Advice for private renting a one bed or studio

I'm currently in my first year of university at Southampton and next year my girlfriend is hoping to move down with me and go into full time work, but I'm struggling to find a studio to stay in. I've tried talking to the university letting people, but the only properties they have to offer are similar to halls, and we'd have to leave over the summer which is no good. Also all of the places through the university are so expensive, they'd want us to pay double the rent for the two people, whereas when I look at private rented properties online they're so much cheaper.
I've called asking about one property that I liked already, but they said that since I'm a student and neither of us have guaranteed jobs, we'd have to pay six months of rent up front to be considered. We have saved enough for a deposit and fees from an agent, and I've made a plan and I'm more than confident we can make it fine, but there's no way we could've done that.
Are there any recommended estate agents willing to deal with students where we are likely to find a long term property? I have no idea what I'm doing and since I'm the only one up here it's all fallen to me so any advice will be helpful.
Thank you.

Reply 1

claireestelle

22

Original post by suiagg

I'm currently in my first year of university at Southampton and next year my girlfriend is hoping to move down with me and go into full time work, but I'm struggling to find a studio to stay in. I've tried talking to the university letting people, but the only properties they have to offer are similar to halls, and we'd have to leave over the summer which is no good. Also all of the places through the university are so expensive, they'd want us to pay double the rent for the two people, whereas when I look at private rented properties online they're so much cheaper.
I've called asking about one property that I liked already, but they said that since I'm a student and neither of us have guaranteed jobs, we'd have to pay six months of rent up front to be considered. We have saved enough for a deposit and fees from an agent, and I've made a plan and I'm more than confident we can make it fine, but there's no way we could've done that.
Are there any recommended estate agents willing to deal with students where we are likely to find a long term property? I have no idea what I'm doing and since I'm the only one up here it's all fallen to me so any advice will be helpful.
Thank you.

It's possible they could feel the same about the deposit upfront if you weren't students, estate agents that aren't student ones are always uneasy at renting to people who dont work full time i m afraid. I live up north, but what i did is email all the agents in the city listing our circumstances and wrote them off if i didnt get a positive answer back.

Reply 2

doodle_333

19

You'll just have to try a brute force attempt and keep trying. The majority of student landlords won't let to a couple if one person isn't a student (or will charge double) and the majority of non student landlords won't let to students. It's also very normal to require proof of a certain level of income before letting (I had to prove I was making at least 2.5x the rent in a permanent job) - and the workaround for that, as you've seen, is paying several months up front. The majority of landlords are going to have the same response as this one but perhaps if you keep trying you'll find someone who doesn't mind/is desparate. Try small casual landlords as well on gumtree etc as they might be more flexible.

Reply 3

returnmigrant

21

You'd be better off looking for a double room in an existing flat share - one good place to look is : https://student.spareroom.co.uk/

Reply 4

Isinglass

16

If you are moving into what is otherwise a 'student house', the fact that your girlfriend is in full-time employment will mean that Council Tax becomes payable:

https://www.nus.org.uk/en/advice/money-and-funding/council-tax/#liable

Advice for private renting a one bed or studio

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