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how do i find suitable accommodation

KarenEdge

Reply 1

ageshallnot

Original post by KarenEdge

how do i find suitable accommodation

Where? What is "suitable" to you?

Reply 2

Heriot-Watt Uni

Official Rep

Original post by KarenEdge

how do i find suitable accommodation

Hey!

It can be feel really overwhelming when looking for accommodation that you are happy with whilst studying.

I would recommend that, if you are going into your first year, to stay in accommodation provided by the university to meet new friends and settle into uni life a bit easier. there should be information on your university website about what accommodation they provide and often include a 360 degree online tour, so you can see if you like the look of it :smile:

In your next few years it can be hard to find places to live, dependent on which city you study in. I found it helpful to speak to students in older year groups about their experience and receive advice from them. Websites such as zoopla, or rightmove can be helpful, as well as visiting local estate agents in person for specialised advice. If these are not helpful, your university should have staff who help you find accommodation you are happy with!

Hope this helps!

Lucy
2nd year languages student

Reply 3

Kingston Reps

Official Rep

Hi, @KarenEdge!

Have you checked out the accommodation section on your university's website? They'll usually list all of their halls of residence, as well as rough idea of the cost and location of each one. Depending on your university, halls might not be open to book yet, but they should open up in the coming weeks.

If halls of residence don't suit you, I'd also recommend checking our private halls in your area, or look into potential house/flatshares nearby. Try joining a WhatsApp or Facebook group with students from your university - you'll be able to connect with others who are looking for accommodation in your area, and if any groups need an extra student to fill up a house, those rental vacancies might also be posted there.

Eve (Kingston Rep).

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 4

georgiana_xox

Hey! So i’m a first year uni student and there was 3 things that I looked out for this time last year when I was looking for student accommodation.

1 - The price; I got my SFE before i chose my accommodation so I looked for accoms that weren’t too expensive and would leave me with enough money to buy groceries, go out etc. Even tho i had gotten savings from my part-time job, when I was looking for places I acted as if those savings didn’t exist and how I could survive on just my SFE.

2- The reviews. Most accoms have reviews on google maps and sometimes you’ll see some accoms on social media sites like tiktok or instagram. I looked at what other people were saying and paid close attention to the pros and cons. If the cons that people were talking about didn’t bother me too much (eg; a bad view outside the window) then I would feel more favourably towards that place.

3- The location. For every accom i always looked around the surrounding area on maps/google maps. I looked for the closest grocery store (making sure it was within walking distance) as well as other shops like the nearest fast food place. I also looked at transportation in the area. As I don’t have a car yet i knew I would be taking the bus/train around a lot so I checked where the closest bus and train station were. Finally, I checked the distance from the accom to the university. I wanted this to be within walking distance too to save money on transport.

All the accoms that I applied for ticked all of my criteria’s and were perfect for my requirements. I hope this helped :smile:

Reply 5

UCLan Student

Official Rep

Hello,

I would say as a first year, your best option is checking out the university website & forums, they can tell you a bit about the areas that are popular with students!

•

University accommodation: usually guaranteed for first year and often the cheapest (great way to meet friends) and often you don't have to worry about your bills. In our university, you have the chance to visit the accommodation on our open days as part of the tour.

•

Private accommodation: Chain companies or local options that often are situated near universities (but might have more amenities like gym, concierge, game rooms.

•

Facebook groups: a good option to find a room in a shared house!

•

Private accommodation: websites like Zoopla are often great as you can search by postcode.

What do you think you are leaning towards for your first year?

Best of luck,
Haya - MBBS V

Reply 6

hallamstudents

Official Rep

Original post by KarenEdge

how do i find suitable accommodation

Hi @KarenEdge ,

Finding suitable accommodation that suits your needs can be tricky! These are my best tips for finding the accommodation that is the best for you:

1- Go to an open day if possible! Usually on an open day, there are opportunities to look around a few different accommodations and this is helpful if you are stuck between a few or don't know where to start! If you already have offers, look into going to an applicant open day as these are really good in general!

2- Make a plan. Prioritise what is important to you- would you prefer to be closer to uni or closer to other things such as the train station etc. This will be helpful when picking your accommodation.

3- Look at your budget. Find out how much student loan you will be getting and then see how much you are willing to pay for rent. For some people the loan doesn't cover the rent of your halls so you'd have to get a job or extra help so see what you would rather do!

4- Look online. Look at your university's accommodation page as this should show which accommodations are university owned (if any) and see if any of theses appeal to you. You can also look for private student accommodations in the area too as sometimes people prefer these!

5- Look at virtual tours and ask people how they found the accommodation! Some halls are more sociable, some more quiet etc so it's worth looking into this so you can find one that suits your needs! It's also worth asking around on here when you find some options as people who have stayed in them before may be able to tell you what they are like.

6- Join Facebook groups! This is another way to find out what the halls are like and also meet people in the one you end up choosing! When you have chosen I would definitely recommend joining Facebook groups as this is a great way of meeting your potential flatmates!

I hope this helps! :smile:

Lucy -SHU student ambassador.

Reply 7

University of Sunderland Student Ambassador

Official Rep

Original post by KarenEdge

how do i find suitable accommodation

Hi there,

There are many ways to find good accommodation. Your university should have some options available exclusively for its students and if that doesn't appeal to you, you could also search for student accommodations in the area. There are some good and legit sites to aid your search which you could also ask for from your university like Zoopla or Rightmove. You could ask previous or current students as well if they know any good places as there might be accommodation available but not solely for students so it typically would depend on what you're looking for and how much you're willing to pay. The safest and most affordable option is usually the one provided by your university, I hope you're able find one that matches your preferences. Hope this helps!