City Slumlords Move in

Salient Reporter

Newspaper reports of the scarcity of student accommodation have prompted landlords to offer sub-standard houses and flats to the University Accommodation service.

The service rejected one in every four places offered to it last year for student housing.

Most of the rejected houses were in the older areas of Wellington, in a run down condition and with poor study facilities.

The Accommodation service's annual report reveals that student inquiries have exceeded all available vacancies for the first time ever.

But women students, for whom a surplus of all types of accommodation exists, have made little use of the service.

The report comments that it has sometimes been difficult to fill vacancies in flats occupied by women students.