DEAR STUDENT DIRECT,
I NOTE with interest Labour candidate Leif Jerram’s plans, if elected, to tackle dodgy landlords ripping off students by introducing a licensing scheme.
Whilst we must applaud all attempts to ensure students are no longer ripped off by the growing number of dubious landlords and letting agents, we must be very careful before we decide to implement landlord licensing. The SNP government in Scotland and the Liberal Democrat Council in Bristol have already attempted to use legislation available to them to bring in landlord licensing to implement student quotas, effectively forcing certain numbers of students to live in certain areas.
If Manchester City Council - currently controlled by Labour -attempt to bring in student quotas, I intend to launch a campaign next year as your General Secretary to fight for the rights of students, like other citizens, to choose where they live, and fight against any "quota" plans.
Rob Pinfold
UMSU General Secretary Elect
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