On Wednesday, University of Manchester students were lifted out of University of Manchester buildings by bailiffs employed by the University of Manchester.
In what has been a tumultuous dispute between the uni and activists, the institution secured a possession order of the south campus on Oxford Road on March 17. Then, a few days later, protesters were forcibly removed.
It marked the end of a weeks-long occupation of various buildings by the UoM Rent Strike group. However, it does not look like the end of the action from the collective.
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What began as a withholding of rent has spiralled into a major, on-going row over the cost of living at the university, and one which does not have an end in sight, with a fresh round of rent strikes promised for April 20, when UoM is set to collect halls’ rent.
With such drastic action taken already, and more claims from UoM Rent Strike they have other options at their disposal, the M.E.N took a look at how the situation came to a head.
'I was struggling to pay my rent - now I'm sleeping on the floor manning a barricade'
The occupation of several university buildings began on February 8, with UoM Rent Strikers taking over sections of the Engineering Building and Samuel Alexander humanities centre. They also secured the entirety of the John Owens Building, which is where senior leadership work.
“I first got involved in the rent strike because I was struggling financially as a result of the cost-of-living crisis and the uni profiteering from rent,” one student told the MEN two-and-a-half days into the action.
“I knew the maintenance loan was going down, and I’m already on an increased loan because of my parents’ income. Around December the uni published its finances and it said they were thrilled to make a £120 million profit this academic year and some of that came from increases in accommodation [income].
“That was the point when I went from worried about finances to anger. Obviously there’s a national picture, but the uni is exacerbating that.”
From there, the occupation grew. The Simon Building, on the opposite side of Oxford Road to the famous Whitworth Arch, became the fourth building to be occupied. The protesters ramped up the rhetoric, saying action will be 'indefinite' until their demands were met.
But then the university hit back. It turned off the Wi-Fi and heating in the John Owens, saying: “Normally several hundred people would work in the John Owens Building to deliver much needed services for staff, students and the wider community.
“As it is currently a virtually empty large building, and with well-established high costs of energy and utilities, we have taken the decision to temporarily turn off heating and Wi-Fi in the building while it cannot be utilised for its intended purpose.”
At this point, protesters left the Sam Alex and Engineering buildings — but the university issued a further warning to those in the John Owens, saying that students had until 4pm on February 15 to leave or face the ‘consequences of not doing so’. A day later, the John Owens occupation was abandoned.
“Occupiers of the John Owens building have now left, but this is just the start: we will continue to organise against the University’s management and their inadequate response to the cost-of-living crisis faced by students and staff,” a statement from the protest group said. However, the occupation as a whole was not over.
“Legal action is shameful”
A small section of the Simon Building remained occupied, even after the university took legal action against the demonstrators. That involved securing a ‘possession order’ of the south campus.
"The relevant court papers have been served on those in occupation, a procedural step we are required to take,” a statement from UoM explained. “It is unfortunate that this action has become necessary, but the occupation has significantly disrupted the experience of other students and staff across the University and resulted in health and safety breaches, entry to private office spaces and injury to colleagues, with the occupiers making clear they have no intention of leaving.”
The activists slammed the decision. They replied: “The decision of the University to engage in legal action instead of simply talking to their students is shameful.
"They have decided to spend money on taking this to court to regain possession of their building.
"They should know that even if we do not have an occupation, that will not stop us escalating further, and taking action, until they have agreed to listen to our concerns and demands."
Ultimately, that order granted bosses the power to send the bailiffs in, and decided to do so on Wednesday (March 22). Students involved said the ordeal was ‘terrifying’.
"We all woke up to a massive bang, and about a dozen men in the room all suited and booted telling us to get up and get out. I was pushed into a lift while I was standing,” one 20-year-old student said
"But I was trying to ensure that everyone that was being carried was safely carried. So I was filming.
"There were a lot of people being manhandled – they’re supposed to be about four people per person, but they were like dragging people on the floor and stuff. So I was essentially escorting people to the lifts to try and make sure that they got out safely, filming everything, making sure they weren’t left with a bailiff by themselves.
"It’s a very scary experience. I think for most of us it was our first experience of a bailiff.
"And they were as terrifying as you think they are. It was all quite an intense experience."
When asked why the bailiffs had been sent in, a University of Manchester spokesperson said: "On Wednesday morning officers of the High Court attended the Simon Building to enforce a court order, on a small group of students who had been illegally occupying rooms there since 13 February 2023. This action follows multiple requests to those occupying the building to leave, and court hearing papers being served on the occupiers on March 15 2023.
"The Court granted the University a possession order on Monday, and copies of the order were served to the occupiers. We very much regret having to do this, but the situation has been going on for a significant amount of time and has caused ongoing disruption to students and the people who work in the building."
The university rejects allegations of profiteering, confirming that it achieved an 'adjusted operating surplus' of £119.7 million in the year 2021/2022 - but saying it is a charity that puts income back into essential investments. It says that it offers 'less costly' rents than private accommodation, and that 'we make sure our lowest priced halls have the lowest price increases', saying it has not passed on the big increases in costs this year for energy and food."
It says 44 out of 8,000 students have declared 'they are withholding rent', adding: "We understand that the cost of living situation is having an effect on students, and many of them are worried or in difficulty. We have worked closely with students to put in place a package of support which is among the best of any UK university and are working at a national level to address the issues."
“We have other methods”
Despite the occupation coming to an end after several weeks, UoM Rent Strike were quick to dissuade any notion that it meant the game was up. One occupier from the John Owens building admitted to the M.E.N the day after the bailiffs arrived that it was difficult for another occupation to take place with the possession order in effect.
“There are other methods,” he added, however. “We disrupted a board of governors meeting on Tuesday.
“The second rent payment is coming up on April 20. We are trying to get more students to join. The first one only took 7-10 days [to organise] and now we think we can get more following the media coverage.
“We have already changed uni policy. Usually, the rents are published for the next academic year in January. That’s not happened. We have also got a second cost of living payment coming.
“I think everything [we are demanding] is reasonable and within reach.”
A University spokesman said a second payment was always planned, and was not a change in policy achieved by the actions of the students.
The spokesman also pointed out the range of cost of living support they offer students, including an uncapped Cost of Living Support fund providing grants of up to £2,000 which do not need to be repaid, ending all library fines, a reduction on food and drink prices on campus. They have provided free hot water, microwaves and warm spaces, and are working with the Students’ Union to enable easier and increased access to short-term emergency financial assistance as well as funding a new SU Money Advisor post.
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