2023-08-10 17:11:00
“I went to Brussels because I mightn’t find accommodation in Louvain-la-Neuve. However, I started my search in March.”
For many students like Mattéo, 22, the search for a kot turns into an ordeal every year. Which turns into a real race once morest the clock whose countdown is launched around the month of April. The rule is simple: first come, first served!
But finding a kot can sometimes be more complicated than that. As the start of the new school year is fast approaching, some students are still looking for what has become a precious sesame.
Demand greater than supply
The main problem in this mad race for kots is the balance between supply and demand. In Louvain-la-Neuve alone, for example, nearly 22,500 young people study on campus. “There are a lot of requests compared to the supply, analyzes the Eckelmans agency. We are renting our kots from April. But in one month, our 1,000 homes are gone. We sign 50 contracts a day during that month.”
Unsurprisingly, it is the community kots that are the most in demand. It is therefore essential for students to start their search in April, when the agencies release their list of accommodation. “Students in place choose whether or not to renew their lease. Then, in April, the free kots are put online and the students can register on a waiting list. It is the first come which is served “, says the Aiglon agency.
Prices too high
If students are flocking to accommodation, it is obviously for a question of proximity to their faculty of study. But the strong demand for community kot is mainly explained by the economic aspect. In the midst of inflation and the energy crisis, the prices of certain dwellings sometimes become very high. “Our community kots cost on average €430 per month. But they are full, says the Eckelmans agency. So we still have more expensive formulas which can go up to €1,000 per month for double studios or apartments.”
High amounts which are less successful with students. “I was looking for accommodation with a budget of €400 per month maximum… The prices are really very expensive,” says Matteo.
To meet this high demand, UCLouvain makes 5,700 university accommodation available each year. The average rent, charges included, is €295. An affordable price.
But there too, it can get stuck. Even if each student was able to apply for accommodation from the beginning of April, a selection is then made. This gives priority to students living far from the University and registering for the first time at UCLouvain. If you are not selected, you must set off once more in search of another accommodation… before it is (already) too late.
New constructions
In order to fill the gaps, new complexes or neighborhoods are emerging. In Louvain-la-Neuve, the Courbevoie district, under construction since 2018, has already made it possible to create 92 housing units dedicated to students. But once more, prices are skyrocketing. “It’s a good solution to build more, recognizes the Aiglon agency. But Courbevoie is a residential area, there is a certain standing. The prices are therefore higher. Despite a rise in the price of kots, those these remain more accessible than the Courbevoie district.”
Between excessive demand and prices that are getting higher and higher, it is difficult to satisfy everyone. Some students are still looking for a kot even though we are in August.
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