Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) - notice period survey: responses summary
Analysis of the responses to the student survey and the provider survey on 28 day notice periods in purpose-built student accommodation.
Annex E: Student Survey Tables of Findings
Findings from the closed questions only from the student survey are presented here.
- The number of responses per question is indicated as the “base” or the base rate.
- The base rate per question is also presented as a percentage of the overall number of respondents.
- Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
- Percentages are presented by Citizen Space rounded to 2 decimal spaces. In interest of transparency, this is reproduced here - figures are presented to two decimal places in Annexes F and G only.
- Elsewhere in this publication, figures are rounded to zero decimal places to avoid a false sense of precision. This is particularly pertinent in cases where there is a very low base rate.
Question 1: Have you stayed in privately owned PBSA or in university / college halls of residence?
There were 170 responses to this part of the question.
| Option | Total | % of all respondents | % of those who answered Q1 99.42% of all respondents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Privately owned PBSA | 32 | 18.71% | 18.82% |
| University/college halls of residence | 138 | 80.70% | 81.18% |
| Not Answered | 1 | 0.58% | |
| Total | n=171 | Base=170 |
Question 4(a): Did your tenancy agreement include notice to leave provisions or information about how to terminate your tenancy early?
There were 168 responses to this part of the question.
| Option | Total | % of all respondents | % of those who answered Q4a 98.25% of all respondents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 84 | 49.12% | 50.00% |
| No | 40 | 23.39% | 23.81% |
| Don't know | 44 | 25.73% | 26.19% |
| Not Answered | 3 | 1.75% | |
| Total | n=171 | Base=168 |
Question 4(b): If yes, how easy was it to find this information?
There were 115 responses to this part of the question.
| Option | Total | % of all respondents | % of those who answered Q4b 67.25% of all respondents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very easy | 16 | 9.36% | 13.91% |
| Easy | 31 | 18.13% | 26.96% |
| Neither easy nor difficult | 30 | 17.54% | 26.09% |
| Difficult | 28 | 16.37% | 24.35% |
| Very difficult | 10 | 5.85% | 8.70% |
| Not Answered | 56 | 32.75% | |
| Total | n=171 | Base=115 |
Question 5: What statement best describes your experience of leaving or wanting to leave your accommodation?
There were 161 responses to this part of the question.
| Option | Total | % of all respondents | % of those who answered Q5 94.15% of all respondents |
|---|---|---|---|
| I left my accommodation during the rental period | 30 | 17.54% | 18.63% |
| I wanted to leave my accommodation during the rental period but did not leave | 37 | 21.64% | 22.98% |
| I did not want to leave my accommodation during the rental period - Go to Question 11 | 87 | 50.88% | 54.04% |
| My only experience of leaving or wanting to leave my accommodation was during the COVID-19 pandemic - Go to Question 11 | 7 | 4.09% | 4.35% |
| Not Answered | 10 | 5.85% | |
| Total | n=171 | Base=161 |
Question 6: If applicable, why did you leave or want to leave your PBSA accommodation?
There were 73 responses to this part of the question.
| Option | Total | % of all respondents | % of those who answered Q6 42.69% of all respondents |
|---|---|---|---|
| I left university / college before my course completion | 1 | 0.58% | 1.36% |
| I completed my course | 12 | 7.02% | 16.44% |
| I moved to another university / college | 2 | 1.17% | 2.74% |
| I was unwell | 5 | 2.92% | 6.85% |
| I experienced a family bereavement | 1 | 0.58% | 1.36% |
| I wanted to move to other accommodation outwith PBSA, for example with friends | 18 | 10.53% | 24.66% |
| I was not happy with the quality of accommodation provided | 17 | 9.94% | 23.29% |
| For reasons related to the COVID-19 pandemic | 1 | 0.58% | 1.36% |
| Other – please provide details | 16 | 9.36% | 21.92% |
| Not Answered | 98 | 57.31% | |
| Total | n=171 | Base=73 |
Question 7: How much notice did you provide?
There were 48 responses to this part of the question.
| Option | Total | % of all respondents | % of those who answered Q7 28.07% of all respondents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 week(s) | 13 | 7.60% | 27.09% |
| 3 month(s) | 3 | 1.75% | 6.25% |
| Other | 32 | 18.71% | 66.66% |
| Not Answered | 123 | 71.93% | |
| Total | n=171 | Base=48 |
Question 8(a): Were you able to leave without incurring any financial penalty (anything more than one month rental costs)?
There were 47 responses to this part of the question.
| Option | Total | % of all respondents | % of those who answered Q8a 27.49% of all respondents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes – the balance of rent was refunded automatically (rental costs paid up front) | 6 | 3.51% | 12.77% |
| Yes – I did not have to make any more rental payments (rental costs paid monthly) | 16 | 9.36% | 34.04% |
| Yes – I had to request the balance of rent (rental costs paid up front) | 1 | 0.58% | 2.13% |
| No | 24 | 14.04% | 51.06% |
| Not Answered | 124 | 72.51% | |
| Total | n=171 | Base=47 |
Question 8(b): If no, were any rental costs refunded?
There were 33 responses to this part of the question.
| Option | Total | % of all respondents | % of those who answered Q8b 19.30% of all respondents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes – please provide details of how many months rent were refunded / you did not have to pay | 7 | 4.09% | 21.21% |
| No | 26 | 15.20% | 78.79% |
| Not Answered | 138 | 80.70% | |
| Total | n=171 | Base=33 |
Question 9: If you incurred a financial penalty, how did you pay for this?
There were 26 responses to this part of the question.
| Option | Total | % of all respondents | % of those who answered Q9 15.20% of all respondents |
|---|---|---|---|
| From my own funds | 8 | 4.68% | 30.77% |
| My parents, carers, or someone else in my support network gave me the money | 4 | 2.34% | 15.39% |
| Independent or commercial guarantor | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Loss of deposit | 4 | 2.34% | 15.39% |
| Through a repayment plan with the provider | 2 | 1.17% | 7.70% |
| By getting a loan or borrowing the money | 1 | 0.58% | 3.85% |
| Other – please give details | 7 | 4.09% | 26.92% |
| Not Answered | 145 | 84.80% | |
| Total | n=171 | Base=26 |
Question 10: Did the fact that you would not get your rental costs back, either fully or partially, influence your decision on whether to leave your accommodation?
There were 73 responses to this part of the question.
| Option | Total | % of all respondents | % of those who answered Q10 42.70% of all respondents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 55 | 32.16% | 75.34% |
| No | 18 | 10.53% | 24.66% |
| Not Answered | 98 | 57.31% | |
| Total | n=171 | Base=73 |
Contact
Email: PBSAreview@gov.scot