Keep updated on the current policies
In January we wrote to all providers asking them to release students from contracts, allow students to pause their payments and to offer rent reductions of 30%. This spreadsheet outlines the policies and responses of Urbanest, Student Roost, Unite, Sanctuary Students, IQ and Scape - read them here.
Group action is key
A collective voice is always stronger than on your own. Ask around your peers to see if a group has been set up and if not, start one! Create a Whatsapp group where you can organise a group lead, social media presence and your next steps.
Create a petition
Set out 3-5 main objectives of the petition (you can use the 3 LSESU are lobbying for at the top of the page) and include personal stories of why you need these. Send to your Halls management, your warden and CC in LSE’s Accommodation team (accommodation@lse.ac.uk). Use this as a way to also open up dialogue with your Halls management.
Write to your local MP
As constituents of their constituency, MPs need to listen to your concerns. Urbanest residents have successfully got Vauxhall MP Florence Eshalomi to take on their campaign as constituency work. Ask them to write to your private provider on your behalf and how they can support you. We will be providing a template you can use to write your MP in the next days, so please check back soon.
Escalate
If your provider is refusing to meaningfully engage with you, it might be time to escalate your campaigning. There are lots of ways to do this including: sending email ‘blasts’ to management, using IG stories, leaving reviews on open forums like Google and TSR.
Sign up to LSE Rent Strike, a student-led group
A form with information and the option to sign up can be found here. Read more about what’s like to be involved in the LSE rent strike on the Beaver.
Submit an individual complaint to LSE Accommodation
Students and LSESU have met with the School to resolve the issues informally, but we are now escalating it to a formal complaint. You can use Rent Strike Now’s template (and personalise it with your own experience) to send to the Director of Residential Services, and then escalate it if it is not responded to in time.
Write to your local MP
Ask them to write to your private provider on your behalf and how they can support you. We will be providing a template you can use to write your MP in the next days, so please check back soon.