MBO students turned away at student complex

MBO students turned away at student complex
 

MBO students were refused housing at an Amsterdam student complex, emerged this week. That is not the intention assures Kences, the branch organisation of social student housing providers

Residents of the student complex in Amsterdam’s Slotervaart neighbourhood had recently found a new housemate at a hospiteeravond (vote in night). They passed on his details to landlord TWA but were told to look for someone else, as the nominated student is following a mbo education (secondary vocational education).

“Discrimination” thinks the Amsterdam student union ASVA. “This is really not acceptable,” also says Jolan de Bie, spokesperson for Kences. And it is also not normal practice at most student complexes, she stresses. 
Still, there is no prohibition against selecting a target group for housing. “For example, you can also refuse young people in housing for the elderly. It is important for landlords to reconsider such rules.”

Rooms for MBO students
At the request of the Ministry of OCW, Kences previously took stock of how its members (most of the large social student housing corporations) deal with allocating rooms to MBO students. This showed that 97 percent of all rooms and studios are generally also allocated to MBO students following the vocational training pathway.

MBO students who only attend school once a week (apprenticeship track) are not always admitted. After all, many student housing associations consider it important that their residents actually study full-time. 

Good to know, TWA is not a member of industry organisation Kences. (HOP, PvT)