Taking a holiday has not been an option for many tradesmen working in North Dunedin, as the migration of students back to the city approaches.
Painters, builders and other tradesman were hard at work in the student quarter yesterday.
Gas and Water Ltd plumber, gasfitter and drainlayer Sean Reynolds, who was working on flats in Hyde St and elsewhere, said students were more picky than they had been.
''They certainly know what they want now,'' Mr Reynolds said.
For example, the landlord he was working for in Hyde St was doing things such as getting rid of low-pressure hot water and putting in insulation and heat-pumps.
These were all things students and their parents were looking for.
''It's not as if you can go in clear out the rubbish, clean the carpets and then get the next load of students in any more. You have got to actually do a little more.''
There were still some students who wanted the typically ''grungy'' Dunedin flat, but more were interested in having the comforts they were used to when they were living at home.
University director of accommodation services James Lindsay believed the standard of housing in the student quarter was improving ''driven by smarter landlords wanting to maintain their investments''.
''Also students are more informed and aware of the higher standards available,'' he said.
Mr Lindsay hoped the work going on this summer would go some way to meet demand from the ''majority of students who want higher quality flats''.
It was too early to tell where demand for student rentals was at compared with last year.
