North Oxford Property Estate Agency, which only released its properties at 9 am on Wednesday and operates on a first come, first serve basis, saw students queuing outside the shop with sleeping bags and tents as early as 5 am on Tuesday.
Numerous students expressed anger at the current system implemented by the estate agency.
David Burgess, a Somerville first-year student, whose group had been there since 8.30 am on Tuesday, said, “It’s awful. Having a 9’o clock release date in term time doesn’t work and the videos put up on YouTube of people queuing increases the hype and makes more people queue.”
Charles Rowe, an Exeter second-year student, said, “There must be a better way of doing it…We’re suffering outside here in the cold. Our friends have been here since 10 am on Tuesday. We’re doing shifts. I’m going to be here until midnight when someone takes over.”
He explained his willingness to endure the long period of queuing, saying, “These are probably the nicest houses in Oxford, even though they are expensive. I want to have a nice third year as I have my finals.”
Several students condemned the agency’s practice of taking photographs and videos of the students as they queued, which are then put on the agency’s website.
Guy Brain, a New College student, said, “The fact that they are taking photos of people camping is humiliating and insensitive.”
Another student, Stefan Tarnowski, added, “As soon as they have a property they should release it. I find it insulting that they’re filming us and making jokes. By giving champagne to the students at the front of the queue, they’re encouraging students to queue and hyping it up.”
Some students criticised the 9 am release date of properties, for the reason that it didn’t allow them adequate time to inspect the property before agreeing
to become the tenants.
Emma Wheeler, a Worcester second-year, said, “One person has to wait in the office while the others race off to see the property. It’s a rat-race. There are so many things you have to check in the property, which can’t be done in a five minute viewing. There’s so much risk.”
Other students, while expressing annoyance at having to queue in the cold, acknowledged that there didn’t seem to be an alternative system.
Jo Holland, a Somerville student, said “We can’t think of any way to stop the queuing. We could feel the hype within college. People were panicking. We would have gone with another estate agency but North Oxford Property Services owns most of the properties, which we wanted in the area. We didn’t have much of a choice. There are so many other properties which are more expensive.”
Helena Powell, a first year Somerville student who described the queuing as “absolutely ridiculous”, conceded that “it is only a night for a year of living
in a house. It’s just about worth it.”
Robin Swailes, the office manager of the estate agency, defended their current system of operating. He said, “At one time, we would bring students in to look at the properties and they could put down their first, second and third choice. However, there were always some students who were disappointed. Five years ago, we decided a fairer and clearer way would be to operate on a first
come, first served basis.”
However, he said he was open to other proposals, stating, “If you can come up with a better system, we’ll do it. We need a workable suggestion. We don’t ask students to queue.”
He suggested that colleges should work more closely with the agency, stating that in the past the agency had worked directly with colleges such as St John’s, Lady Margret Hall and Pembroke for housing students.
He went on to refute student claims that the agency hadn’t put up all their properties on their website, stating that “all properties are on the website”. He also defended the agency’s practice of taking pictures and videos, describing it as “a tradition, which has gone on for 18 years” and as being “a bit of an event in Oxford”.
To ease the discomfort of queuing, the agency issued a voucher providing a free tea or coffee and bacon buttie or vegetarian equivalent to every student in the queue as well as stress balls to warm their hands.
However, not all students were convinced by this gesture.
One student, Laura Dowley, said, “They can see the students are really vulnerable and they hone in on it and try to butter us up with bacon butties.” She added, “They’re still increasing rent despite the recession because they
know there is a high demand from students.”
Lucien Smith, a St Benet’s Hall first-year student whose group had been queuing since 5 am on Tuesday morning and been given a bottle of champagne by the agency
for their efforts, said, “It was nice champagne. The queuing is unfortunate but we can’t think of a better way.”
Several students commented that the queuing created a negative atmosphere of competition.
James Teasdale, a first-year student, said, “Some people got aggressive, not to the point that they caused trouble. Most people are quite civil.”
Another student, David Burgess, commented, “There is a sort of camaraderie about it.”
Students criticised the colleges for not giving them sufficient warning about the need to sort out their accommodation for the next year as early as possible.
Oliver Elliott, a St Benet’s Hall first-year student, said, “There was no prior warning in the college that you have to sort out your accommodation quickly. The college system should be more involved and give more support.”
The doors of the agency were opened at 9 am on Wednesday and a member of staff stood at the door, monitoring the number of groups of students allowed in. Staff members were friendly with students, exchanging jokes.
Tim Jones, whose group was first in the queue and secured their preferred accommodation, said, “I’m knackered. I’m really happy, everything has come together in the last couple of days. We feel quite fortunate.”
Another student, Ollie Sheinwald, who secured his desired property, described himself as being “ecstatic”.
While the rest of the students waited to be let into the agency, a taxi with the logo of another property services agency, Finders Keepers Student Lettings,
parked opposite the shop with adverts of properties stuck on its windows. A staff member of North Oxford estate agency came out and proceeded to stick newspaper cuttings onto the windows to hide the adverts.
