Where are the ‘ghost students’? Concerns over housing changes

The National Association for Student Accommodation Transformation (NASAT) has raised concerns over the administration of student accommodation being returned to institutions.

The association believes that indecisiveness in this regard is a key factor contributing to ongoing challenges.

NASAT Chairperson Samantha Jennings said, “Systems put in place for the administration of student accommodation collapse with each move, creating instability on an annual basis.”

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Lack of engagement

She highlighted one of the biggest issues is the lack of engagement with key stakeholders.

“Decisions are made without consulting us, even though they directly impact our members. That’s why we’ve mobilised under one banner—to ensure we have a unified voice,” she said. 

She also questioned the issue of so-called “ghost students” which has been raised by the scheme.

“We have followed all registration and verification processes as required. There has been no prior indication that students were flagged as ineligible, yet now we’re being told there’s an issue when it comes time for payments.”

Jennings said NASAT has been engaging with the relevant authorities and they have not been alerted to cases of student evictions.

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Instability

According to Jennings, several associations representing student accommodations met with the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) earlier this month.

“A major issue is the instability caused by frequent administrative changes—moving responsibilities between institutions and other bodies without proper transition plans,” she explained.

Earlier this week, NSFAS announced that payments initially set for 4 April would be moved forward to 31 March, which was seen as a positive step. The scheme acknowledged the persistent challenges and stated it was working to streamline payment processes.

“We are reviewing our claims verification and payment procedures to identify opportunities for improvement. Additionally, we are exploring strategies to enhance communication with accommodation providers, ensuring that they are informed of any potential delays as early as possible,” it noted. 

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However, Jennings noted concerns over last-minute changes.

“We initially had an agreement that payments would be processed by 28 March. The last-minute changes cause unnecessary financial strain on landlords who are already accommodating students at their own cost.

“We’ve asked to meet with them on the 10th of every month because usually it’s about that time when they start running their payment processes to then get all that information. However, it also then requires them to come up with solutions.”

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