Housing Hand partners with Goldsmiths, University of London to help students afford their homes
- The service marks 3rd Housing Hand university partnership in UK
- Just 23% of care leavers attend higher education by age 23 (NNECL)
- Goldsmiths to fully fund service for 35 vulnerable students
- Housing Hand service available to all Goldsmiths students, in push to prioritise academic ability over socio-economic factors
UK rent guarantor service Housing Hand has announced a new partnership with Goldsmiths, University of London. The organisation is collaborating with the university to deliver an enhanced rent guarantor service available for all its students, regardless of nationality, to secure suitable private rental accommodation.
Housing Hand works with landlords, agents and other student housing providers to help students with no UK-based rent guarantor to secure their preferred accommodation without the need to pay 6-12 months’ rent upfront. Housing Hand is working with Goldsmiths Student Support Services to establish a rent guarantor service at a significantly reduced fee for all Goldsmiths students. The service will be available to international, EU and home students, including both continuing students and those about to start in September.
Under the new partnership, Goldsmiths will also sponsor this significantly reduced fee for up to 35 students:
- 20 international and EU students
- 10 home students.
- 5 care leavers and estranged students.
Housing Hand and Goldsmiths hope that their new partnership will be a success and provide a better experience for students.
“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Goldsmiths, University of London to try and ensure that higher education is available to all based on academic ability rather than particular socio-economic factors.”
Saasha Verma, University Partnerships Manager, Housing Hand
“We understand the challenges faced by students looking for a home and were among the first universities to offer a guarantor provision scheme. Our new partnership with Housing Hand will enable us to extend this facility to all our students, particularly those who are most in need and provide them with an enhanced service.
Pewist Osman, Head of Student Support Services, Goldsmiths, University of London
The Housing Hand partnership with Goldsmiths is a year-long pilot. It marks Housing Hand’s third higher education venture, following a successful partnership with the University of Bristol, launched in March 2017, and a subsequent one with the University of Salford, launched in February 2019.
Goldsmiths provides its students with a wide range of support, with the university one of the first in the higher education sector to provide its own rent guarantor scheme. To enhance their existing offer, Goldsmiths opted to develop a partnership with Housing Hand to meet increased demand and to offer an improved service available for all its students.
Having already worked with over 3,000 accommodation providers and covered more than £120 million in rent, Housing Hand is in a strong position to ensure that every Goldsmiths student is eligible to apply for its service.
The partnership will help make it easier for students to find quality homes to live in during their studies and will help make the process of finding a home easier. Housing Hand is also well-positioned to support Goldsmiths – along with other higher education establishments – to deliver better services and greater value to their students in a climate of ongoing change and funding constraints.
“Partnerships like this represent a new way to help support students. Running a rent guarantor service in-house costs universities in both time and effort, as well as increasing their liabilities and insurance costs. We bring a network of industry contacts and relationships to the table, as well as the required staff expertise, insurances and the ability to cover larger amounts of debt. It’s a partnership designed to ensure that everyone wins.”
Terry Mason, Group Operations Director, Housing Hand
For more information please contact Housing Hand today on +44 (0)20 7205 2625 or visit https://www.housinghand.co.uk/