Building trust between Landlords and Students
The student housing service design project in Bergamo addresses the challenges students face in securing accommodation. Rising rental costs due to tourism and landlords' hesitations have made it difficult for students to find housing. The team developed a service design intervention that seeks to bridge the gap between landlords and students by fostering trust and encouraging more rental opportunities.
Building on the efforts of Cerco Allogio, a well-established organisation assisting students across Italy, the project leverages its credibility to increase landlords' willingness to rent to students. Despite its strong support system, the Bergamo branch operates within a constrained housing market. Through interviews with students, landlords, rental agencies, and university housing offices, the team identified landlords’ reluctance as a key barrier.
To address this, the team developed advertisements and posters reassuring landlords about student tenants and the support available. These materials were tested and refined based on landlord feedback. Future steps may explore in-person meetups and additional resources to strengthen landlord-student relationships.
The project provided insights into the complexities of student housing in Bergamo, the role of trust in rental agreements, and the need for multi-faceted solutions. Future iterations may expand upon these learnings to create more comprehensive support systems for students.
