The Bangor student housing market remains one of the most active sectors locally, with strong demand year after year. While the last few years have brought uncertainty for some landlords, the 2024/25 academic year has shown that student accommodation continues to be a reliable and resilient investment, with 99% of rent collected and 99% of lets agreed across our portfolio. An achievement we’d reached for a second year!

Here’s our summary of the student market over the past 12 months.

Market & Trends

Although energy prices have eased from previous highs, many landlords and tenants are still feeling the impact of rising mortgage rates and higher food and household costs. Overall, outgoings remain elevated, and affordability continues to shape student decision‑making. Student finance does not benefit from inflation increases, with students only receiving a 1.6% increase in funding for 2025.

Supply

While some residential landlords have exited the wider lettings market, most student landlords have remained steady or expanded. This has kept student property supply relatively consistent throughout 2024/25. We’re aware of several new purpose‑built accommodation projects by local student lettings landlords and agencies, but none have yet had a significant impact on overall availability.

Demand

Demand for student housing remains strong, although enquiries are spread over a longer period than they used to be. As seen in previous years, we experienced another late surge in September and October from international, exchange, and placement students.

This year, we secured tenants for 99% of all student properties we marketed, with the remaining few still attracting viewings.

Trends

Several trends have continued into 2024/25:

• Smaller properties remain the most desirable, particularly 1-3 bedroom homes and apartments.
• Modern interiors, fresh décor, and upgraded fixtures are becoming essential rather than “nice to have.”
• Double beds throughout continue to be one of the top tenant requests.
• En‑suite rooms remain highly sought after in larger HMOs.
• In our annual tenant survey, the most‑requested features were:
  • Double beds
  • Modern fixtures & fittings
  • Reliable, high‑speed internet
  • All bills included

Larger, higher‑occupancy HMOs are still letting, but demand continues to shift towards smaller, better‑equipped homes. Room only rents tend to be lower in bigger properties due to this trend, although some groups actively look for lower‑priced options due to rising living costs.

Energy

Energy prices have stabilised but the market is still unpredictable, and supplier choice remains limited.
Both landlords and tenants continue to express concerns about usage and costs.

All‑inclusive rents remain extremely popular with students, offering certainty and easier budgeting. Unsurprisingly, all‑inclusive properties let faster overall than those without bills included.

Rents

Most landlords increased rents last year, largely due to energy considerations or transitioning away from bills‑inclusive models. While student rents haven’t risen as sharply as residential rents, they already started from a higher baseline.

Looking ahead, smaller student properties (3 bedrooms or fewer, including apartments) are likely to see particularly strong returns in 2026/27 due to sustained high demand and limited supply.

Final Thoughts

Student tenants continue to prioritise quality, comfort, and value for money. Ensuring your property:

• looks its best,
• is well‑maintained, and
• offers modern fixtures & finishes

remains the most reliable way to attract strong and reliable tenants.

First impressions matter, and when your property goes live, you want it to stand out for all the right reasons.

If you’d like support managing your student property or need advice on preparing for the 2026/27 market, we’re here to help.
[email protected] | 01248 35 35 44