A Victory for Students

I heard from the Students' Union a few days ago that Cardiff Council is set to launch a liscensing policy for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in Cathays from this summer!

This is fantastic news, students in Cardiff have had to put up with sub-par housing for too long and this is a big step towards changing this. From Next academic year, my understanding is that landlords will have to have their property inspected to ensure it meets minimum standards before it can be let.

I've heard terrible stories from some friends about their houses, one person being forced to begin legal proceedings against their landlord but having to back down due to the enormous financial consequences that would be thrown their way by more expensive lawyers from the other side! I'm not a stranger to slow repairs myself, having to wait 2 months for a hole in my kitchen ceiling to be fixed!

The root of the problem is of course far too few rights and a lack of regulation in the whole private rented sector. I hope that this scheme is speedily extended into Roath, another highly student populated area before eventually being applied to the whole city.

And a massive congratulations to Ed Dolding, the Student Union's Campaigns Officer, who has worked hard for this. This is not the only thing he has achieved this year, but this on its own would be an unusually brilliant record for a sabbatical officer!