Getting away from home, being able to bring whoever you want back after a night out, eating what you want and when you want, and being able to have your room in that particular type of messy where you ‘know where everything is’ is exactly what many people want to get out of University. For others, the thought of cooking, managing a budget and (God forbid) doing ironing fills them with dread (ironing never becomes enjoyable). The great thing about applying to university is that you get to choose a lifestyle that suits you best.
The first thing to realise is that you don’t necessarily need to move away from home in order to go to university. If you want to study in Aberdeen but live in Cornwall then the commute home might get a little tiresome, but if you want to live at home the chances are you’ll be able to find a university close to mum and dad (or mum and mum/dad and dad of course) and save loads of cash in the process. In fact, it’s a really popular option. One in five students live at home while studying, so if it’s what you want then go for it. But remember you’re going to want to live on your own eventually, so why not make the dive now!
If it’s what you want then the first thing to do is to pick somewhere to live. This will involve paying rent, but it doesn’t have to break the bank. Your loan or grant should be able to cover it . The average rent per week for a student is around £70 (£102.80 in London). A word of advice though: don’t just pick the cheapest place on offer. It’ll probably be cold, dank, and smelly. If this is your first time away from home you might at least want to pick somewhere with heating, so make sure you look into the living conditions properly.
In your first year you’ll probably live in halls. This is great because it means you’ll be living with hundreds of other nervous freshers just like you and be able to make some great friends/boyfriends/girlfriends/whatever else. In most cases your university will guarantee you accommodation for your first year, but make sure you check it out.
Some universities contract private companies to provide accommodation. More Information about assured accommodation can be found at www.anuk.org.uk
But if the penthouse suite is a little bit too pricey, university halls are often of a pretty good standard (mainly because universities hire them out to business delegates at endless dull conferences during the summer months). They will generally include some kitchen facilities (shared with others and maybe a lot of them) a cleaner (who’ll hate you if you leave the kitchen in a tip).
The disadvantage of halls, particularly if you’re a bit fussy, will be that you don’t get to pick who your neighbour is. Sometimes the halls can get a bit noisy so in those odd moments when you’re furiously trying to meet a deadline it might be worth checking into the library. Equally, if you are a bit of a clean freak then sharing with other students who might not be so hygienic or tidy in the kitchen may unnerve you.
You may be expected to vacate your room during the holidays, but there is an increasing trend to increase contract length to include all holidays and most will have a mix between halls you have to move out of and those you rent for the full year / ten months.
Your university halls will give you more freedom than staying at home, but you’ll still have wardens who’ll tell you to pipe down when you have 50 people in your room, smoking and singing ‘Bad Romance’ at the top of their voices. If you want more independence you might want to opt for a self-catered option. Most universities will also be able to offer flats for those with partners or children, and this applies to those in same-sex relationships as well.
With the exception of those at Oxford and Cambridge and certain campus universities, most students will need to find their own accommodation in the second or third year of their degree. You’ll need to find house or flat mates who you’ll be happy to share a bathroom, kitchen and living room with and who won’t go crazy when you leave your toenail clippings on the kitchen worktop (although if you do this you might need to compromise). Some people opt to stay in halls or move to private halls.
You will generally need to start looking for a house in the middle of your first year, but you can find out from your students’ union when house hunting season starts and when approved housing lists are released. It is best to wait until housing fairs, house hunting talks and for these lists to ensure you are opting for an approved landlord.
Don’t necessarily move in with the first person you met in Freshers’ week and although you maybe totally in love with the person you met last week, don’t assume you will want to live with her/him in six months’ time. Everyone who lives together is going to end up having a row at some point or other, but do try and pick people like you to live with. You should also think about flat mates that share the same hours as you - Do you want to be woken up at 8am by your poor housemate that has to do a work placement in their second year? Plus, if you’re a non-smoker you might quickly get sick of your clothes reeking of cigarettes.
Most universities will provide accommodation, but there are also lots of websites which can point you in the direction of good-quality flats and houses. If you decide to go through a private landlord, make sure they comply with any student accommodation accreditation scheme. Many students have had their life made hellish because they’ve had to put up with an (entirely avoidable) dodgy landlord. Obviously make sure you’ve visited the place first and be prepared to negotiate. If you want something fixed or cleaned you will need to say so. Bartering over the rent could grab you the deal you want. Remember that a landlord can’t refuse you a property because of your sexuality.
Security should be considered carefully. Students living in private accommodation are twice as likely to be burgled as those living in halls.
• Check that the front and back doors are fitted with five-lever mortise locks in addition to standard catch locks.
• Make sure the door to your room has a lock, and always lock it when you leave it – especially for long periods such as vacations.
• Check the locks and catches on accessible windows, especially those at ground-floor level.
• Before you move in, try to talk to neighbours about how safe the area is and whether there have been many instances of burglary or car crime.
• Ask your landlord to ensure that all previous tenants and holders of keys no longer have copies.
• If you find a property that you’re keen to rent, but you’re unsure about some of the security aspects, speak to the letting agency or landlord to discuss your concerns. They may be able to make the necessary changes to make the property more secure before you move in.
Most contracts will last for all 52 weeks of the year, so you’ll need to pay rent during vacations. Make sure all of your belongings are secure when you go home.
