

Gas-fired autonomous heating Oil-fired autonomous heating

Night storage heaters Fixed room fires or heaters

Open fires or stoves (solid fuel) Portable Heaters (Electric, Bottled gas, oil-filled)

Air-conditioning units

Living: Energy Bills

34% 31%

30%

17% 10%

13%

14% 16%

8%

30% 18%

27%

13% 17%

8%

3% 5% 5%

28% 28%

6% 18%

10%

27% 25%

26%

44% 55%

19%

20% 45% 27%

4% 13%

4%

7% 17%

25%

2% 3%

15% 48%

31%

54% 65%

49%

19% 26%

13%

30% 27%

18%

10% 67%

2%

10% 78%

24%

59% 68%

43% 3%

28%

11%

22% 2%

57%

20%

27%

67%

77%

78%

39%

9% 1%

2% 1% 1%

2%

2%

2% 1%

4%

9%

6% 4%

8%

2%

7%

2% 1%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

GasElectricity

Heating Oil

GasElectricity

Heating Oil

GasElectricity

Heating Oil

GasElectricity

Heating Oil

GasElectricity

Heating Oil

GasElectricity

Heating Oil

GasElectricity

Heating Oil

How do you pay for the following household bills?

Not applicable

Living: Energy Bills

30

%

6%

15

%

0%

23

%

29

%

7%

3%

12

%

0%

10

%

7%

35

%

16

% 2

5%

67

%

40

%

42

%

15

%

55

%

41

%

0%

17

%

16

%

10

%

6%

0%

33

%

7%

4%

4%

13

%

7%

0%

3%

2%


Costs of Energy Bills (electricity, gas, heating oil) paid seperately by the tenant

High - I make significant effort to use less energy High - I don’t take any action to reduce it anyway

Neither high neither low - I make significant effort to use less energy Neither high neither low - I don't do much to use less energy

Low - I make significant effort to use less energy Low - I don't do much to use less energy

No available

data

Living: Arrears in Bills

10

%

5%

13

% 27

%

12

%

15

%

7%

10

%

14

%

7%

27

%

9%

15

%

7%

67

%

72

%

70

%

27

%

76

%

58

%

66

%

13

%

9%

10

%

18

%

3%

11

%

20

%


Arrears in Bills due to lack of money

Rent or mortgage payments Gas, electricity or other energy bills Not applicable Other

Living: Overall comfort

29%

2%

6%

17%

9%

24%

37%

11%

20%

18%

21%

39%

32%

29%

55%

63%

64%

40%

35%

35%

1%

19%

8%

9%

7%

5%

4%

2%

9%

2%

9%

10%

4%

1%

2%

4%

1%

5%

9%

4%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Ireland

Romania

Lithuania

Bulgaria

Cyprus

Greece

UK

Overall level of comfort in current accommodation during winter

Much colder than you would have liked A bit colder than you would have liked

About right A bit warmer than you would have liked

A lot warmer than you would have liked Both too warm and too cold

Living: Cut back on energy use 4

5%

2%

6%

17

%

29

% 36

% 43

%

25

%

13

%

9%

8%

19

%

14

%

39

%

16

%

10

%

6%

33

%

24

%

12

%

28

%

28

%

4%

9%

17

%

33

%

37

%

20

%

23

%

4%

29

%

25

%

17

%

20

%

17

% 24

%

17

% 2

5%

17

%

21

%

20

%

23

%

23

%

65

%

42

%

17

% 2

6%

14

%

31

%


Have you cut back energy use in any of these ways this winter because you were concerned about the costs?

Turned heating off, even though I would have preferred to have it on

Turned the heating down, even though I would have preferred it to be warmer

Turned the heating down or off in some rooms but not others, even though I would have preferred not toOnly heated and used one room in my accommodation for periods of the day

Used less hot water than I would have preferredTurned out lights in my accommodation, even though I would have preferred to have them onNone of these

Living: Housing condition

22% 12%

9% 8%

8% 2%

7%

10% 5%

12% 2%

18% 9%

18% 9%

13% 5% 5%

15% 4%

7% 2%

21% 9%

13% 15%

23% 13%

11% 11%

5% 9%

4% 7%

8% 5%

6% 3%

14%

9%

7% 2%

17% 11%

7% 5%

28% 10%

18% 10%

12% 2%

3% 2%

2% 3%

3% 2%

5% 9%

5% 2% 2%

2%

43% 73%

76% 80%

87% 89% 89%

93%

80% 88%

80% 94%

64% 82% 82% 82%

80% 93%

95% 100%

63% 84% 84%

91%

50% 81%

69% 74%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Damp or mouldLeaking roof/windows

Rot in window frames or floorsSlugs/mice or other infestation













Are/were the following present in your current, or previous homes you have rented whilst you have been a student?

Yes, in current accommodation Yes, in previous accommodation

Yes, in both current and previous accommodation Not present in my accommodation

Living: health impacts 1

9%

7%

7%

33

%

7%

14

%

11

% 17

%

4%

12

%

0%

7%

5%

15

%

32

%

11

%

12

%

44

%

24

%

9%

40

%

27

%

11

%

10

%

0%

21

%

16

%

30

%

17

%

4%

8%

11

%

21

%

14

%

9%

20

%

7%

6%

11

%

14

%

9%

13

%

43

%

57

% 62

%

33

%

48

%

57

%

35

%


You said you have problems with your current accommodation (damp, mould, etc) and/or that your home is colder/warmer than you would have liked. Does this affect you in any of the following ways?

Has worsen existing health problem/s Has brought on new health problem/s

It makes me feel miserable It makes me feel anxious or depressed

I don’t feel able to invite friends or family to the house I have spent as much time as possible away from the house

None of these

Conclusions

Students IE RO LT BG CY GR UK Comments

Importance of energy

efficiency of the dwelling

when house hunting

4% 6% 8% 18% 2% 8% -

Low

efficiency

awareness

Have not requested(and

have not received ) an

EPC at current

accommodation

58% 48% 30% 9% 34% 31% 29%

Low

efficiency

awareness

High costs of energy bills

paid seperately by the

tenant

37% 9% 27% 0% 33% 36% -

Significant

indications

of high

costs

Arrears in energy bills

due to luck of money

10% 14% 7% 27% 9% 15% 7%

Low but

not

negligible

indications

of arrears

Feeling colder than

would like in current

accommodation durig

winter

66% 13% 26% 18% 38% 48% 56%

Significant

indications

of thermal

discomfort

Have turned heating off

being concerned about

the costs

45% 2% 6% 17% 29% 36% 43%

Significant

indications

of not

adequately

warm due

tocosts

Damp or mould present

in current and/or

previous homes

57% 13% 20% 37% 20% 37% 49%

Significant

indications

of poor

housing

conditions

Energy efficiency awareness

Indications of fuel poverty

Thank you for your attention!

“Access to energy for all will be guaranteed when the public

social welfare and energy authorities start working together.”

(EU Meeting of People Experiencing Poverty, 2014)

Documents

Analysis of current trends in the EU rental accommodation ...€¦ · Richard M. Clugston and Wynn Calder Cool Places: Geographies of Youth Cultures 1998 Tracey Skelton and Gill Valentine