Marketgait Apartments Administration Leaves Dundee Students Displaced

The sector has been hit by falling international enrolments, a cost-of-living squeeze and higher construction financing, all of which have pushed several providers into insolvency. New-build tower blocks in cities such as Coventry, Leeds and Nottingham have added supply faster than demand, while modern purpose-built units command rents that many domestic students cannot afford.

The Guardian

Marketgait Apartments, a 116-room block less than a ten-minute walk from Abertay and Dundee universities, filed for administration in mid-July after the owners could not repay a £5.7 million loan. The building had 68 rooms let at the time. Weekly rents were advertised at £199 for a studio and £165 for an en-suite room.

The Guardian

Prestige Student Living, the operator, had promoted the development on 23 June, urging students to “secure your spot today”. After the administration, 27 students had renewed contracts for the 2026-27 academic year; 17 of them had already left for the summer, and the remaining tenants were told they must vacate within a month. James Elliot, a 21-year-old Dundee graduate and member of Scotland’s tenants’ union Living Rent, said the sudden notice left students “anxious, stressed and shocked”.

The Guardian

The spokesperson added that Prestige would continue to support affected students.

The Guardian

“Because so many international students were away back home, they couldn’t do that in person. They had all of their belongings there for next year, clothes, pots and pans, everything they needed for uni. So they had to pay a fee for a third party to store their things for them.” — Prestige

The Guardian