The Student Room Group

Private Accommodation help

Hi,
So I am going into second year in September and still haven't found accommodation. Tried to get into halls again but this seemed to be rejected because I did apply late and they do prioritise first years.

Now, I have started to search for private accommodation and I noticed that most of them seem to be like 50+ weeks (rent period) instead of the 40 odd weeks I had with the uni, is this the norm? I have gotten some decent offers already but all of the contracts are a much longer period than I need?

Any advice on this? Is it worth just getting the longer contract and maybe trying to do my placement in Reading instead of back home? Thanks

Also commuting is not an option, I live in the West Midlands so commuting to Reading everyday would be almost impossible.
Original post by noyou1234
Hi,
So I am going into second year in September and still haven't found accommodation. Tried to get into halls again but this seemed to be rejected because I did apply late and they do prioritise first years.
Now, I have started to search for private accommodation and I noticed that most of them seem to be like 50+ weeks (rent period) instead of the 40 odd weeks I had with the uni, is this the norm? I have gotten some decent offers already but all of the contracts are a much longer period than I need?
Any advice on this? Is it worth just getting the longer contract and maybe trying to do my placement in Reading instead of back home? Thanks
Also commuting is not an option, I live in the West Midlands so commuting to Reading everyday would be almost impossible.

Hi there,

It is great that you are proactively looking for accommodation for your second year. Here is some advice which may help your situation and the concerns about the lengths of the private accommodation contracts.

It is quite common for private accommodation contracts to be longer, typically around 50+ weeks. This is because private landlords and companies often prefer to secure tenants for the entire year to minimise vacancy periods. If this is not something you would be happy with, it is worth looking into more student-specific housing where the contacts may align more with academic terms. Another option, as you mentioned, is to consider doing your placement in Reading. This could make a longer accommodation contract more practical and allow you to stay in one place.

I would suggest that the best next steps would be to keep searching for private accommodation whilst asking about contract flexibility if this is what would suit you better. I would also suggest reaching out to the Reading University Accommodation again as even though they may prioritise first years, they might have last minute cancellations or even advice on some reliable landlords/companies for student accommodation. The contact details for our Accommodation Office at the University of Reading can be found here. The office is open Monday-Friday from 08:30-17:00.

Whilst longer contracts are the norm for private accommodation, it is worth reaching out to the University/student accommodation companies to see what other options there are too. Good luck with finding something suitable, if you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out!

Best of luck,

Millie 🙂
BSc International Development
Original post by noyou1234
Hi,
So I am going into second year in September and still haven't found accommodation. Tried to get into halls again but this seemed to be rejected because I did apply late and they do prioritise first years.
Now, I have started to search for private accommodation and I noticed that most of them seem to be like 50+ weeks (rent period) instead of the 40 odd weeks I had with the uni, is this the norm? I have gotten some decent offers already but all of the contracts are a much longer period than I need?
Any advice on this? Is it worth just getting the longer contract and maybe trying to do my placement in Reading instead of back home? Thanks
Also commuting is not an option, I live in the West Midlands so commuting to Reading everyday would be almost impossible.

Are you still looking for accommodation in Reading?
Original post by noyou1234
Hi,
So I am going into second year in September and still haven't found accommodation. Tried to get into halls again but this seemed to be rejected because I did apply late and they do prioritise first years.
Now, I have started to search for private accommodation and I noticed that most of them seem to be like 50+ weeks (rent period) instead of the 40 odd weeks I had with the uni, is this the norm? I have gotten some decent offers already but all of the contracts are a much longer period than I need?
Any advice on this? Is it worth just getting the longer contract and maybe trying to do my placement in Reading instead of back home? Thanks
Also commuting is not an option, I live in the West Midlands so commuting to Reading everyday would be almost impossible.

Hey! Are you still looking for housing?

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