Hi there, I'm Luna.
I'm a bit like an AI, except instead of making pictures of people with 16 fingers, I can help you find the perfect course and uni.
Would you like some help in your search?
Your study experience can be greatly affected by where you live, especially in the 2nd and 3rd year, when workloads get heavier and stress levels rise.
With so many options available in the market, it can be a struggle to find the perfect place for you, especially if you are searching with a group of mates who all have different ideas about where you should all set up home.
To make your life easier, Best Students Halls have prepared a full checklist to make sure your student home searches are as enjoyable and painless as possible...
What’s Your Budget?
Rent is going to be the biggest financial commitment so you must plan it carefully. Make sure you establish your budget (and get everyone to agree to it) before you start looking for student accommodation, there’s no point looking at grand mansions if you’ve got a tiny budget.
Location
Another important factor to consider is the location of your accommodation.
Are there convenient transport links to your uni and the town? What about the local area and its amenities? Does it have a grocery store nearby where you can get bread in your pjs? A library for when the university one is rammed?
And, most importantly, check whether the place is close to your university - preferably, you want it to be within the walking distance or at least require a short bus ride…you’ll thank us for that particular piece of advice when it comes to your first 9am lecture.
Watch Out For Small Print
A common mistake most students make when moving in to 2nd year accommodation is ignoring the small print...but as you’re committing to something huge like paying for your accommodation, ALWAYS read everything on the contract.
Small print can include annoying things like additional fees outlines, which can easily slip through your eyes but may cause trouble in the future.
Deposits
In order to secure your student accommodation place, you’ll probably be asked to pay a booking fee or a deposit. Whenever you agree to rent a room, make sure you ask for a written agreement from your landlord explaining what’s covered by the deposit and ask for a full inventory of furniture too. It may sound as a lot of hassle and paperwork, but, you don’t want to lose your deposit when you move out!
Set Your Preferences
Once you’ve more or less decided on the budget, move onto your preferences - outline where you’d love to live and make sure it lines up with your budget. Do you want to be in a quiet area or in the centre of town; do you want a modern flat or cosy and traditional; how many bathrooms will you need and could you go without a living room to squeeze another person in?
We hope that you found this little “checklist” helpful and are ready to begin your searches for a new student home.
Next:
- The do’s & don’ts of finding 2nd year accommodation
- How to Make Your Student Flat Feel Like Home
Best Student Halls is the UK’s most comprehensive student accommodation comparison service.You can follow Best Student Halls blog, or connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.
