8:30 AM, 19th March 2026, 2 months ago 5 Student sitting in a private rental room, reflecting concerns about safety in off-campus housing

Trainees state they feel less safe in their personal property owner homes than they do

in purpose-built trainee accommodation, a survey has discovered. Purpose-built housing supplier Here! Trainees surveyed 600 students to discover how safe renters feel depending on where they live.

3 in 4 residents in PBSA said they feel safe, however that figure drops to 56% amongst those renting privately.

The distinction carries through to overall experience, with 67% of PBSA residents ranking their stay favorably compared to 51% in personal leasings.

Students feel safe

A spokesperson for the company said: “Discovering the best accommodation has to do with more than having a roofing over your head.

“It has to do with feeling safe, supported and having the ability to focus on your research studies knowing you have a home you can depend on.”

They added: “For moms and dads, universities, and policymakers, the information functions as a tip that top quality trainee housing isn’t a high-end.”

PBSA lockable doors

Security arrangement shows that PBSA spaces are nearly two times as most likely to have a lock on the bed room door, at 59% versus 31%.

Lockable windows were reported by 48% of PBSA citizens and 30% in private real estate, while CCTV was present in 27% compared with 12%.

Smart doorbells appear in 29% of PBSA sites versus 13% in personal rentals.

Secure entry systems stand at 31% compared to 17%, and door viewers at 30% versus 21%.

Where is safe?

The study highlights Sheffield as having the lowest reported safety levels at 69%, followed by Manchester at 66% and Birmingham at 73%.

In private rentals, Sheffield again ranked most affordable, with 44% of students stating they felt safe.

Leeds followed at 48% and Liverpool at 50%.

In other places, Oxford recorded the highest security level at 88%, with Liverpool following at 80% and Leeds at 78%.

Looking only at personal lets, Nottingham recorded the greatest figure, with 65% of trainees saying they felt safe.

By admin