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Issue 14.04.15
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Experts warn of discrimination against international students The University of East Anglia’s Official Student Newspaper
Megan Baynes News reporter International students could face even more discrimination, as new government rules oblige letting agents and landlords to check the migrant status of tenants. The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants has joined forces with the National Union of Students in conducting these Right To Rent checks, piloted in the West Midlands since the start of December. At the moment it is uncertain as whether these checks will roll out across the rest of the United Kingdom. Letting agents or landlords now need to see documentation, such as a passport or Home Office documentation to ensure that the tenant is legally entitled to reside, or study, in the UK. Failure to check such documentation could result in a £3,000 fine. However, it is claimed that there is evidence to suggest that this could cause problems for prospective renters. Tenants are now being charged an extra £100 in admin fees, and landlords admit they are less likely to offer a viewing to anyone needing time to produce their paperwork. One American tenant stated her British husband was able to secure viewings for properties she had been told were unavailable. In cases where a passport cannot be produced, landlords can request further checks on a person’s right to be in the UK from the government. These fears are the latest addition to a list of new rules which are believed to discriminate against international students and have been introduced in the coalition government over the past parliamentary term. In January, Concrete reported on the backlash against Theresa May after her plans to force international students out of the country after graduation were blocked.
Peter Davis from the Eastern Landlords Association has condemned the new law and has claimed that it is unfair to landlords: “With regard to the Right to Rent checks; we have always encouraged our members to undertake checks on all perspective tenants. With the pending legislation on immigration, we know landlords have mixed views on that. It seems like a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted – why should landlords be doing the jobs of the border control? “If they are doing their job properly as responsible landlords why do we need more legislation?… We are totally against the immigration act. Certainly in a city like Norwich, the whole business about making it more difficult for foreign students is absolutely
ridiculous”. Photo: Flickr, Oatsy40 However, he also claimed that discrimination from landlords against international students in Norwich has always existed: “Certainly landlords unfortunately will be, by the nature of demand – particularly in somewhere like Norwich – picky and choosey about tenants. I have heard of landlords who won’t rent to you even if you have a foreign sounding name – they will move on to the next person called ‘Smith’. We totally discourage this, but they are running a business so they may be inclined to choose the easy option, same with any business. In November, Concrete reported on the
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Student union to increase drinks prices in next academic year Ned Samuel News reporter The Union of UEA Students (UUEAS) has announced – in broad terms – a rise in prices for alcoholic drinks in the LCR and the union bar, which is to be gradually introduced from 11th April to September in the next academic year. In the Blue and Red Bars and the graduate centre, the union has identified the five alcoholic drinks that they claim to be the most popular and which they refer to as the Big 5, which shall remain at the same price as they are now until at least September 2016. The Big 5 are: draught lager, vodka, VK, snakebite, and gin. The freeze on the prices on the Big 5, as
well as soft drinks, will be effective until April 2016. The union makes no reference to the Big 5 in its information about LCR club night pricing, but say that on those nights “pricing will remain similar to current pricing via multi-buy offers”. In addition, the price of soft drinks and Corky’s will be frozen for the year, and each LCR club event will feature different promotions on certain drinks. On LCR gig nights, student prices on the Big 5 are being offered to anyone with a campus card, lowering the price of drinks for students at shows. Waterfront drinks pricing has not yet been set, and is being considered separately. Other notable changes that the union has announced include: a wider range of food
available in the bars; lower soft drink prices in the Shop; the switching of the main draught lager brand by the NUS from Carlsberg to
Big 5
Draught lager, vodka, UK, snakebite and gin are the only drinks excluded from a price rise.
Fosters; and, from September 2015, a new bar in the LCR, which is hoped will reduce queue times. Chris Jarvis, student officer and chair of the Commercial Boards said: “No-one wants price increases but I’m pleased that our new pricing policy manages to freeze prices on key drinks and introduces new value offers
on food, club nights and cheaper drinks for students at gigs. All the profits made from our live music events and club nights provide vital funding for stuff like the Student Advice Centre and clubs and societies”. According to UUEAS, the additional money made will be used to refurbish Union House, including the bars, graduate centre, and LCR. However, besides where freezes have been announced or specifying money-saving deals, the Union hasn’t made clear what new prices on other drinks shall be. Drinks prices rose at the start this academic year and was met with backlash from students. It is expected that the announcement of the increase is likely to similarly dissappoint students.