Thrown out during exam period

– This is an incredibly unpleasant situation for us who live here. The displacement occurs in the middle of the exam period. And information from SiO has been vague and poor.

Alizamin Jafarli from Azerbaijan tells us about the situation. He has, until now, lived in a dorm at Sogn Student Village.

Studentskipnaden in Oslo and Akershus (SiO) is currently working on an upgrade plan of its buildings, among which is rehabilitating old student housing. In December, the renovation of Sogn begins.

In Norwegian: Kastes ut i eksamenstiden

Must move twice

But it also means that many are forced to move at short notice.

In Sogn Student Village’s Facebook group, many residents express their dissatisfaction with the timing of the renovation. Around 140 residents must leave their apartments and many of the students are planning a storm of complaints against SiO.

– Moving is tiring and takes a lot of time. And it feels unnecessary that we need to spend time on this instead of reading for our exams, says Jafarli.

He believes it is particularly problematic because there are so many exchange students at Sogn, who only study one semester and who now have to move twice in a short period of time.

– If they had only postponed renovations until January, everything would have been fine. At that point, many exchange students would already have moved back to their homeland, but now they have to move to temporary housing until they finish their exams, says Jafarli.

Residents at St. Hanshaugen is also dissatisfied with SiO’s services. They tell of clutter and poor service at student residences. Now they are demanding that it be cleaned up. I've probably thrown food for around NOK 500 over the last month due to a broken fridge which is not being fixed, says archeology student Kristoffer Pedersen

Understand the frustration: Director of SiO Housing understands that some will experience the move from Sogn Student as troublesome.

Exam period

– It is important for us that our homes hold a better standard than they do today, says Trond Bakke, Director of SiO Housing, which says that the oldest buildings at Sogn are from the 50’s.

The reason SiO starts rehabilitation during the exam period is to finish the work by next summer, so the new students can move into newly renovated flats at the start of term. It will take seven to eight months to renovate 140 flats. Students who need to move have been given two months' notice.

– I understand that it is unfortunate having to move out during the exam period. That’s why we want to help those who want to move before December. I would recommend anyone to consult SiO if they have problems instead of complaining about it on Facebook. That helps no one, says Bakke.

– Could you move the renovation to after the exam period to, for example, January 1st?

– Yes, but then the flats would not be ready for the start of term. We have considered the pros and cons, and here the consideration of start of term weighed heaviest. But the students have the opportunity to move already. Thus you avoid the exam problems, says Bakke.

Mobilizing storm of complaints

SiO also guarantees students new homes of the same or better standard.

But in spite of the offer of new housing and to facilitate those who want to move before the deadline, Jafarli fears the consequences of having to move.

Their flats at Sogn are among SiO’s cheapest and Jafarli says they have not received clarity on whether they have to pay the difference on the new, more expensive apartments.

– Many among us international students cannot afford to pay more than we do today, says Jafarli.

He does not experience that residents have been listened to by SiO at all in this case. This is why he is now mobilizing a storm of complaints.

– I do not understand the need to renovate the flats at Sogn right now. It seems that SiO does not bother to listen to us, says Jafarli.