SECURING ACCOMMODATION
QUESTION: Were there any strategies you used to try to secure a property / room? Did they work?
QUESTION: Did you need to increase your planned budget to secure your property / room?
“Before securing the property we live in now, my friends and I were having really bad luck. No matter how quickly we replied to ads or how well we presented ourselves at viewings, we didn’t have a chance without engaging in the bidding wars agents were encouraging. We started over-offering on cheaper rentals because of the ‘bidding war’ situation, and even then were always outbid. In one instance, the advertised rent of a flat in Stratford was £1900 per calendar month, and we offered £2300 as our most competitive offer (the uppermost end of our budget). We were outbid by a group who offered £2500 per calendar month for the two year contract. This was obviously incredibly demoralising!”
58% 42% Yes No
MISSED RENT PAYMENTS
QUESTION: Respondents were asked questions about whether they have missed rental payments or been unable to pay their rent while studying in London at UAL.
“I requested a later pay date in the month so I could work for the money needed. This meant I had to skip university classes.”
LCC Home student renting in a private house or flat
Before those respondents who had missed a rental payment, or been unable to pay their rent provided open text comments describing how they resolved the situation, and any challenges they faced in doing so.
“Asked my landlady if she could give me a couple days until my wage for the month came through.”
LCF International student living in a private home as a lodger
“I pay rent four monthly and the agent requested a payment a month early and told me I was late to pay rent. I tried to contact him about it and he did not respond. I ended up paying the rent early because I didn’t want to risk it negatively impacting my credit score.”
