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Introduction
You’ve just got into university… Congrats! Now, it’s time to plan where you’d like to live.
Sifting through the countless housing options and pinpointing the perfect locations with Google Maps can get pretty daunting, pretty quickly. And that’s not how we want you to feel as you embark on one of the most exciting journeys of your life so far!
So, we’ve put together a guide on where to begin and the best tips for picking the right student accommodation.
What kind of location should you choose for Student Accommodation?
Location is an essential factor when it comes to choosing a student home. Be sure to double-check how far your accommodation is from your university i.e., would you rather a short walk, or are you okay with a train or bus ride?
However, where your university is located isn’t the only thing to consider. It’s worth spending some time on Google Maps to find where your local supermarket, shopping centre, gym and cafes are.
It may also be worth checking out student vlogs, TikToks or YouTube shorts to scope out where the local nightlife scene is.
Is It Better To Live In A Shared Flat Or Studio In First Year?
When beginning the hunt for student housing, it’s important to consider what type of living you would prefer. There are four main types of student accommodation:
- Studios
- University halls of residence
- Flat shares
- Purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA)
Think about whether you would prefer the complete privacy of a studio or the immediate social life of a flat share. At Collegiate UK, we offer both studio apartments and apartment shares so that students can take control of their own living space.
With access to our shared study and social spaces, our purpose-built accommodation still allows you to get involved in your community, whatever your choice.
5 Things To Consider When Picking The Right Student Accommodation
Value for Money
In terms of checking whether your accommodation is good value for money, it’s important that you view a range of housing options so that you can compare prices and find the best deals.
Keeping a budget in mind, it’s worth checking how much your deposit is and whether gas, electricity and wi-fi bills will be included in your tenancy. Halls or PBSA may seem more expensive on paper, but when you consider additional costs that are covered within your weekly rent, you may find this to the best value for money after all.
Amenities
Be sure to ask whether your student home comes fully furnished and whether it comes with units such as a dishwasher and washing machine.
At Collegiate UK, our residences come with a range of varying amenities depending on your desired location. Not only do we provide on-site laundry units, but we also provide study facilities, resident lounges, gym suites, steam rooms, games areas, free-to-use bikes, cinema rooms, karaoke rooms, outside terraces and much more. They’re a home from home and then some!
Contracts
Wrapping your head around a tenancy contract for the first time can be tricky and it’s no surprise that 1 in 4 students do not read their contract before signing.
When reviewing your documents, it’s best to ask a parent or guardian for some help. You can even check whether your university offers a student rent advice service. However, the key components to look out for are tenancy start and end dates, rental due dates, details of early contract termination, what could deduct from your deposit, house rules and refund policies.
If you’re new to student contracts, a guarantor is something you may not be familiar with yet. A guarantor is having someone who promises to pay for your rent if you are unable to do so. This is a required feature in student tenant contract and usually this will be a parent or guardian.
Safety & secuirty
Looking for student accommodation is an exciting experience. However, it is easy to overlook signs of an unsafe home when getting caught up in the fun of planning how to decorate your room.
Unfortunately, a national student survey conducted just this year by Save The Student showed that 37% of students said their biggest concern was damp, whilst 18% said rodents and pests. Funky smells, crumbling paint, falling wallpaper and black mould patches behind cabinets and in window corners are tell-tale signs of damp and unwanted pets.
At Collegiate UK, we ensure that we remain compliant to all health and safety regulations and keep our accommodation completely free from hazards such as damp, mould and pests. What’s more, our halls come with seven-days-a-week-security personnel and fire safety equipment to ensure your security at all times.
It’s very important to us that you feel entirely safe and secure. We’ll worry about that; you just make sure you’re having fun and creating memories!
Take your time
Between contracts, costs and locations, there are a lot of factors to consider when finding the right accommodation for you. If term times are approaching, the pressure of finding a rental can begin to build fast.
Renting student accommodation is an investment and so it’s important to view a range of homes and take your time to compare standards and prices. Not rushing into rent will not only allow you to gain more experience in house hunting but will also allow you to find the right environment that will ultimately facilitate your studies.
For more student advice as you get ready for university, check out our student and parent blog.
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