A perception that male students make rowdier tenants may be making it harder for some to line up a property for next year.
In a flatting culture where students typically move each year, the quest to find accommodation in Dunedin for 2023 is well under way and tertiary students who spoke to the Otago Daily Times said it was especially challenging for men.
However, Otago Property Investors Association president Kathryn Seque had not found the stereotype to be true.
"Unfortunately, there may be a perception there, but I can tell you now I’ve had bad boy groups, bad girl groups and bad mixed groups.
"I’ve personally taken on all-boy groups for next year, I’ve got some this year — great groups, no issues.
"It’s about the way they act in the flat, not about their gender,’’ Ms Seque said.
Association members did not discriminate against all-male flatting groups, she said.
"No landlord, or any person, should be discriminating against gender, sex, ethnicity, religion or anything at all.
"If they are, then we highly suggest that the groups go and seek legal advice through the Human Rights Commission and ring tenancy services.’’
A student who did not wish to give his full name, said he was one of a group of male students looking for a flat together.
"We’ve had a nightmare with our flat hunting so far,’’ he said. "We’ve applied for seven or eight so far.’’
He believed female groups were more likely to get chosen.
However he also believed they were far less likely to cause damage, and said he understood landlords preferring them as tenants.
Another student, who also did not wish to give his full name, said his girlfriend was in an all-female group who were accepted for the first flat they applied for, one of multiple stories that formed his opinion that it was "definitely harder for guys’’.
A male student, who did not wish to be named, said he attended a flat viewing last year where an all-male group was "turned away at the door’’.
"They were like, ‘you’re not what we’re looking for’,’’ he said.
Another student, who did not wish to be named, said female groups were better at taking care of a property than male groups, but the dubious reputation of student tenants was overblown.
"I don’t think I know anyone that’s left [a flat] in a really bad state — not immaculate, but no massive holes in the wall or anything.’’
The struggle to find next year’s accommodation was not only a male problem, with a female student who did not wish to be named saying she had looked at many flat listings and was finding it difficult to lock one down.
The Otago University Students’ Association (OUSA) student support manager Sage Burke did not comment on how many students had sought advice on the issue, but said it had been raised previously.
"OUSA believes all prospective tenants should be assessed based on their individual merits,’’ Mr Burke said.
Property agencies were contacted for comment but did not respond.
