Landlords leaving students in the cold due to high heating costs

Many students live in cold homes due to the high energy costs. Landlords set the heating extremely low, and there have been many quarrels in student homes about what an acceptable living temperature is, AD reports after speaking to students and student associations.

“We hear from many students who are left in the cold by landlords who suddenly turn down the heating,” Joram van Velzen of the student union LSVb said to the newspaper. Student union ISO received similar reports.

A student in Utrecht reported that the heating is only on in the common room of his student home. He and his roommates have to sleep in sweaters and socks.

“That is really unacceptable, but it will become downright unsafe if it gets even colder,” Van Velzen said. “Landlords can also save on their energy costs by investing in double glazing.” The LSVb previously teamed up with environmental organizations to ask the government to ban single-glazing on windows altogether.

Students have been struggling with the energy bill since the summer when the government decided they wouldn’t qualify for the energy allowance aimed at helping low-income households deal with the skyrocketing energy costs caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Students in various cities have taken the matter to court. The court in Arnhem ruled that excluding students from the energy allowance was discrimination, but the government still stuck to that decision.

According to Minister Carola Schouten for Poverty Policy, the education executive agency DUO does not have the needed information to implement the energy allowance for students who need it. According to her, the alternative is compensating all students, and that would be too expensive at 200 million euros.

The energy price cap set to take effect on January 1 will apply to all households, including students. Under the price cap, households will pay a lower rate for average gas and electricity consumption. Above-average consumption will be charged at market rates.