Thinking about moving off campus and feeling a bit overwhelmed? In this blog, Hana shares her personal experience, top tips, and lessons learned from renting in the city for the first time.
Moving off campus can be daunting as you will no longer have the safety of being in a university-owned building. But don’t worry, it definitely has its perks! It can be a lot cheaper and for most of you, it will be your first time living in the city! Here are some key tips, watchouts, and things I wish I’d known before moving into a private housing.
Read the housing contracts carefully!
Housing contracts aren’t like standard terms and conditions that you can just skim and sign. Landlords might put strange clauses in there that need your full attention. Here’s a checklist to help you review your contract thoroughly:
- Do you understand what your deposit is for?
- Is the rent price clear?
- How long will the contract term be?
- Can you reassign your contract? Is there a break clause?
- Do you need a UK guarantor if you are an international student?
- Is it all-inclusive or do you pay for your own bills separately?
- If the property has a garden, are you responsible for its maintenance?
- What will you need to secure/ reserve and hold the property?
- Have you understood and agreed with the inventory?
- Is your contract individual or joint (shared responsibility for rent)?
If you’re unsure about anything, you can also contact the ResLife team for advice! They have dedicated guides to support you regarding privately rented accommodation.
Watchout for scams
If a landlord/ agent is rushing you to sign a contract, especially before you have even viewed the property or they ask for all the rent upfront, think before you sign. You might think at the moment that you will be homeless if you don’t get your house sorted straight away, but I promise more houses will come on the market. It is always better to wait than quickly sign something and then have problems later. Similarly, if you are asked to send money first to secure a property without signing anything first, it is likely to be fraudulent activity.
Manage your bills wisely
A lot of students choose to take our all-inclusive packages, which save the admin and stress of paying bills yourself. However, to save some money you might want to opt to pay your own bills as you go.
All students are exempt from council tax (which you might have to apply for), but the main utility bills you will have to pay are- gas, electricity, water, broadband (and maybe a TV license). I’d recommend you distribute responsibility fairly and assign each bill to different flatmates so that you can pay them your share of the bills.
Make sure to submit meter readings to avoid paying the provider’s estimated costs. A lot of providers give student discounts. If you can’t see any student discounts, it’s always worth asking as some providers will give you a discount if you do!
I’d recommend you distribute responsibility fairly and assign each bill to different flatmates so that you can pay them your share of the bills. Make sure you all have visibility over the bills to avoid any arguments. You could set up a shared spreadsheet with all the costs.
Think beyond friendship while choosing housemates
So, who should you live with? You might think living with your best friends will be amazing, but this might not always be the case. If you are the type of person who loves socialising and knows you will always be chatting with your friends in the kitchen without ever doing your work, it might be worth thinking about living with other people. It is likely your friends won’t live far away at all so you can always visit! Here are some questions you might want to consider.
- Do they clean up after themselves?
- Are they reliable with money and paying people back? (e.g. if you choose to pay for bills separately)
- Can you hang out comfortably without feeling drained?
- Do your sleep schedules somewhat align? (e.g. are you a morning or night person?)
- Do they respect personal space and alone time?
- Are they okay with you having friends/partners over? (And vice versa)
I personally watched out for a few personal red flags: people who never cleaned a toilet before (and were weirdly proud of that) :/; who ghosted the group chat whenever ‘house admin’ was mentioned; and made me feel like I’d end up doing all the chores and be the only responsible one.
Look after your wellbeing in new house
It’s important to look after yourself first and foremost – whether that's reading a book in your room, calling a friend from home or going on a walk, it’s fine if you need space! Sometimes after a long day at uni, all I wanted to do was to watch a film in my room and go to bed, which my flatmates completely understood. However, also take advantage of living with others if that helps your wellbeing. You might pick up good habits from your flatmates. I loved seeing all the new healthy recipes my flatmates were cooking! I also know other people who have picked up early morning runs with their flatmates. Or if you're more of an indoor person, a good chat in the kitchen can also help boost your mood. Everyone will have their ups and downs, so make sure you create an environment where all your flatmates are comfortable and honest with each other.
If you do need a break from being in your house but don’t want to be alone, there are also some great events that run throughout the year (city and campus) from the Wellbeing Team (BeWell events). From cooking classes to bowling, there’s always something different and I would definitely recommend them to meet new people (or bring your new flatmates along!)
My Overall Top Tips are-
- Take photos of EVERYTHING on day one (meter readings, room condition and any stains) to avoid the landlord charging you for things that aren’t your fault.
- Set up a cleaning rota. This helps create accountability for things around your house like taking out the bins – otherwise it is likely that no one will ever do it.
- Agree at the beginning what items you are going to share as a household e.g. toilet paper, washing up liquid
- Agree on house rules early (noise curfews, guests etc)
- Maye friends with people who drive to save a bit of time in the morning! 🙂
Moving into a rented house can be a bit of a shift, especially if you’re moving from on-campus halls. I live in Oldfield and I don’t think I’ve ever managed to leave my house without bumping into someone. Yes, it does mean you might have to get up slightly earlier to get to campus in the mornings, but there are also plenty of places you’ll grow to love in the city like the cute coffee shops (which will become part of your personality) or the Virgil building. And it’s a lot more convenient to go to the shops as well!
The main takeaway is that it’ll be okay! I thought I’d hate the hustle and bustle of living in the city, but I have loved it!
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