25th September 2017
How to make choosing your student house easier
Student accommodation – things to consider
No sooner than you’ve settled into your new university room, you’ll start thinking about where you want to spend the next year living. If you’re moving from halls to a house, this can be quite daunting, and there are still things to take into account if you’re already in rented accommodation and looking to stay put or move on to another property. See this list below for some tips on what to think about.
Don’t panic! – Most importantly, you must remember that there is no rush. There will always be rooms and houses available for you to move into, and you don’t want to make a rash decision and end up missing important details. Who do you want to live with? – It’s difficult when you have just met a whole load of new people and you have no idea what they’re like, but you feel pressured to find people to live with next year. Your first instinct may be to carry on living with people in your flat, because at least you will know what they are like to live with. But sometimes it’s better to take a little time over your decision and really think about with whom you want to live in your second and third years at university. Remember that a comfortable home life can make university life easier, and equally an uncomfortable home life can make it that much harder.
Who do you want to live with? – It’s difficult when you have just met a whole load of new people and you have no idea what they’re like, but you feel pressured to find people to live with next year. Your first instinct may be to carry on living with people in your flat, because at least you will know what they are like to live with. But sometimes it’s better to take a little time over your decision and really think about with whom you want to live in your second and third years at university. Remember that a comfortable home life can make university life easier, and equally an uncomfortable home life can make it that much harder.
Where do you want to live? – Check out the possible locations for you to live. There are lots of different areas in Chester that vary in price, but if you know that you tend to run late in the morning, choosing somewhere closer to campus may be wise. Equally though, if you enjoy your nights out, somewhere closer to the city centre will make travelling to and from the city easier. What do you want to live in? – Do you have a very specific idea of the house you want to live in? Do you know how many people you want to live with? Would you rather look for an apartment than a house? All these are important things to think about, as they can affect how easily you will find the house you want. The more specific your needs and wants, the earlier you may want to start looking for potential properties so that you have more variety. If you’re more laid-back about the house you end up you may want to wait until the initial rush has died down.
What do you want to live in? – Do you have a very specific idea of the house you want to live in? Do you know how many people you want to live with? Would you rather look for an apartment than a house? All these are important things to think about, as they can affect how easily you will find the house you want. The more specific your needs and wants, the earlier you may want to start looking for potential properties so that you have more variety. If you’re more laid-back about the house you end up you may want to wait until the initial rush has died down.
How much are you willing to pay? – Student house prices vary, and you have to take into account the cost of gas, electricity, and water, as well as broadband, your TV License, and other expenses that you may have, like a parking permit if you bring a car with you to university. All of these things make a difference, and are questions that you can ask of your letting agent or the occupants of the houses that you view. You can sometimes choose to have your bills included in the price of your rent or to look after them yourself, so be aware of this. You must also be aware of the agency fees and deposit that you may have to pay. Go in armed with the knowledge that you will have to pay these fees and be prepared to ask what they are. When do you want to move in? – If you need or want to remain in Chester over the summer months, you should let your letting agent know this as soon as possible. It isn’t always possible for students to move in over the summer because landlords often want to carry out improvements to their houses and professional cleaning is often taking place during this time. Try and be aware what sort of time scale you will be working on to avoid disappointment or difficulty when it comes to moving in.
When do you want to move in? – If you need or want to remain in Chester over the summer months, you should let your letting agent know this as soon as possible. It isn’t always possible for students to move in over the summer because landlords often want to carry out improvements to their houses and professional cleaning is often taking place during this time. Try and be aware what sort of time scale you will be working on to avoid disappointment or difficulty when it comes to moving in.
Who will look after your property while you live there? – Choose a reputable agent! Some Landlords use an Agency to find tenants for them and then ‘manage’ the property themselves so any repairs or issues will be dealt with directly by your landlord. Take a close look at the house you are moving in to and you will get a good idea of how well maintained it is. Other landlords use a Letting Agent to manage their properties for them, in which case you would call their office to report any issues and they will send contractors out to sort out the problems. We at Matthew’s try to react to any issues and send contractors out within the same day wherever possible and we have a large team in the office so someone is always available to take your call.
These are just a few things that you need to take into account when moving into a student house, but if you have any other queries or concerns your letting agent just give us a call anytime and we will try our best to help you. Check out our ‘Tenant Zone’ page for more information about what to think about when looking for your student house. Read more about student accommodation and houses.
