We all know the struggle of finding the right accommodation for us, whether that’s student halls in your first year or housing in your second and third years. We have to rush, hoping and searching for somewhere perfect within our price range, all while preparing to live with people we don’t know. This almost always ends in settling to live with whoever you can, with a shared rundown bathroom and a mouldy bedroom, or a half-hour walk from your university building.
Of course with this comes: the housemate who doesn’t know how to clean up after themselves; the landlord that can assure you “the mould was never a problem for them”; rent that increases every year; additional bills you have to pay; and on top of that all while a random energy company you’re not a customer of keeps sending you letters claiming you owe them money. However, if this isn’t appealing and not part of the university culture you’d like to experience, you can always book with private student accommodation, with their tall buildings, private newly built bathrooms, and shared kitchens of less than five people. This is, of course, if you are willing to pay more on your rent than you get from your student loan in one large sum or three large instalments, or if you are happy to sign a sixty-page tenancy agreement that is sent to you six times a day stating “if you go over your bill usage for the week you will be charged” despite them advertising “all bills are included”, or that same agreement warning you that “you will be charged if you set a fire alarm off (even if accidental)”, but then them also having unplanned fire alarms due to technical issues three times a week at 6am.
It is clear there is no student accommodation that actually benefits the student, and there is a huge lack of support in finding what’s right for them. Instead, landlords rent to us knowing how eager students are to find somewhere to live, as ultimately, in the end, no matter how rundown or expensive their dwelling is, someone will end up living there. In my opinion, after living in student accommodation twice and student housing twice, booking early is incredibly important, but so is who you are living with, so don’t feel pressured to live with people you are not sure you like yet.
If you are booking private accommodation, be aware they’re not as social as housing or university halls, and you are responsible for your own cleaning and sometimes others’. Also, always book directly with the accommodation’s website and not an accommodation finder website to avoid any hidden fees or booking rooms that are already reserved. Finally, when in doubt, check with TrustPilot for reviews and use student housing agents to help you find a house that’s right for you.
Student housing has always been notoriously bad—it’s just something we accept as students because that’s what we’ve been coerced into thinking is normal. However, being in a secure and comfortable environment is essential for our well-being and therefore our studying. So, make sure you ask all the questions you have and are entitled to and do all the research you can.
Nowhere will be perfect; however, I’d say 2–4 of my homes have had great landlords and decent living situations for fair prices, and my other two houses had spacious rooms and great locations, so it’s not impossible to find something that suits you!