Guide - English

Start looking early

There are student housing shortages in some areas of the UK, so start looking into housing as soon as you have been accepted onto a course. If you aren’t European, the Immigration Rules state that you must pay for your accommodation without help from a part-time job or by claiming welfare. Your chances of getting on-campus (university managed) accommodation are also better the earlier you apply —make sure there is enough time for your forms to arrive before the deadline. Accommodation is usually allocated annually but it can be possible to get it on a term by term basis, and you can usually request single sex accommodation.
Although many students looking for residential housing (independently managed) may wait until the August/ September before their course starts, and the London Student Housing Guide says two weeks is adequate to find somewhere, the sooner you are able to look, the more at ease you will be about arriving in an unfamiliar country.

Consider your options

Your finances will determine what accommodation you choose. University housing (often called halls) can be a good way to meet people in the same situation as you, should also be close to your campus, and will be a safe environment in which to live and learn (and return home to after a night out on the town). But check the age range of other students. Being surrounded by freshers (first-year undergraduates) if you are a postgrad might not be the experience you want. Halls can be self-catering or catered (but beware, the food in some universities doesn’t have a great reputation even by British standards). Many residences also have sports facilities and a bar or café, and student representatives will often organise special club nights or get-togethers for the people who live there, and even trips away in the university holidays. It’s common for undergraduates to live in halls for their first year of university and move into privately rented housing around the university for their second and third and remaining years.

Hostels can be a cheaper option for those with limited funds. The London Conference of Overseas Students has information on finding hostel-type accommodation and the British Council will provide you with a list of registered hostels. Some hostels cater to students with particular religious or extra-curricular requirements. Jewish students can live in a Hillel house Christian students might try the Christian Alliance Housing

Many universities offer an International Student House. ISH in Regents Park, is home to 500 students from over 100 different countries. Their rooms range from singles to dormitories, and they also have rooms available for family or friends who come to visit. They charge a higher rate for the first 30 days, and this is reduced thereafter, but you have to make a three month commitment to qualify for this.

Homestays are a popular option if you are an English language student and want to pick up the lingo and culture quickly. Remember that living with a family 24/7 can be an intense experience, and you will probably be expected to live by their house-rules. Is this something you can handle? If you decide you would like to do a shorter homestay, just for a weekend, Host UK should be able to find something suitable.

Wherever you stay, be prepared to share facilities like a bathroom. While some halls offer en-suite facilities, expect to pay more for this.

Research in the right places at the right time

If you haven’t sorted out accommodation before you arrive, book something temporary for while you look around. Try Hostel World or the London hostel Association. Ten days should be enough time to find something permanent.

Check out the notice boards around campus, within your department or in your student union. Many students will tend to advertise here if they have a spare room going in their house or if they are looking for housemates.

If you decide on private accommodation, the best time to look for available properties is in June/ July as the summer term is finishing. But beware, many eager undergraduates in first year will start looking at accommodations long before the summer term, so a lot of the better housing closest to the university campus gets snapped up first. It’s common practice that you will have to pay the rent over the summer, even if you choose not to stay there during this period.

If you decide to go private, find out which landlords or estate-agents are affiliated with your institution. If your university is prepared to recommend them they should be trustworthy. Note that letting agents can charge you for reference checks, drawing up contracts and for placing you with your accommodation (usually up to two weeks rent), but they cannot charge you simply for showing you round.

There are a number of good websites you can try too. Open forums like gumtree or loot will offer a wide variety of pickings but may mean your housemates are not other students. For student-specific, try our own accommodation listings listings or Accommodation for students or Homes for Students. These options can be cheaper because you do not have to pay estate agent fees. On the other hand, beware of what you are getting, and bear in mind that the rent may not include gas, electricity or your TV license

Set your budget

Expect to pay about £350 per month in halls, because they provide meals, and anywhere from £200-500 for private accommodation, depending on what you choose and the city you are in (London is the most expensive). The British Council has further information on what you can expect to pay for accommodation in their guide, “Studying and Living in the UK 2007-08” which you can download here

The London Student Housing Guide 2007-08. estimates that a single room in a self-catered, shared flat in the capital costs £80-90. This tends to be higher the closer you get to the city. A studio flat will cost about £150 a week. Comparatively, in a shared house next to the Birmingham University campus, for example, you can expect to pay £60-70 p/w. Prices also tend to rise annually.

Make sure you have sufficient funds in your account on the date the rent is due, as many operate on a direct debit basis. You will usually pay for university-owned accommodation at the start of each term, while private accommodation is deducted monthly. If you have to sort out your own gas and electricity, price around for a good deal. Top5shop offers a comparative service aimed at students.

Take care of your family

If you are bringing family with you to the UK, consider their needs well in advance, and find out whether the accommodation you are applying for is suitable. DO NOT turn up with your family in the UK if you haven’t arranged accommodation for them in advance. The universities are unlikely to be able to help, and the authorities won’t be happy about it either. That said, just because you have a family doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the international exchange experience. ISH Regents Park offers accommodation in South London for families and couples; that means you can enjoy the best of both worlds.

Choose your housemates wisely

Before you meet your new potential housemates, draw up a list of issues that are important to you and make sure they are willing to discuss these. Find out: – How will you pay for external bills, like gas and electricity (will you set up a shared house account?) – Whether you will share food (or you might just come to the fridge to discover the leftovers you were planning to eat for lunch are gone) – Whether they have specific dietary requirements (vegetarians might be reluctant to share plates and utensils with carnivores) – What their sleeping patterns are like (do they go out drinking until the small hours of the morning?) – And, similarly, whether they are noisy (bad for postgrads, where you might be doing a lot of studying at home).

Remember that being away from your own family and friends means your new housemates are your easiest way into a new life and culture – ask yourself honestly whether you are a good match. Share living frustrations openly and divide up chores fairly. There’s nothing worse than coming home from a long day of lectures to find last week’s dirty dishes still clogging up the sink.

Ask the right questions before you sign

Find out from your landlord or university exactly what you are getting for your money:

- How long is the accommodation available for? If you are doing a long course you may not want to move after your annual contract is up. – Will you have to leave your accommodation during the holidays? Many universities make special arrangements for international students and will at least provide space for you to store your stuff if you have to move out. – Are bills included in the price? – Is the room/flat furnished? You will usually be provided with a bed and cupboard but will have to bring your own kitchen utensils and bedsheets. – How far is the walk to campus (if you are in private accommodation) and is the area safe? Remember in the UK it gets dark early in the winter. – How secure is the accommodation? If it’s a private residence, is there an alarm? For apartment buildings, is access via a keycard only or can anybody walk in? – Is there adequate room to store rubbish and what day is this collected? – Is there public transport nearby? – If you are staying in a building- is there a curfew?

If the landlord promises to make repairs when you view a house, get him to put these in writing. If there is a garden, find out who is responsible for its upkeep. For independent accommodation, it’s a good idea to take your contract or housing agreement to the university welfare officer who should be able to offer you advice before you commit to anything. The Office of Fair Trading:, which deals with consumer issues in the UK, also has information on unfair tenancy agreements.

Be aware that there is no official regulation of estate agents and anyone can set themselves up as one. However, there is a voluntary ombudsman scheme- agents who are members of this stand by a code of practice and are willing to have any difficult matters judged by a third party. Find an agent member at Ombudsman for Estate Agents. There are also three accredited bodies; National Approved Letting Scheme Association of Residential Letting Agents National Association of Estate Agents. Agents belonging to these have agreed to a set of voluntary standards.

Pay your deposit and council tax

You will normally be expected to pay a deposit and one month’s rent in advance. Your deposit should be returned to you when you leave the accommodation, so long as you have kept the place in good shape. Expect landlords to deduct at least some of it for cleaning purposes- they will always find something to charge you for.

Since April 2007, landlords and property companies have to store your deposit in a government scheme called the Tenancy Deposit Protection to protect you (the tenant) from just being ripped off. Find out more about how the scheme works here.

You don’t have to pay council tax as a student, but you do have to get an exemption form from your college to prove you are studying. If you fail to do this you will probably find yourself with a hefty fine and a court date. Make enquiries at your department office in the first week of term.

Check your inventory

Do this as soon as you move in. University-owned accommodation will usually provide an inventory in your welcome pack so check everything on the list (like the vacuum cleaner) is in good working order. Ask private landlords if they have an inventory from previous tenants or draw one up yourself in the first week and date it. Make a note of anything that is broken or defective, take photos if necessary, and give this to your landlord/agent. This way, they won’t be able to charge you at a later date. Also check that furniture is fire and safety approved.

Insure your belongings

Protect your stuff from thieves and damage. It may seem like an extra expense, but student accommodation is often targeted by criminals who know their will be a high concentration of laptops and other electricals there. If you want to live in halls, find out if they have a policy of their own, you may already be protected. Endsleigh Insurance is well known for providing student property insurance, but it’s definitely worth pricing around before you make a decision.

You’re done! Move in and unpack. You have arrived.