This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

Thread for accommodation questions for 09/10 entry - READ & POST HERE FIRST :o)

We will begin updating this for 10/11 entry - please be patient! Until then, all of the answers to most of your questions can be found in this thread already - please read it. Then add to this post if you've got any other questions and we'll do our best to help.

***FINDING PRIVATE ACCOMMODATION IN EDINBURGH***

It seems that the university is claiming that they will only be able to offer bunk bed twin rooms to large numbers of students for the new year. Obviously, sharing a room isn't the nicest of prospects to look forward to however nice your prospective roommate might be, so I thought I'd put together a little section on finding private accommodation for those who decide not to accept their offers. Remember, you do not have to accept the accommodation offer if you don't want to do so and there are plenty of alternatives - Edinburgh has a lot of very good flats on offer to students.

I want to join an existing flat

Look on the university student union forum here (the link brings you to the accommodation forum). This is generally the first port of call for people to advertise spare rooms, or you can place an advert saying you're looking for a room. Most people advertising on here will be Edinburgh University students.

Or alternatively, try the Edinburgh Gumtree page here.

You can also go into the Potterrow student union in Bristo Square during the festival, and at the back inbetween the SU office and SU shop, there is an accommodation notice board.

I want to find my own flat and some flatmates

This is really easy to do, and if you've got a spare few days in which to head to Edinburgh even better. There are loads of student flats in Edinburgh with 2, 3 or 4 people being the norm so you don't need to have many people. There are loads of people on TSR discussing getting private accommodation so it might be worth PMing them to see if they want to join up with you.

If you are looking to share with 2 or more people you are NOT related to, you need to make sure that your landlord has a HMO licsence on the property which is a legal requirement for rentals to unrelated groups of 3 or more adults.

Landlords and Property Management Companies

You want a landlord who is accredited by the Edinburgh City Council landlord accreditation scheme, which means the landlord and the property has to adhere to certain rules and regulations. Not all landlords are part of this scheme and I'd advise avoiding ones which aren't, esspecially as you're new to the area. Check with the council if in doubt. Private landlords (ie: not large rental/property management companies) are generally better as you can always get hold of them incase of problems and they usually only own one or a few flats, meaning the upkeep is generally better. There are lots of property management companies in Edinburgh, some with better reviews than others. Grant Management is considered to be a company to avoid by most of the student population, and the majority of students know someone who has been messed around/fobbed off/generally had a bad time with GM. I personally would never live in a flat managed by them regardless of how cheap the rent had been made. Other popular management companies are Edinburgh Letting Service, Crichton Stuart, Dove Davies and Edinburgh Property Management, although obviously there are more. I have friends who have rented with all of these companies and they are considered to be better than GM, although I am not saying that all of these are wonderful. As I said you are better off with a private landlord if at all possible.

Finding a flat

You can use the websites I gave above, or alternatively there are loads of search engines where private landlords and property management companies advertise. The most used ones are city lets, s1 rental, letting web, ESPC, letting in Scotland, Student Pad. Again, this list as with the property management isn't exhaustive. Each of the PM companies I listed above also have their own websites.

There is plenty of property available in Edinburgh, so you should be able to find something. Some of my friends came up this summer for 1 week and found a flat easily.

Where shall I live?

The main student areas of Edinburgh are known as Marchmont, Newington, Tollcross, Bruntsfield, New Town and Old Town. Basically, if you have a map of Edinburgh, this is the area which is encircled by Queen Street in the north, then to the east, as far as Holyrood Park and Dalkeith Road, to the south it would be north of Strathern Road level, then to the west, Lothian Road which then becomes Bruntsfield Place. All of these areas are within a 20-25 minute walk of the George Square area of the university, and within walking distance of most popular clubs, pubs and also supermarkets.

(Obviously people live outwith this area, but I am speaking in general terms)

How much will it cost?

Housing here is more expensive than a lot of the UK, and I cringe when I hear how little friends at university in different parts of the country are paying. The thing to remember is that Edinburgh is a capital city, and you want to live in the centre of it, so compared to London and many other capitals, Edinburgh is pretty reasonable on the pricing front.

In general, rental rates start at around £300 per person per month excluding bills and go up to in excess of £400. However, you should be able to get a decent room for less than £320. Bills are generally around £20-25 each a month in my own experience. As a student you will not have to pay council tax and as a result you don't have to pay for water either. Therefore, try not to live with someone who is working unless you can come to an agreement on council tax payment. It is usual that there will be a stair cleaner to clean the communal staircase and each flat pays their share each month - the others in your building will be quick to let you know the procedure when you move in.

Leases are usually always for 12 months, with little room for negotiation. You will be expected to pay rent every single month regardless of whether you are living in the property or not. This is standard procedure, unlike in some other university towns and cities. Many students chose to sublet their room in the summer months to people who are living in Edinburgh for the festival, or stay in the flat themselves working in the city.

Deposits are usually one month rent, which can sometimes be used in lieu of a 12th month payment. All breakages and repair costs are generally paid for by the landlord, not the tenants (unless of course you break it by being stupid/drunk!).

What are the properties like?

All properties here are old tenement style flats, with a shared staircase and 2-4 properties on each floor, usually with 3 or 4 floors. There is usually a shared garden for which you will have access. I've never known anyone to live in a house. They all have very high ceilings and usually contain huge rooms with large windows. A lot of the windows are only single glazed so if you find one with double glazing you've got a good deal, meaning the flats can get very cold in winter. Get used to sleeping in layers and using sleeping bags if you want to live here and save on bills! Some flats have lounges and others don't (it is normally around £320 for a seperate lounge) but most have a large kitchen with sofas here. There is generally only one bathroom. A lot of properties have lots of cupboards for storage and many have lovely, tiled fireplaces which although are no longer in use make brilliant decorative pieces in your bedroom!

---- I hope this is of some use to people... and good luck flat searching! It is easier than you think!

-----------------------------------

Hi,

As accommodation questions seem to be surfacing I thought it'd be nice to keep everything on one thread and pool the resources that we already have into one thread. There have been loads threads over the last few years where people have asked the same questions again and again (as obviously everyone always wants to know the same thing) so to try and stop the repetitive questions, I thought I'd make a proper thread using information current students have given in the past. I'll add to this when I've got more time, at the moment I've gone back as far as this time next year looking for useful threads.

University of Edinburgh wiki - contains photos.

The wiki is a very good point of reference for any questions and has been created by several of the current students who are the 'main' posters in the Edinburgh forum. This means our opinion is already reflected here, so we don't need to write it again. Please read the wiki.

APPLY ONLINE NOW - if you have accepted Edinburgh as your firm OR insurance place. It is NOT first come, first served. It does not matter when you apply as long as you meet the deadline, which is in the summer.

Applications are now being accepted.
Again, it does NOT matter when you apply.
Accommodation isn't issued by order of application.

*New*

Ensure you apply for accommodation using an email address which you will still have access to in September. Offers are sent out via email and you have to accept the offer by clicking on the link and paying your deposit over the internet. This means you should NOT use an email address from school, college, work or anywhere else where you might not be able to access it come the end of august. Many schools and colleges delete students from their user areas after exams in June meaning you can't access your email which is fundamental for after results day. This also applies to the general UCAS form, ensure you're using something you'll be contactable on until you arrive at university.

(Otherwise you end up in a mess like I did where come results day you realise you can't recieve any accommodation emails and then end up having to completely reapply just to change your email address)

**NEW**

Room Sizes:

There are a lot of questions about the room sizing and whether one should apply for a small, medium or large room. The general concenus from current students is that you should always apply for the SMALL room size where ever possible - particularly if you are concerned about money - because the size difference between the rooms is marginal.

This "choice" only came into opperation about 2 years ago (I didn't get a choice) and is simply being used as another way for the university accommodation services to get more money out of students. Paying an extra £10 a week for a "big" room will gain you a room which is say, 30cm wider than that of your flatmate with the "small" room.... you may as well donate £10 a week to Uni AS people as you're getting very little for the extra money.

08/09 (last yr) entry accommodation application discussion

Why did you apply for your accommodation/where did you apply 08/09

Where is the best place to live in Edinburgh?

Price of accommodation, artorscience's post in particular

UNITE at Edinburgh

Where to live/prices for after first year

Edinburgh is my insurance choice, do I still apply?

Self catered accommodation = single sex (in general)

Detailed stuff:

Pollock meal times

Mini fridge? What to and what not to bring!

Should I bring a TV?

Should I bring my bike?

Can I bring my dog to Edinburgh?

From the Edinburgh University website:

Will I be guarenteed accommodation?

Prices and Accommodation types, plus details about Internet

----

Obviously questions do always arise and we all certainly had loads before we came to Edinburgh. We don't mind answering questions at all, as obviously, we'd like to help prospective students as much as we can. I know the university accommodation website isn't very detailed, whereas the TSR site is pretty good at answering questions. However, we do also have lives to lead and get on with our degrees too. So many generic questions can be answered by using the links above and by using the search function. But as I said fire away with questions.... but it'd be easier if they're all in one place.

Thank you!

I hope you end up loving Edinburgh as much as I do :love:

Reply 180

wilwy

Here's something I've been wondering: What do students do when they have to vacate their accommodation, and chiefly, where do they take all their stuff? I know that it's possible to book and pay separately to stay over spring/Easter break but what about summer? I could see how most students would be able to take their stuff home but that's not really an option when your home is thousands of miles away across the Atlantic. Do people just find private accommodation or rent a storage unit and go on vacation for the whole break or what? Thanks in advance for your answers.

Reply 181

elisabethbridge

1

wilwy

Here's something I've been wondering: What do students do when they have to vacate their accommodation, and chiefly, where do they take all their stuff? I know that it's possible to book and pay separately to stay over spring/Easter break but what about summer? I could see how most students would be able to take their stuff home but that's not really an option when your home is thousands of miles away across the Atlantic. Do people just find private accommodation or rent a storage unit and go on vacation for the whole break or what? Thanks in advance for your answers.

When I left for the summer last year, I left my stuff in my friends flats. They were second years so were living in private accommodation and had the flats for the summer too. So the cheapest would be to make friends with people who have flats here for the summer. :biggrin:

I don't know what other people did though, I'm not friends with that many international students, but I'm assuming that renting a storage unit might be quite common among some people.

Reply 182

Nelien

wilwy

Here's something I've been wondering: What do students do when they have to vacate their accommodation, and chiefly, where do they take all their stuff? I know that it's possible to book and pay separately to stay over spring/Easter break but what about summer? I could see how most students would be able to take their stuff home but that's not really an option when your home is thousands of miles away across the Atlantic. Do people just find private accommodation or rent a storage unit and go on vacation for the whole break or what? Thanks in advance for your answers.

I was going to ask the exact same thing :smile:

.

So, uni flats are not rentable over the summer? I know self-catered include easter/christmas but can you extend the lease for a month or two during the summer?

Reply 183

nearlyheadlessian

15

Nelien

So, uni flats are not rentable over the summer? I know self-catered include easter/christmas but can you extend the lease for a month or two during the summer?

They are rentable. They're not affordable though. They are turned into self-catering accommodation for tourists and festival-goers and let as entire flats rather than as rooms - so if you have a few thousand spare it's one way. Otherwise storage is the way forwards.

elisabethbridge

When I left for the summer last year, I left my stuff in my friends flats. They were second years so were living in private accommodation and had the flats for the summer too. So the cheapest would be to make friends with people who have flats here for the summer.

Guess it varies and also depends on whether or not people are living in the flat, but my flat wouldn't have space to put someone else's stuff :p:

Reply 184

oxymoronic

OP

19

All of the flat leases in Edinburgh are 12 months so there isn't so much a culture of 'going home' in the holidays like there is at other universities. Certainly within my friendship group and everyone I know the vast majority stay in Edinburgh over the summer and get jobs in the festival, as if you don't live in your flat you still have to pay the rent unless you can find someone else to live there. A lot of flat leases start in July or August, and the university accommodation finishes at the start of June. But there are loads of flat rentals which do start in June so you'd just have to get one of those. Even if you don't get a flat for the summer there will certainly be people in your friendship groups who do have their flats and there are always people trying to rent out their spare rooms.

My stuff didn't leave Edinburgh from when I moved there in September 2006 until May 2008, and that was just because I'm studying abroad this year so I technically don't have a flat this year. I only go home for a week at christmas then a week over Easter.

If you go for self catered flats you get your room all through the easter holidays anyway, its only Pollock where you have to move out. In my first year flat we ended up with all of our Pollock friends stuff in our kitchen so they didn't have to take it away from Edinburgh.

Reply 185

wilwy

Thanks for your answers. Now could you tell me what the typical progression of housing is from 1st year to 2nd to 3rd and so on, so I can get a better idea of what it will be like for me. I've completed my app for uni accommodation with 1st choice Chancellors Court, 2nd John Burnett House, and 3rd Kitchener. From what I've read it seems like most students start out in university accommodation. I'm just curious as to where most people go on to live after that, specifically international students (if there is a difference at all).

Reply 186

elisabethbridge

1

wilwy

Thanks for your answers. Now could you tell me what the typical progression of housing is from 1st year to 2nd to 3rd and so on, so I can get a better idea of what it will be like for me. I've completed my app for uni accommodation with 1st choice Chancellors Court, 2nd John Burnett House, and 3rd Kitchener. From what I've read it seems like most students start out in university accommodation. I'm just curious as to where most people go on to live after that, specifically international students (if there is a difference at all).

After first year most people rent out a flat/room in the private market. Students live all around the city, mainly in old town, I think, but there are quite a few who live in the new town too (although it's expensive!). Some people form groups and hunt for flats like that or you can just look for a room in a flat where people need more flatmates etc.

There's no difference with where international and British students live, or who they live with.

Reply 187

artorscience?

11

wilwy

Now could you tell me what the typical progression of housing is from 1st year to 2nd to 3rd and so on,

To add to what elizabethbridge said, most student leases on properties run July-July or August-August and are for the full 12 months. So in these cases students need to find storage or take their belongings home at the end of the university's lease (which is usually the end of May, but I believe that internationals can get an extension on their lease for a few months of the summer, but I'm not sure how that works). There are properties that are let for less than 12 month periods, these are usually non-HMO properties (only suitable for 2 or fewer "families", so 2 unrelated individuals or a couple and an individual max), and with this type of property it is fairly easy to find one to move into at the end of May to coincide with the end of your university lease, but living in such conditions is less "studenty" (if that's a concept that is of interest to you).

University accommodation in the style that it is offered to first years is not available to returning students except in the capacity of Residents or House assistants (first years' first point of call with questions, help etc. about accommodation problems, could possibly be described as in-accommodation "big sisters/brothers" although that's a term that's used). The university has one block of halls-style self catered accommodation leased September-May as the first year accommodation is. Everything else that the university itself offers to returning students is in the form of flats (single person studio flats, couples studio flats, flats for 2-6 unrelated peoples who have already organised themselves into a group) which are almost all on 12 month leases. This essentially forces all students after first year into the world of private letting and 12 month leases.

I would make an additional point about your choices of first year accommodation being in Pollock - you will either have to move your belongings out at Christmas and Easter or pay extra to keep your room over the holiday period, whereas the s-c flats are on a continuous lease so the only storage issue occurs over the summer.

Reply 188

lia_s

i have a few questions if anyone has any answers it would be really helpful.

which is better:
catered or self catered?
holland house or chancellors court?

sorry i know they're pretty subjective questions but if anyone has ideas it would be so useful because i'm completely stuck!

Reply 189

artorscience?

11

lia_s

catered or self catered?
holland house or chancellors court?

Personally I prefer to cook for myself. You know yourself, do you want to be cooked for or the choice to make yourself what you want, are you a fussy eater or do you want to be lazy for a year? Halls will give you a different experience of life to anything you will experience for the rest of your life. Flats will give you a more realistic perception of living by yourself and the responsibilities you will have to take on over the next few years, but then again, you do have the next few years to take these responsibilities on.

Chancellors is shiner. Holland supposedly has a tight-knit community. You have the same food, the same opportunity to meet people... but a room built at a different period (00s or 60s?).

Reply 190

wilwy

artorscience?

I would make an additional point about your choices of first year accommodation being in Pollock - you will either have to move your belongings out at Christmas and Easter or pay extra to keep your room over the holiday period, whereas the s-c flats are on a continuous lease so the only storage issue occurs over the summer.

I've noticed that aspect about catered versus self-catered. For better or for worse, I personally opted for catered because I'm pretty lousy at cooking and to just make things a bit easier. I will already have enough to deal with my first year. Also, what are the main types of private accommodation that students reside in. I've browsed the web page of the "Unite" group. Are these types of private accom. that are tailored for students more popular or is it mainly just a hodgepodge of various rooms to let?

Reply 191

artorscience?

11

wilwy

Also, what are the main types of private accommodation that students reside in. I've browsed the web page of the "Unite" group. Are these types of private accom. that are tailored for students more popular or is it mainly just a hodgepodge of various rooms to let?

Most students after first year rent flats around the city, either as a group of friends renting together, or as an individual renting a room in a flat. Unite accommodation is much more expensive than (almost) any other accommodation. If you look at the prices, a Unite room in Edinburgh is £30-80 more a week than a room in University owned accommodation, and the lease (which isn't for the full year so you still have the issue of storage) is for 42 weeks, so a longer period than the university's accommodation, and around 6 weeks of that is once term and exams have finish. I don't know anyone who lives in Unite accommodation in Edinburgh, apart from those who have been put there by accommodation services, probably because of the price - but the fact that Unite keep building more and more accommodation must mean that there is a market for it.

Reply 192

wilwy

Alright, thanks for the info.

Reply 193

teaandcake-please

I'm a little worried about the self-catered accomodation as flats are the only option- rather than halls like for catered which I imagine to be a lot more social since so many more people are staying on the same hall (rather than 3-5 in a flat).
I'm just a little worried that I'll get stuck in a flat with people I don't get on with! Do people in the catered tend to socialise with people from other flats as well?
Do any of the catered accomodations have common easier?

Also- whilst I'm posting, the accomodation I'm looking at is College Wynd,Robertson's close and Kincaid's court- so if any comments or advice on these would be welcome :biggrin:

(I'll be studying Religious Studies so I'd prefer something close to New College)

Thanks in advance! :smile:

Reply 194

artorscience?

11

teaandcake-please

I'm just a little worried that I'll get stuck in a flat with people I don't get on with! Do people in the catered tend to socialise with people from other flats as well?
Do any of the catered accommodations have common easier?

Your questions aren't very clear, but I will try to answer. If you really are stuck with people who make your life hell, you can move after a month or two. You are just as likely to be sandwiched between people you don't get on with in halls as you are to end up in a flat of people you don't get on with. Socially in flats you mix with the whole block during freshers' week and then will find the people you want to socialise with and spend you time with them, just the same as in halls where you socialise with your block and then know your friends. People in flats can have friends in halls and vice versa, although there does tend to be a bit of a difference as those in Pollock often eat out for lunch, and have to go back to halls in the evenings to eat before going on out or whatever, whereas those in flats eat lunch at home, or at least don't have the same attitude to eating lunch out (or maybe that's just me and the people I've met). Generally it is a positive thing for people in Pollock to know people in flats who can host parties (as they actually have some space) and have belongings (again, as they have space).

And I don't understand your second question.

Reply 195

teaandcake-please

artorscience?

Your questions aren't very clear, but I will try to answer. If you really are stuck with people who make your life hell, you can move after a month or two. You are just as likely to be sandwiched between people you don't get on with in halls as you are to end up in a flat of people you don't get on with. Socially in flats you mix with the whole block during freshers' week and then will find the people you want to socialise with and spend you time with them, just the same as in halls where you socialise with your block and then know your friends. People in flats can have friends in halls and vice versa, although there does tend to be a bit of a difference as those in Pollock often eat out for lunch, and have to go back to halls in the evenings to eat before going on out or whatever, whereas those in flats eat lunch at home, or at least don't have the same attitude to eating lunch out (or maybe that's just me and the people I've met). Generally it is a positive thing for people in Pollock to know people in flats who can host parties (as they actually have some space) and have belongings (again, as they have space).

And I don't understand your second question.

Thanks for your help :smile:

Sorry, I just reread my post and it seems like I must have deleted parts of the text by mistake, somehow. :confused:

My concerns were just based on speaking to two people I know, who stayed in flats and found it quite antisocial- one of whom then moved universities and was able to compare the experience to living in catered halls. I realise that these are isolated cases though, and neither were at Edinburgh which is why I asked :smile:

The second question was supposed to be about whether any of the self catered halls have common rooms at all?
The self-catered place that I visited in Nottingham had one, and I thought that it was quite a nice idea :smile:

Reply 196

oxymoronic

OP

19

teaandcake-please

Thanks for your help :smile:

Sorry, I just reread my post and it seems like I must have deleted parts of the text by mistake, somehow. :confused:

My concerns were just based on speaking to two people I know, who stayed in flats and found it quite antisocial- one of whom then moved universities and was able to compare the experience to living in catered halls. I realise that these are isolated cases though, and neither were at Edinburgh which is why I asked :smile:

The second question was supposed to be about whether any of the self catered halls have common rooms at all?
The self-catered place that I visited in Nottingham had one, and I thought that it was quite a nice idea :smile:

I think it totally depends on the luck of the draw, in both flats and halls. In halls you've got equally as much chance of ending up on a corridor where you hate every single person as you do in a flat. There are generally always 5 or 6 people in the flat so its not like you only live with 2 other people or something. In my first year we were constantly in and out of the other flats, we had a little community in our building and it was great. I lived with my flatmates again the following year, and intend to when I get back home from exchange. Although the vast majority of people aren't like this, obviously.

As far as I know, non of the self catered flats have common rooms - they don't really need them. You have your kitchen for that - if you want some tea or food you'd go to your kitchen, not go downstairs to make it. In your kitchen you have a sofa/lounge area too so they don't need two things.

Basically, how good your accommodation will be in first year depends only upon the people who are living there too, which you can not control. Whether you're in a flat or in halls is completely arbitary to the experience.

Reply 197

lia_s

are people allowed to stay with you, i.e. if someone comes to visit could they stay with you? also, if they can, how long can they stay for?

just that edinburghs very far away from where i live so it would be good to know that people visiting could stay with me, rather than having to pay for a hotel etc

also, if people are allowed to stay, would self catered or catered be easier for people to be allowed to stay for longer?

Reply 198

wilwy

lia_s

are people allowed to stay with you, i.e. if someone comes to visit could they stay with you? also, if they can, how long can they stay for?

just that edinburghs very far away from where i live so it would be good to know that people visiting could stay with me, rather than having to pay for a hotel etc

also, if people are allowed to stay, would self catered or catered be easier for people to be allowed to stay for longer?

This is something I've wondered too, although if anybody came to visit I'd probably prefer that they get a hotel room actually. :smile:

Reply 199

Rian1988

14

Does anyone think it is worth having a large room at Darroch court for an extra £5? Are the large rooms all on their own or are they mixed in with the regular rooms?

Thread for accommodation questions for 09/10 entry - READ & POST HERE FIRST :o)

Related discussions

Articles for you

How The Student Room is moderated