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Accommodation

Where to live

Leaving home for the first time can be extremely exciting – at last, your own space, your own rules and no one to tell you to eat your greens. When you go to university you will have a few options for where to lay your hat for the year. Many students change where they live each academic year depending on availability, friends, budget and location.

Here are some of your options when looking for accommodation:

The Famous Halls of Residence

Living in halls is a very popular choice for first year students. When you first arrive at university you probably haven’t had much of a chance to make many friends just yet let alone have decided whom you want to share a house with. This is why halls of residence are great – it means you can just move straight in and start making friends. Halls tend to be very sociable places as there will be quite a few students living in close proximity to each other, sharing kitchens and common rooms etc.

Halls are also a great option for your first year accommodation because if you are attending university in a new place it gives you a chance to get to know the area better before you look for houses.

You should check out your university prospectus or speak with the accommodation coordinator to get all the information you can on halls. For example, some universities will make the first year students share a room with someone else. This isn’t for everyone – especially if you are used to your privacy but you never know, you might meet your new best friend.

If you’re a bit too late in claiming your room in halls of residence then it’s worth speaking with the university’s accommodation coordinator to put your name on a reserve list. Although all rooms may be full in the first week, it is not uncommon for quite a few new students to decide that university isn’t for them in the second week and pack-up to go back home.

Living Off-Campus

You may know the area already or you might just not fancy living in halls. If this is the case then you will need to find somewhere to rent outside the university campus. Universities are usually quite good at helping their students with housing and you should be able to find some good sources of advice. There may even be a notice board up somewhere with a list of off-campus flats and houses.

One of the biggest mistakes new students make when it comes to accommodation is not looking for it early enough. It’s all too easy to leave it until the last minute and then you may end up living in a cockroach infested, dingy student cliché. You should really start looking for somewhere to live immediately after receiving your confirmation of acceptance into the university.

What to look for

There’s a lot to remember when it comes to looking for houses and it’s all too easy to forget to ask certain questions and to look for certain things. That’s why we have put together a list of things you should be looking out for when you are looking for housing to make sure you don’t end up in your own personal hell:

Tip: Print this page off and take it with you when you are looking at houses.

The outside

The condition of the outside of the house can often give clues to the condition inside, so it makes sense to give it the once over.

☐ Is the guttering in good condition and fully connected?

☐ Is there sufficient space for rubbish?

☐ If the window frames are wooden, are they rotten?

☐ Is there double glazing? (This can save on heating bills)

☐ Is the brick work in good condition; any holes?

☐ Has the roof got all of its tiles?

☐ Who is responsible for keeping the garden maintained?

The Inside

Essentially this is what you should spend the most time inspecting. This is where you will be living, sleeping and eating.

☐ How many rooms are there and who are you sharing with?

☐ If you are sharing a kitchen/bathroom, are they big enough?

☐ Is the furniture in condition?

☐ Does everything work? (i.e. fridge, cooker, boiler)

☐ Turn the shower on, does it have sufficient pressure?

☐ Is there any sign of damp or mould on the walls and ceilings?

☐ Are there smoke alarms, fire blankets and extinguishers fitted?

☐ Does water run down the plugholes properly?

☐ Do the floors and ceilings feel solid; any missing floorboards?

☐ Does the heating work and are there sufficient heaters to warm the entire house?

Security & Safety

This is an important issue to consider, especially for students. Thieves often target student housing, as students tend to have lots of lovely laptops, DVD players, TVs and other expensive electrical items.

☐ What’s the area like; is it safe?

☐ Are all of the windows and doors secure?

☐ Is there a working burglar alarm in the house?

☐ Does the landlord have a valid gas safety certificate?

☐ Do the sofas comply with safety regulations (i.e. fire proof)?

☐ Did the landlord get all of the keys back from the previous tenants?

☐ Can you see any loose wires, broken plug sockets or damaged piping in the house?

Other Questions

Here are a few things you should ask when looking at somewhere to stay.

☐ How much is the rent?

☐ What is included in the rent, if anything? (i.e. water rates)

☐ Do you have to pay any service charges (for communal areas)?

☐ What is the average monthly cost of all of the bills?

☐ How long are you bound by your contract for?

☐ Will you have to pay rent in the summer when you are not living in the house?

Money and Costs

You’ve been so used to living at your parents where there’s no rent, no bills, someone to do your washing for you and always a pint of milk in the fridge. However, for the first time in your life you’re on your own – well, we’re here to help. So your probably thinking “how much is this going to cost me?” Below is a guide to the different costs that you will come across:

Rent

This will be your main outgoing cost and it will be taken from your account on a monthly basis on a prearranged date. You should negotiate this date with your landlord so that the money comes out of your account when you’re most likely to have it in there. The cost of your rent will depend heavily on a number of factors including the location of the house, the condition of the house, the number of bedrooms and the demand for houses in that area. However, it’s worth noting that rent costs are not necessarily set in stone and it may be worth trying to negotiate slightly (landlords are more likely to lower the rent if you compromise with a longer contract length).

Deposit

Very rarely will you find a property where you don’t have to put down some sort of deposit. Most commonly this will be one months rent. This means that you will need enough money to pay for two months rent (half for the first month and half for the deposit). Assuming everything is ok with the house when you leave (i.e. no damage) then you will receive your deposit back when you leave. However, many landlords will take some money from the deposit for professional cleaning of the house – if this is the case then make sure you ask for a receipt of the cleaning costs.

Utility Bills

The utility bills are an unfortunate reality of renting accommodation. Although bills can become quite expensive, the more people you share with, the cheaper they should be. However, you should ensure that one of your flatmates is not leaving the lights on all of the time while you are paying for it! The bills that you will have to think about are gas, electricity and water; although the water rates are commonly included in the rent. You will also have to think about phone and internet bills. These will have to be arranged by you and your flatmates independently. It’s a good idea to get itemised billing so you can see who owes what from the phone bill. If you have a TV in the house (which we assume you will), you will have to get a TV licence or you will risk a hefty fine.

Contents Insurance

It’s all too easy to cut corners and skip the whole insurance thing. However, student housing is notorious for being burgled and if you have no insurance then you’ve lost your stuff! For student contents insurance visit the AA.

Council Tax

The government does allow students some exceptions for educating themselves and making the country look good – one of these exceptions is council tax. For someone in full-time work, council tax can be a huge outgoing but as a student, you are exempt from paying. Lucky you!

Useful Links

Homecheck - The ultimate guide to environmental and planning risks, neighbourhood information and what to look out for with the new Home Information Pack.

Money Super Market – Compare the best prices for all of your utility bills.

TV Licensing – Get information about TV licenses and set up your account here.

Street Map – Find your new house and how to get there with these detailed maps.

Easy Roommate – Find flat shares with other fellow students here.

Student Bunk – Look for your ideal accommodation.

Student Pad – Student accommodation search.

Jobs 4 Students is a great place to advertise your job oportunity.

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