Student rental prices have risen by 24 per cent since the beginning of the academic year, according to a survey.

Data gathered by the CBRE - a real estate investment firm - indicates that the average yearly price for an ensuite room in a shared house now stands at £10,750.

The maximum maintenance loan available to students outside London is £10,227. 

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But bucking the trend are smaller properties; the average price per annum for a studio in the city is now £13,700, just a three per cent increase since the academic year beginning in 2021.

The Chronicle spoke to nursing students at the University of Winchester, who have to stay in the city over the summer for their work placements.

Becky Noke and Katy Acuna, both 19, described the housing situation for students in Winchester as "outrageous".

They were dismayed at the £1,500 addition to their yearly rent they were forced to pay to stay for five weeks beyond the end of the standard semester.

Katy will be moving to Woking for the next academic year - she has decided she would prefer an hour-long commute to shelling out for a room in the city where she studies.

Katy Acuna and Becky Noke are studying nursing at the University of Winchester (Image: Sebastian Haw)

Even students who are married would not consider moving to Winchester.

Gyanu Thapa, another nursing student, lives with her husband in Eastleigh.

She said: "I used to live in Winchester, but now the house prices are so high. Even though we didn't want to move to Eastleigh, we had to.

"I liked living in Winchester and we could easily get a job here as well, but the problem is the rent and the house prices."

Gyanu Thupa also studies nursing (Image: Sebastian Haw)

Three other nursing students would not even consider moving to the city.

Martha Amponsah, Sheila Ampadu and Hermina Kapinga, all from Reading, are quite happy to commute.

Asked if she would live in Winchester, Martha said: "I would if I could."

In Reading, she pays just £500 for shared accommodation, half the average price in Winchester, which is only half an hour's train ride away.

Hermina Kapinga, Sheila Ampadu and Martha Amponsah (Image: Sebastian Haw)

Tim Pankhurst, head of student accommodation valuation at CBRE, Pankhurst said: “As maintenance loan growth lags and the cost of attending university grows, we could see a shift in where students choose to go.

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"More than ever, the cost of living is becoming a key decision driver for domestic students when deciding where to apply to study.”

“The loss of House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) homes has constricted supply further, driving up prices for existing accommodation and PBSA beds. Some universities are struggling to house their students in the same city. We need to encourage the development of student accommodation and increase its provision, so it’s affordable and accessible for all students.”

A student protest at Winchester University (Image: Contributed)

Winchester has nearly 9,000 students and approximately 3,000 dedicated student beds.

The student population is 80 per cent domestic, higher than the UK average of 72%, which could be one reason for studio rents not increasing in line with ensuite rents as well as lack of demand, according to CBRE.

Student rents are soaring all over the country, with almost all of students' maintenance loans being swallowed up by accommodation expenses.

The Chronicle has contacted the Winchester Student Union and the university for comment.