Student Lets - What to Look for
The academic year for most universities and colleges begins this week and it won’t just be Freshers’ Week that consumes students’ energies.
Most first year students will never have lived away from home before and the likelihood is that the majority will be resident in first year halls, however, many students will be living in properties owned by private landlords, properties that they viewed and chose a year ago, but many students will have forgotten what the property looked like, some may not have even been present, leaving the decision making up to their friends.
The first thing which you to establish before looking for a place to live for second and third year, is finding a solid group of friends that you will enjoy living with. You do not have to be best friends but at least get on with them well enough that you can commit to living with them for the next couple of years.
When looking for housing you need to start as early as possible! This is because there are a larger range of properties available earlier on in the year than later on in the year.
To put this into perspective when I started University in September 2021, I was already looking for houses in the November of that year.
Once you’ve established your friendship group and have started looking early the first thing you should do is book as many viewings as you can attend of houses you think you and your group would like. Our group attended around 10 house viewings before we found the one!
The reason for looking for larger properties with 4 plus bedrooms is because there is a higher demand for these types properties as they usually result in a lower rent which will be divided between 4 or more students.
Viewing the property is an important part of the process and allows you to get a feel of the property and how it might look when you live there. Think carefully about space - is there enough space for everyone to live comfortably, are there enough bathrooms/showers, is the kitchen big enough and will the lounge accommodate everyone? When dealing with properties where some bedrooms are significantly larger than others, try to decide fairly who gets the larger bedrooms, as this prevents arguments between the group, and furthermore, it is important to note that larger bedrooms tend to pay more rent than others who have significantly smaller bedrooms.
So other than size what else should you bear in mind? Here is my list :-
When talking to the letting agent or landlord, ask a LOT of questions about the property. Are bills included? Is there a fair usage policy for the utilities? Has an HMO licence been applied for? Is there an HMO Licence already in place? Where will the security deposit be held? How frequently will the property be inspected? Is there a representative who manages the property on behalf of the landlord? Who is the landlord?
The distance of the house from your university – how many buses would you have to take? Can you walk?
A lot of areas have a prominent student housing where second and third years rent. Consider the amenities that are available
Consider the size of the outside space or garden – if you like a garden to go outside and relax in you need to bear in mind that whilst it’s a luxury, even the most basic of gardens needs to be maintained. Are you and your co-tenants willing to make the effort?
Check whether you are provided with a washer and dryer in the house, these appliances will be used frequently and require tender loving care
How many bathrooms are available and will they be shared or have exclusive use?
Consider the type of kitchen you will need. Large enough to accommodate 2, 3 or more people cooking at one time, with a lot of cupboard space and a very large fridge - freezer
Look at houses within your budget but explore those that are out of budget as well
Ask how much the deposit will be, whether you will be required to pay a holding deposit and if guarantors are needed (The answer to that questions is probably yes)
Find out whether you are paying monthly or quarterly – I find that paying quarterly is easier to manage for students as you get your maintenance loan in around the same time you would have to pay rent every three months
Work as a team with your group, you will have to learn to compromise with each other as not everyone will always agree, be considerate of who can and cannot afford the rent as people in your group may have very different financial situations. Finally have fun picking your home!!
Alyssia Sableski - Intern and Third Year Law Student