Private or uni accommodation?

Hey there everyone. I'll be starting at Edinburgh this year (booyah! :biggrin:

), and I applied for accommodation, but I have just been told of a two-bedroom flat on Easter Rd, or around that area, where the rent is quite a bit cheaper. The landlord is also a friend of my mum's, so we already have good relations, and the previous tennant is a painter/decorator who says he'll do the flat up before he leaves. I'll also be sharing with a good friend from high school, but I'll be missing out on the opportunity to live with and get to know other freshers. Would anyone be able to give me any advice on what to go for? Did anyone else opt for private accommodation in their first year, and if so, did you find it hard to make friends at the uni?

Thanks :biggrin:

Reply 1

lilcathstar

2

Likeachameleon

Hey there everyone. I'll be starting at Edinburgh this year (booyah! :biggrin:

), and I applied for accommodation, but I have just been told of a two-bedroom flat on Easter Rd, or around that area, where the rent is quite a bit cheaper. The landlord is also a friend of my mum's, so we already have good relations, and the previous tennant is a painter/decorator who says he'll do the flat up before he leaves. I'll also be sharing with a good friend from high school, but I'll be missing out on the opportunity to live with and get to know other freshers. Would anyone be able to give me any advice on what to go for? Did anyone else opt for private accommodation in their first year, and if so, did you find it hard to make friends at the uni?

Thanks :biggrin:

Hi there,

I was in private accom in my first year and I would personally say that if you can get into pollock/flats, do. I haven't any shortage of friends now, but that's mainly because I'm involved fairly heavily with a couple of societies, and those freinds came along gradually rather than all at once on the first day of freshers' week, like they do in Uni accom - which left me feeling like I was missing out on something a bit in the first semester or so. While I got on very well with the flat mates in my first year, for a few weeks they were the only people I really knew. Easter Road isn't especially central, yeah, it's probably walkable, but the Uni flats & Pollock are much closer to the Uni and clubbing areas. There are not many students, first years or older ones, that live out that way so walking home at night might be a bit risky on your own.

Something else to think about is the fact that your lease on the private flat will probably be 1 year long, so you'll be paying for the place during the 3odd months in summer when you might not be around. Does a whole year's rent still work out cheaper than a year's rent in Uni flats?

Don't get me wrong, I'm really glad I came to Edinburgh and am loving it now, but initially, I did feel out of things a bit. I feel I might have got off to a quicker and more confident start if I was in Uni accom, but in the long run it's not done me any harm!

I think basically, you've got to weigh up the pros and cons. Obviously the price is an incentive to live on Easter Road, but there is a possibility you might initially feel a bit isolated and some of the financial savings of Easter Road might be funding taxi/bus fares home, which isn't really necessary in Uni Accom.

Hope this helps

Reply 2

Likeachameleon

OP

Thanks, that's great advice! I will certainly take everything you said into consideration :biggrin:

Reply 3

~Kirsty~

1

i think for 1st year your probably better in uni halls, even if it does cost a little more, for the socialising side of things. You meet loads more people who may/maynot be on your course.

Private or uni accommodation?

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