Are You Behind on Student Bookings and Low Occupancy This Coming Academic Year?
Lavanda warns that many purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) operators are well behind on bookings for the new academic year and risk structural voids that could hit revenue. It argues that waiting for a late leasing surge is risky, as there is little firm evidence one will come, and that well-run operators are already preparing fallback plans.
The article sets out several reasons for the slowdown. Booking patterns are returning to pre-Covid norms: Unite had 85% of beds reserved in early July 2025, down from 94% a year earlier, and sector-wide only 36% of rooms were booked by the end of March, against 46.3% the previous year. International applications are down about 16% year on year, partly because of visa and policy changes, with fewer entrants from China, India and Nigeria.
Affordability is another pressure. PBSA rents have risen 8% nationally, and the average London rent of around £13,595 a year now exceeds the maximum student maintenance loan, so many students are taking longer to compare options. Some cities, such as Nottingham and Sheffield, have oversupply, with Nottingham’s booking level falling from 96% to 87%. Booking rates across cities ranged from about 51% to as low as 29%. Build-to-rent schemes are also competing for students in some locations.
Lavanda’s response is its Short Stay platform, which fills vacant rooms during term time with vetted student guests sourced through booking sites such as Booking.com and Student.com. These stays typically last two to three weeks, and the company says the approach can work for student-only buildings too.
