October 26, 2023
Tenant associations – what are they for?
Welcome! 😀
Linköping University is a vibrant and diverse community where students, aside from studies, can pursue their passions in various extracurricular activities. One of the key factors that contribute to the rich student life is the presence of maaaany student associations, each with its unique character and focus. I already described how everything regarding student organisations is structured in my previous blog post here. In this blog post, we’ll delve into a part that I didn’t mention before – tenant associations.
Now, you may wonder what they are… Tenant associations are not strictly related to the university but rather to student housing companies (such as Studentbostäder or StudentBo) and are somewhat connected to the university. They play a vital role in enhancing the overall living experience and helping students when needed. So, let’s take a closer look at how these associations work, the events they organize, and the impact they have on the student life at Linköping University. Whether you’re a prospective student or a current member of Linköping University, this exploration of tenant associations will provide insight into all the useful aspects that can just make your life easier.
To give some context, 3 student unions represent all 4 faculties at LiU. We have:
Student unions are responsible for making students’ voices heard. They work on issues related to education, work environment, and social issues. So for example, they make sure that the premises you study at are adequate and functional. Also, they make sure that the university’s decisions are in the student’s best interest. Additionally, they own a company called Kårservice which is an incorporated company that manages student union buildings which provide services affordable to students.
KOMBO
KOMBO is part of Kårservice with the role of housing agency and the task of conducting social activities. KOMBO functions as the students ‘own tenants’ association. They can help students with finding housing as they have a website where mainly private hosts advertise that they have rooms, apartments or other accommodations to rent out to students. No queue points are required! (This is actually where I found my accommodation 😀 ) They can also serve you with legal advice in various housing matters. Their help is free of charge. You don’t even have to live in student housing – it’s enough that you’re a student at Linköping University to get help and support from them. I personally know people working there and they are amazing so don’t hesitate to contact them if you need! Moreover, their task is to negotiate rent so you won’t go broke 🙂 And lastly, dealing with housing issues for the students vis-à-vis Studentbostäder, ByggVesta, Heimstaden and Studentbo in Norrköping. To better represent student situations in a particular area, there are non-profit organizations affiliated with KOMBO called tenant associations, housing councils or resident clubs.
In Linköping, we have 4 of these tenant associations namely, FR Ryd, FR Flamman, FR Irrblosset and Borådet på Ryds Allé. Each of them has somewhat the same agenda:
- They have a lending service where you can borrow tools that may be financially difficult to own as a student, or devices that you only use on occasional occasions such as drilling machines, sewing machines, bike repair tools etc.
- They act as a reference group for the rental negotiations.
- They arrange events for the residents of a particular area, for example, barbecues & movie nights.
- They are in close contact with the landlords so if you want to change or improve something in your area, you can contact them with your idea.
FR Ryd
FR Ryd has additional services for students and that is a billiard room and the bicycle workshop.
- The billiard room can be booked by the Studentbostäder tenants via the app.
- The bike repair workshop is a place where you as a student of Linköping University can borrow tools, buy spare parts such as tires and get advice on how to fix your bike. If you have already bought new parts, you are also more than welcome to borrow tools and mount the parts on your bike. They are open on Sunday evenings however, you can read more on the website and any updates are on their Instagram and Facebook page.
Norrköping
In Norrköping, there are two tenant associations; Vattentornet and Borådet Gripen. Unfortunately, I have never been in contact with them so can’t say much about them but you can email them to get more information!
Every tenant association is obliged to hold housing meetings every autumn and spring and this is also the time when you can apply to be part of the association. Being part of any of these associations comes with some perks such as free entry to some student clubs, small remuneration and cool ( 😀 ) merchandise. However, the benefits are association-specific and they may fluctuate. If you are interested in joining any of these tenant associations, I’m sure they will be very happy to have you. Check their website for applications. From what I know, FR Ryd is currently recruiting!
/Alexandra, Experimental and Medical Biosciences
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Start with checking out:
Our programmes, the application process, webinars, and our Instagram and Facebook account.
Still left wanting more?Book an appointment with our recruitment coordinator at international@student.liu.se.
