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Living in Lancaster over summer

Anyone thinking of living in Lancaster over the summer? For various reasons, I really don't want to live at home over the summer, and am thinking of looking for people to share a house with between July and mid September.

So, a few questions:

Anyone done this last year? Did it work out for you? Anyone considering doing it this year?

I'm not too bothered about the thought of meeting and living with people I hardly know, it wasn't that bad moving into halls this year and I can get on with most people pretty well.

I don't know if I'll be able to, but my theory is that so much private accommodation in town makes students pay a summer retainer because the property will be empty during summer, so surely they'll be happy to make more money with full rent being paid over summer if there are actually people living there. My mum seems to think there's some law saying the minimum amount of time you can rent a house for is 6 months. I'm doubtful to whether this is completely true, but even if it is, there's gotta be..um..ways of getting around this. Any help would be much appreciated.

Reply 1

emilyl

Hey,

This might not be much help to you, but thought i would offer my experience anyway. I haven't actually been to live in town over the summer but it is somethin i am thinking of doing next year rather than this year. I have friends who are doing it this year and they have done it previously aswell and really loved it.
So i'd suggest go for it if you can sort it out, it would probably be a great experience. However, i do know they got their house sorted a while ago now, and i don't think you can go into accommodation that people have paid a retainer for but don't quote me on the logic of that. There are loads of houses in town that do house students in the summer though - and the ones iv been to seem alright. I think your best bet would be going to LUSU housing and asking them about it. They are bound to know more info. and they may be able to point you in a direction of potential housmates too.

Good luck!

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Reply 2

nobodyishere888

Thanks! Yeah, I'd overlooked going to LUSU, but that's probably be the best option. Regarding the retainer thing, I was thinking more of if the people got to keep their retainer and the landlord got full rent, but I think going through LUSU seems like a plan, ta!

[Edit]: Just called LUSU Housing and they said they only deal with September-July stuff :frown:

Ah well, anyone got any other ideas or know how I can get in touch with local landlords to ask? Ta.

Reply 3

floss

i saw a poster up near the natwest cashpoints offering a room from june onwards..

Reply 4

emilyl

thisisnic

Ah well, anyone got any other ideas or know how I can get in touch with local landlords to ask? Ta.

That's pants! How silly is that. Well maybe you could still go on the LUSU housing website and get the contacts to speak directly to the landlords? That might work. And also like Floss said, i've seen the occasional sign around about accommodation in the summer, you may just have to go hunting for them! Good luck :redface:

Reply 5

JoeFen

Studenthousinglancaster into google could be your best bet. You a first year at the minute? I'm trying to get a job here over the summer, spend too much money going out when I'm at home over the summer and I need to get the letters DR off my natwest account.

Reply 6

nobodyishere888

Hey, just in case anyone's in the same position as me, I thought I'd post some information on here. Accommodation is available on campus over summer, you just have to call your residence officer person. I'm not doing that though, apparently it costs the same as it does during term time, and IMO it's overpriced.

However, I saw an advert for somewhere for half-rent over the summer, £25 per week, woo! Going to check it out later in the week, not expecting much, but I'm just thinking of the extra cash I'll have left. Does anyone know anyone who's stayed at Victoria House? Is it any good or what? There are pics on the website, lancasterlettings.co.uk, doesn't look much worse than where I'm living now to be honest.

Anyway, finally, if anyone else is living in Lancaster over summer and randomly wants to hang out with a complete stranger....OK, that sounded better in my head, but hey, I know a grand total of 2 people who'll be here over summer, so it's worth a try... :p:

Oh, and finally, in reply to JoeFen: aye, I am a first year. Think I'll be working a bit too, but not much, got some cash saved up from working all this year :biggrin:

Reply 7

zooeyj

I really want to stay here this summer, nothing at home for me! Don't know where to start tho!

Reply 8

nobodyishere888

zooeyj

Don't know where to start tho!

How dya mean?

Reply 9

zooeyj

money, getting another job, finding somewhere to live etc. etc!

Reply 10

nobodyishere888

Ah, fair enough, I was pretty lucky in that I managed to find a job at Christmas so I've been able to save money since then. If you really wanted to do it though, the jobcentre website's pretty good for browsing through jobs around here.

Reply 11

zooeyj

Old old thread, just wondering if anyone lived here last summer? Rented etc? Early to be thinking about it I know

Reply 12

nobodyishere888

Hey, I ended up staying in Lancaster over summer, and I'd say it's only a good idea if you have friends who are also staying.

I found a place for £25 per week plus bills (cheap summer rent, normally £50/week in term time) and I was living in a flat with 2 other people. They kept to themselves and didn't really want to hang out (or even talk for that matter....) and kitchen was gross because the landlord didn't make them clean up before new people moved in (they'd lived there in the term as well as they were international students). The place would have been OK if it had been cleaned though, and my room was fine.

I had a job in Preston (I have a car) and I drove to work a few times a week, which was fine for me.

However, as I didn't know anyone, I ended up going to my friends flat in Preston a lot and in the last 3 weeks of the summer I moved home anyway because I was pretty bored.

If you want the details of the place, let me know, it's £30 a week this summer, although I'd only reccommend it if you're moving into a flat with people who are moving in for summer (so the landlord has to make the previous occupants clean up, lol!)

This summer, I'm going home, as I want to save money, but am going to be in Lancaster quite a bit anyway as my boyfriend lives in a house which he has all year anyway.

Hope that helps!

Nic

[edited to add: I paid my deposit (£150) a week or two after Easter, and my friend was going to move in but decided too late (4 weeks after me) and there were no rooms left.]