If you have just secured a place in a college or a university, you will have to organise a place to live quickly, because, most probably, you will be moving to a new city or town. Finding student accommodation can be quite a hassle, but can be easy if you apply some theory into it. If you are in search of the perfect student accommodation or letting, there are many ways you can make your job much easier and the following tips will provide an insight into this.
Tips on how to find the perfect student accommodation
– There will be an accommodation officer in your college or university, or you can get advice on finding accommodation from someone in your Student Services. Start by speaking to them.
– College campuses often have notice boards with notices advertising rented houses, offering lodgings and seeking flatmates.
– If you are interested in moving to a specific area, then check out the local newspapers. There is often a myriad of classified ads with rooms to let or houses. Since most students will be fighting to get the best deals, make sure you get a copy of the newspaper as fast as you can.
– When it comes to living space, we all have different needs. Before you start looking for student lettings, you will have to consider exactly what you are looking for. You will have to think whether you want a house to spend some peaceful time in, or to party, whether you prefer home comfort, or independence, whether you would like to live independently, or share with other students.
How to look for the perfect student accommodation
Student Accommodation Office
As mentioned, there will be a dedicated student accommodation office at your college or university. The university usually has a list of trusted letting agents and local landlords, so if you get stuck, they might be able to help you look for student accommodation.
Letting Agents
Basically, a letting agent is a middle man between your landlord and you. Letting agents are paid by the landlords to look for tenants for their property. For the next academic year, letting agents typically begin advertising around January/February. Most letting agents also post an extensive list of their properties online as well. Keep in mind these accommodations are available on a “first come first-served” basis.
Going Directly To Private Landlords
You will not be able to find all houses via an agent, and using a letting agent means a certain amount of fees have to be paid. Another ideal way to save money is to go directly to a landlord if you can find one. You will find various private student lettings in the back of local newspapers and online.
Finding Student Accommodation Online
There are many websites where all the above resources are collated into a single easy to use location. There, students can register to look for accommodation, while landlords and letting agents can register to list vacant properties.
Private student accommodation has its perks, and that is why you should start looking for one as soon as you are accepted in a college or university. Following the tips mentioned above will help you in your search for student lettings and help you find the perfect one.
ABOUT AUTHOR:
Abbas Hussain is a blogger who talks about student lettings for Prem Lets.
