Students at the University of Manchester have secured a 30% reduction in rent for the first semester, amounting to a £12 million payout.
UoM students living in university hall of residence accommodation will receive between £400-£900.
After two weeks of protesting, the group declared this “the biggest win for university rent strikes in UK history”.
Much anger was expressed by students regarding the lack support from the university during the pandemic.
In a statement published on the UOM Rent Strike Facebook page, student organisers alleged they had been “lied to and brought onto unsafe campuses, forced to pay insane rent for facilities [they] can’t access”.
In response to this, 15 students occupied Owen’s Park Tower, one of the university’s buildings, for two weeks.
The statement continued: “They brought us here for profit and made it very clear that they’re not on our side and plan to ignore us. So we’re occupying the tower until they respond.”
The university has stated, not only will they provide a rent reduction but also “more flexible accommodation agreements”.
In a statement, University of Manchester said they will provide: “better maintenance support”, “better study spaces’” while “tackling anti-social behaviour”.
The protest, and subsequent victory follows the tearing down of fences by students, which were erected without their prior knowledge around university halls.
The protest also follows a racial profiling incident on its Fallowfield campus. Video footage showed a 19-year-old student being pinned to a wall by three security guards, demanding to see his student ID.
The university acknowledged that this is a “serious incident” and that they were “deeply concerned by these images”.
As a result of the incident, calls for the resignation of the University’s President and Vice-Chancellor, Dame Nancy Rothwell, #NoMoreNancy gained momentum.
By Adam Taylor It’s time to post your top artists to show how cool and different you are. Spotify Wrapped for 2025 has finally dropped. This stat-loaded list of listening habits gets everyone excited, revealing top artists, songs, podcasts, music genres, and hours listened – which can be a bit concerning… Spotify adds new features…
Featured image: Suzy Hazelwood aAh! Magazine’s Literature and Creative Student Editors are delighted to announce our first online call for submissions for the 2025/26 academic year. This series invites creative writing students and visual artists to respond to the theme ‘Hometown’, offering the opportunity to showcase their work online. Manchester is a hometown for thousands, and simply…
Featured image and photography: Beck McNally Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield – a name that many Mancunian music-lovers will know well, died on 20 November this year. No official cause of death has been released to the public. The renowned bassist of The Stone Roses, and later Primal Scream, was a hugely influential musician – particularly in…
Featured image: Manchester City CouncilBy Adam Taylor and Amy Corringham Winter is approaching, but don’t let the cold and dark days stop you getting out and about – aAh! has gathered a selection of events for all budgets for you and your friends to enjoy. Get into the festival spirit with a variety of activities…
Leave a reply