The Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) is failing to keep up with the demand for student accommodation, as young people find it increasingly difficult to secure a room in good condition at a reasonable price in the capital.
“We receive between 4,000 and 6,000 requests for accommodation every year, for a total of 822 beds under our own management,” Valérie Bombaerts of the university's communications department explains.
The ULB has noted major tensions in the student accommodation market. In particular, rents are rising and students are becoming more vulnerable. By the end of Spring, students are already unable to find accommodation for the following academic year.
“Newcomers, students who enrolled later, students from abroad and students without a network of contacts in Brussels find themselves in a particularly complex situation,” says Valérie van Innis, another member of ULB's communications department.
The ULB says it is very concerned about the future. For one, new building projects are coming to fruition slowly and with difficulty. Moreover, in a tight market, it is increasingly difficult to negotiate affordable prices with developers for lower-income students, even if part of the rent is covered by ULB’s social budgets.
And that’s not all. Existing infrastructure is ageing and also requires substantial investment, but here, too, slow procedures, rising costs and longer delivery times present real challenges.
On the other hand, Walloon universities say they are not affected by any accomodation shortages.
