The ISHA operates like a building committee for all international students at city level. Part of the group of internationals are tenant by SSH (student housing). In general, SSH has building committees for their different locations. These building committees monitor possible complications and pass them on to SSH. International students, however, are spread throughout various locations in Utrecht and stay too short to unite themselves in a building committee. Besides, there are many specific circumstances amongst international students of which the concerned building committee has generally little knowledge.
International students can therefore leave their remarks about SSH with the ISHA. This varies from minor and incidental complaints to sometimes more major and structural complaints. Incidental complaints will be passed on to SSH directly. Structural complaints (e.g. high rents, bad communication) will be presented to SSH during a meeting with the ISHA. The international who contacts us will be kept informed about the current developments concerning the complaint. The ISHA concentrates on these structural complaints and ensures SSH is moved to improve the situation.
During the recent years the ISHA has also focused more on internationals who do not rent from SSH. Namely, many international students do not live buildings owned by SSH. These students are important to the ISHA as well. Amongst this group of students there are often questions regarding the rental prizes and their rights as tenants. In most cases Vidius Rechtshulp can help them. Vidius Rechtshulp is a service of judicial aid for students and run by law students.
