Looking for Accommodation

It’s that time of year where many of you will be considering accommodation for the next academic year.  There are so many options available but the question is; which is the best one?

Some students choose to stay in university accommodation throughout the course of their degree.  However, this option is not for everyone. Many other students will be considering a house share with friends, but this is not always an easy option.  There are many things that need to be considered when taking this approach.

• Firstly, establish who you will be moving in with and make sure everyone is in agreement.  There is nothing worse than having a friend invite someone to move in with you when you do not necessarily know the person or get along with them.  Furthermore, a good tip is to make sure that you do not have too many people to move in with.  This can make looking for a house or flat difficult and expensive.  Usually 2-4 bedroom houses are easier and cheaper to look for.

• Secondly, if you are moving in with a couple make sure you have a plan in case of an issue.  You do not want one person of that couple moving out and not paying any rent, resulting in costing you more money.  Make a plan to have a spare bedroom that they can stay in, in case of a break up, or agree for them to continue paying rent until the end of the contract.  If moving in with a couple is avoidable, it is advised that you do not move in with them.

• Thirdly, make sure all tenants agree on a budget.  Set two separate budgets, one for a house/flat that includes bills in the rent (you could probably afford to splash out more on rent) and one for a house/flat that does not include bills in the rent.  Do not forget to take other costs (broadband, TV license, gas, water, electric, and more) into account.

• Finally, start looking for houses/flats early, but do not jump straight into the first one you view.  Request viewings for as many as possible and choose the right house together.  Furthermore, do your research on the landlords or estate agents you choose to go with.  They may look good to start with but you do not want to get stuck with a company/landlord that will rip you off.  Ask around any friends you know that have previously looked for houses, or look on the internet for trusted reviews.

Good Luck!