A guide to renting student housing in the private sector
How to find accommodation
Once you've decided who you want to live with and how many rooms you'll need it's time to start house hunting. You first point of call might be the university accommodation office who may already have either a list of off-campus properties let by private landlords, or a list of letting agents through which landlords register their properties. Other places to look include local newspapers, noticeboards in newsagents, supermarkets and post offices and increasingly listings online. For a list of links featuring student accommodation websites view the Accommodation page. Allow around a month for finding and moving into accommodation.
Hints and tips on viewing property
Accommodation costs are one of your main expenses of university. It is worth spending the extra time to help make sure you'll have a hassle free year. The TV show is called Location, Location, Location for a reason - make sure the house is in a convenient location for pubs, shops and transport links to the campus. Walk the route back from the bus stop at night and make sure you feel comfortable. When you're at the actual property make a thorough check of the condition it is in:
Exterior - does the roof look sound and water tight? (look for signs of damp on the ceiling when you go inside), are the gutters and drains clear?, is there any woodwork rotting and unsafe?, is the garden tidy and trouble free? (you'll be responsible for its upkeep), are the external doors and locks secure?, are the windows clean? (you'll be responsible for keeping them clean)
Interior - has the house got enough furniture (in a decent condition) for the occupants?, is there sufficient space in the kitchen to store and prepare food?, is the fridge/freezer big enough?, do the electrical appliances all work?, is the heating system adequate?, do the taps/toilet/shower all work and not leak?
Safety - is there a copy of the CORGI gas safety certifcate? (a legal requirement), has the electrical wiring been checked in the last 3 years?, does the property have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms?
If you get any verbal assurances from the landlord for additional furniture, repairs etc - get them in writing. Finally make sure you ask the current tenants what the house and landlord is like, they should be able to provide you with an excellent unbiased opinion. If you find your dream house yet it has more rooms then your group needs then still consider snapping it up then just find an additional housemate by listing for free on Easy Roommate or Flatmate Click.
Estate agents, contracts and paying rent
Most landlords of student housing register their properties with letting agents. It is most likely that you'll be dealing directly with these agents when looking for property. They will provide you with lists of available student housing, then it is up to you to do the footwork and find a suitable property. Once you've made a decision you'll hand over a deposit against any damage for renting the property (usually one months rent) and then sign a contract or 'lease agreement' with the letting agent. This is a legally binding document setting out each parties rights and responsibilities. By signing it, both you and the landlord have certain rights protected in law which cannot be overwritten by the contract. Make sure you understand the wording of the contract, your Student Union welfare office should be happy to run through it with you. The landlord should also provide an inventory with the property, this is a list of the contents of the property and a record of the condition of the items. Check this thoroughly and notify the landlord immediately of any inconsistencies, otherwise upon moving out you may be paying for the damage of previous tenants.
Landlords pick up the majority of the fees charged by estate agents, however you may be charged a small one-off fee upon signing the tenancy agreement. The payment of rent is usually arranged by standing order to the agenct or landlord or sometimes by signing post-dated cheques and handing them to the agent. You will probably be asked to pay the first months rent up front at the start of the tenancy. If you find yourself unable to meet a certain payment in time then inform the agent, it is likely they'll halt the demand for payment from going through and allow you a few days to sort out your finances. Make sure you get a receipt from the agent or landlord for any deposits or rent handed over.
Moving in - utilities, phone and broadband
Some landlords may pick up the cost of the annual water rates (check this either in the contract or by asking), however for the first time you will be responsible for arranging and paying electricity, gas and telephone bills. Upon moving in notify the utility companies of the meter readings and give them your names and notice that you have taken on the property. This ensures you are not paying for previous tenants - if you get any final bills for the previous tenants then send to their forwarding address or return them to the utility company if you don't have this. To find the cheapest providers of these in your area use Moneysupermarket Utilities or uSwitch. For satellite TV have a look at Sky and for cable TV there's Virgin Media.
Most broadband providers look for a 12 month contract, which isn't very convenient if you're just going to be in a student house share for 9 months. However there is now an alternative as both Plusnet and AOL offer a service on just one month's notice, and you can see how their deals compare with other broadband providers from a comparison table. Given you still need to have a landline (which again carries a 12 month contract) then a good alternative is to get mobile USB dongle broadband which you can take with you wherever you live, UK Broadband Guide features a comparison of all the mobile phone networks offering mobile broadband.
Other bills & TV Licence
Having to pay for utilities may make private sector accommodation more expensive than university halls, so budget on about an extra £20-£30 per month for utility bills. Some good news is that student housing is exempt from council tax. Don't forget other necessities like getting a TV licence for your house, which cost £139.50 a year for a colour set . Anyone using a TV or other device that is capable of watching programmes "as they are broadcast" - and that includes laptops - has to buy a licence. But if you download programmes off BBC iPlayer, or only watch previously broadcast programmes, you do not need a licence. Students in halls don't need a licence to watch a TV in the communal rooms. However, if you have one in your room, you do.
If you are moving out of halls or other student accommodation, remember that your TV Licence does not move with you and you’ll need to notify TV Licensing of your new address in order to remain licensed. Make sure you update your address details by visiting www.tvlicensing.co.uk/students2008 and following the instructions. If you are moving later in the summer, you can update your details up to 90 days in advance. And, if you don’t yet know your new address, you can sign up for the email reminder service, and TV Licensing will contact you at the appropriate time to make sure you remain correctly licensed. Finally you could be eligible for a refund on the final three months of your TV Licence if you are not staying at university over the summer, e.g. students who bought their TV Licence in October and don’t need it for July, August and September, may be able to claim back the final quarter of their licence. The refund on a TV Licence bought in October 2007 will be £33.88.
Contents Insurance/other issues
According to figures released by the Home Office, 1 in 3 students becomes the victim of a crime each year. On top of this, young people (aged 16 to 24 year old) are around three times more likely to be victims of burglary than people in other age groups. Student houses are often targeted by burglars as they often feature several sets of TVs, Stereos, Playstations etc, so do make sure you take out some contents insurance cover. Endsleigh are an insurer approved by the NUS who provide specialist cover for student posessions. Their contents insurance can be tailored to cover all the items that you take to university - so you can build a policy that insures just one item, or a policy that covers your bike, laptop, iPod, camera, DVDs etc.
For an alternative quote Karma Insurance also offer specialist student cover.
Whilst staying in privately rented accommodation the landlord is responsible for the buildings insurance.
If you have incidents such as damp or damage to the exterior of the building then notify the landlord who will be responsible for arranging repairs. The same goes for the gas, water and electical supplies, sanitation and heating. If you're struggling to get a response and the situation is serious then get a report from your local Environmental Health Officer who can enforce repairs with the landlord. However try and remain diplomatic at all times, halting the payment of rent may sound like an easy solution to prompt action but can lead to more serious issues. Seek advice from the Students Union welfare office or Citizens Advice Bureau if in doubt.
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