[Plain text version]
UniHomes and Bills Ltd
6th Floor, 1 New Era Square
Sheffield, S2 4RB
Dear Phil Greaves, Bradley Cox and Luca Mori,
Re: Fleecing students during the cost-of-living crisis
I’m writing as the Labour and Co-operative Councillor for Crookes and Crosspool. I have recently been contacted by a number of students who have raised concerns with your housing and utilities provision.
As you know, many students choose to sign with UniHomes because they are provided with accommodation with bills included. I have recently been made aware that you have written to many students this month to let them know that you will no longer be including utilities provision within their rent package and they must find alternative energy providers.
In the context of the cost-of-living crisis—and with energy bills reaching record highs—leaving students with a very short window to source their own energy provider is essentially throwing student renters to the whims of the energy market.
I am deeply concerned that you are shirking your responsibilities as a provider of housing and your duty of care to these students, who are now going to be subjected to heavily inflated bills compared to what they signed up to.
I have also been informed that UniHomes have been taking on students without providing individual contracts, and sometimes only issuing a standard set of terms and conditions that are hidden away on your website and heavily weighted in your favour. I am deeply concerned by your business model, which to me seems more in fleecing students of their maintenance loans to make gross levels of profit. I have learnt that, earlier in the year, when residents tried to resign with you, they were asked to pay heavily increased rates that were well above the energy price cap increase.
Please can you let me know: how you are responding to the cost-of-living crisis, how you deem these practices to be justifiable, and how they fit into your duty of care to students?
Yours sincerely,
Councillor Minesh Parekh
