Moving Out

How to choose your ideal university accommodation

Packing up your life and moving somewhere different, as is the experience of a huge number of students every year, is certainly no easy feat. To make this process easier, there are a number of things to keep in mind when choosing your university accommodation for the academic year ahead.

Set a budget

Perhaps the most crucial first step is working out how much you can afford to or are willing to spend. So, be realistic and be careful when looking at rental costs, as utility bills are often a hidden expense that catch people out. If you can find somewhere that includes bills in the rent, this is often the more stress-free option!

Consider the location

Consider what you want to prioritise: are there supermarkets nearby? Would you prefer to be close to the university facilities? If you are opting to live further away from a city centre or university campus, ensure that you’ve considered public transport links and commuting time, too.

Choose your housemates

Whether you get to choose your housemates yourself or you are placed randomly into shared accommodation, make sure you consider how many people you want to share your living space with. Many universities now ask you to fill in a short form detailing your personality and living habits to try to match you up as best they can with other students.

Visit before committing

Don’t trust the pictures on an online listing to give you a completely accurate view of the place you’re interested in. Contact the landlord for a viewing and make sure that you check the overall condition of the building and any included appliances, the size of the rooms and the common spaces, as well as potential security measures. Make sure you try to speak to the previous tenants too, if possible, to get a truthful account of the accommodation and the landlord’s capabilities.

Read the contract carefully

Before signing anything, ensure you have read the tenancy contract through in its entirety. There may be things that catch you out – for example, houses with bills included within the rent often have a monetary cap, so you have to pay for any bills that exceed this amount. Also be aware of your rights regarding your deposit, as many landlords often try to claim money from your deposit at the end of your tenancy for any perceived damages to the property.

Accommodation is often considered something that can make or break your university experience, but given that university tenancy contracts are often only a year long, this is not necessarily the case. So, try not to stress, but do take your time, do your research and make sure that you trust your instincts during the process too. Happy house-hunting!

EMILY PARSONS Assistant Editor