Photo Unsplash / Marcus Loke Not all international students have succeeded in finding a room in Wageningen. Student housing agency Idealis has started experimenting with two students in a room.
‘Most students have found lodgings’, says Idealis director Bart van As. ‘But there may be a higher influx next year that Wageningen and we are not able to accommodate. Hence, we have started an experiment with two students in a single room.’ The test takes place at Dijkgraaf and involves thirty international students. In accordance with the fire department’s wishes, they are spread over different student apartment corridors.
Voluntary
Van As declares that all those involved in the experiment have signed up voluntarily. ‘We don’t force anyone to share a room. Many international students enjoy living with a buddy of their own choosing. In other countries, room sharing is quite common among students. In China, as many as six students may sometimes share a room. They are used to it.’ An added advantage is that ‘they pay only half the normal rent, which is a bonus’, says Van As.
Chartered ship or hotel
The aim of the experiment is to learn, says Van As. ‘We want to know whether the tenants are happy and how we should formulate the contract. Do they get a joint contract? Or do we go for the main tenant and sub-tenant option?’ Following an evaluation, Idealis will decide whether sharing is a viable emergency option in cases where the number of international students exceeds the number of available rooms. ‘So far, the reactions are positive. The students enjoy sharing a room.’
Van As reserves judgement. The experiment has only just started. ‘Should it transpire that this is not a viable solution, we will have to come up with something else. In that case, we may have to charter a cruise ship or the WICC hotel.’
Permission from municipality and fire department
A spokesperson of Wageningen municipality says the local authorities support room sharing. ‘The Municipal Executive has assessed whether two students to a room is in line with the relevant legislation’, the spokesperson says. ‘We consulted with the fire department with regard to safety aspects.’
The spokesperson says that it is now up to Idealis and WUR to decide which locations are suitable and for how many persons. ‘The joint ambition of the municipality, Idealis and WUR is still to have everybody provided with housing by 1 May.’
This article was previously published in De Gelderlander / Arnold Winkel
