Campus Talk: Still struggling to find housing. ‘The housing market is very demoralising’

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There are still many students who struggle to find housing for themselves in Rotterdam. Even if they have found housing, they often had to go through months of searching before they found a room. Economics student Rafael Sousa mentions that it took him three to four months until he found his current house. Philosophy student Thomas Kloos and his friend had to abandon their hopes, as they haven’t been able to find a suitable place at all. “I think I spent half a week searching for options and then I just kind of gave up. Because it’s very demoralising, the housing market.”

Difficult requirements to fulfil

Communication and Media student Corina Puscas experienced how stressful it can get when you are looking for housing. She sent out forty to fifty messages to landlords and agencies, only to have them ignored or rejected. Some rental requirements also made it difficult for some students to find suitable accommodation. Olivia Alba Praska, an Economics student, mentions how she was rejected by a landlord as she is an underaged student, which reduced her chances of finding a room. “For example, there was an age limit. If the roommates are 20 or 21 years old, they only want people of over 20.”

As an international student, Vivana Amrolia expects the university to provide more aid for first-year international students to find housing, as many of them are not familiar yet with the housing market in the Netherlands. “Because I am an international student, I don’t know whether houses in the private market are legit or a scam.”