Make money by offering student accommodation

If you have a spare room that can house a bed and a desk then you could potentially offer a student accommodation and make money out if it too. A number of universities have appealed to residents to offer up some space to students if they are able to, as there is a severe shortage of accommodation at campuses.

How much could you charge?

Universities are also appealing to those that are able to accommodate students to make the rental reasonable, between R3000 – R4000 per month and to waive the deposit to make it more affordable for students.

The University of Cape Town’s (UCTs) deputy vice chancellor for transformation, Professor Loretta Feris, told Cape Talk radio: “There are spaces pegged at a rate that is so high that it becomes unaffordable for our students. That’s why students end up sleeping on the floor. That is what we are trying to alleviate.”

Who’s looking for accommodation?

• Western Cape: UCT are asking homeowners in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town to help ease the current shortfall of accommodation. You can click here to fill out a form if you want to put yourself forward to help a UCT student or rent them a room. There are also reports that students of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology’s (CPUT) Wellington campus have resorted to sleeping on the floor of campus store rooms.
• Tshwane: A shortage of accommodation at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) resulted in students sleeping on benches or squatting in packed residences. Last month, this sparked a protest, forcing management to close the main campus in Pretoria West. According to a report, the university was only providing accommodation to 35% of its total student population.
• KwaZulu Natal: The head of the department for student housing has claimed that the Durban University of Technology (DUT) has sorted out its student housing needs. However, back in February it was highlighted that the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) approved private accommodation for 963 students. If you are able to provide student accommodation for DUT students you could advertise online or in local newspapers it and see if there are any takers.