The United Kingdom is one of the very few countries which offers a welcoming nature with a high studios environment for the young minds. Every year, 750,000 students travel to the UK to pursue various courses and become a part of this multicultural education destination. As with a large fan base, it is no longer a secret that the UK is an excellent name amongst the international education providers.
With a large attendance expected every year, many international students face one or the other issues when it comes to staying in the country. And one of the most common in them you would find is finding suitable accommodation in the UK. Year by year, we receive hundreds of emails regarding help on finding a great place to crash and live as a student.
That’s why, to help such young nobilities, we have brought our most straightforward yet delicate student guide on how to find the perfect student accommodation in the UK. Along with it, we would suggest some common ground tips and hacks that you can use for your support. Let’s start with the most common queries of all.
Things to look for when choosing student accommodation
When heading to your university, you’re bound to stumble upon a location. To start, here are some of the everyday things you need to look out for when weighing up your choices.
1. Compare student room types
The UK boasts various types of student living options which vary from city to city. But, for the typical ways, there are five major housing options in the UK which you’ll find. These are:
●University-managed rooms
University-managed rooms or Uni rooms are 1-bedroom rooms that come with good living conditions for the students. These student living options are preferred mainly by sophomores and second-year students due to their proximity to the university and closeness to other buildings.
●Studios
Studios are a great deal for those who aim to live outside the university. These housing places offer 1BHK or 2BHK living space and come with above grade quality than the uni rooms. One of the primary perks of studios is their proximity to major local markets and less crowd, which makes them a quiet and calm location for staying.
●En-Suite
En-Suite student rentals offer separate rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms and provide a better large hall for the taker. Many UK cities are popular to provide a wide range of such housing options at least possible expenses. You can always search out the best En-Suite near London City Centre, Birmingham City Square, and many notable UK sites, which connect them to every local transport and food markets at affordable prices.
●Sharing accommodation
If you’ve got a group of friends who don’t want to separate, then sharing accommodation would be the thing to look for. These student accommodations are leased properties that offer staying options for students ranging from 4-6 members. Sharing accommodation in the UK is assigned with landlords and requires simple paperwork for a fixed period.
Moreover, additional bills such as electricity, water, or gas are excluded from the billings and can be paid separately, which gives you an option to save wherever you can. In addition, sharing accommodation is also a great deal as the combined staying with your friends allows each participant to contribute and save wholly on the monthly rental expenses.
●PBSA
Purposely Built Student Accommodation or PBSAs are becoming a significant part of students’ lives after the Coronavirus pandemic. These student housing options come at pocket-friendly prices and are present in proximity to every major university. PBSA also boasts best-in-class services and better quality of living, making them a popular student accommodation in England.
2. Location, location, location!
Location is the second most priority of many students. In fact, according to a recent survey, 86% of the UK students agreed that finding a location was included amongst the top factors to settle for a place. To make sure your location meets your criteria, aim towards mediocre locations which are neither too crowded nor too far away from local amenities like your university, grocery, bus or taxi stop, etc.
3. What’s included in the rent and what’s not?
Many students are prone to make insufficient research about the latest rent rules and easily land on the wrong foot. To prevent yourself from any such a situation, make sure you check out all the added things in your bills. And, if by luck, you stumble upon a location that costs lower GBPs, don’t forget to check out whether utility or internet bills are added or excluded.
Related article: How to manage your finances as an international student.
You can also try to find out whether the rental place offers basic utilities such as gas, room heater, internet and mobile service connectivity to support your decision for the stay. Do check adequate network signals and internet connection so that you don’t have to take your laptop out in the middle of the night when chilling out and watching NETFLIX!
4. A secure property is a must
The fourth topic that can help you select your ideal accommodation in any English City is its SECURITY. Roughly 73% of students claim that having secure housing was very important to their student experience. Interestingly, many students don’t care about security when it comes to doing so as long as the amenities are maximum and rent is the least.
To ensure you aren’t included in the same group, seek professional help from local real estate agencies to help you locate safer properties and safe neighborhoods in your city. In addition, you can also ask your landlord or tenant agreement maker about a place, its security measures and effective methods. This can be done by visiting the property and taking a comprehensive look before you lock the deal.
5. Facilities- All work and No play?
This would be great to end our blog. The fifth point that every student should shed light on is the facilities of a place you’re offered. Comparing student facilities of a home will help you lower down your expenses in the long run. As a result of heavy demand, many UK landlords offer Student Travel Packs, including students’ bedding packs, bathroom packs, and cleaning packs.
While these can be found on-place, there would be no harm if you ask and shall receive. Besides such amenities, various staples such as kettles, ironing boards, or toasters are also provided by the landlords, either bought new or left by old tenants. So, as long as the place offers a great deal of services, make sure you follow up on everything and ask what’s been given free and what’s paid.
Conclusion
So here it is. This is our student guide on finding the ideal student accommodation in the UK. With this basic information, you’ll be packed with ample confidence during your conversation with landlords and can effectively manage to bargain as well. We hope we have added all the information that suffice each students’ needs. If you wish to add anything, we are all open to hearing it in our comment section down below.
How Can AmberStudent Help You?
This post is written by AmberStudent. AmberStudent is an international student accommodation booking platform which is devoted to giving you the best experience and option for student accommodation. They have upgraded continuously with the COVID policies and would be more than eager to assist you in finding the best home away from home.
Author’s Bio-
Vishvender Singh is a content marketing professional at Amberstudent, one of the top 10 accommodation booking platforms that has its presence in over 120 cities. Vishvender offers ghostwriting, copywriting, and blogging services and has worked with a great number of startups including TechAhead, Cannibals, and Strategic Media. A college student, everyday learner, and delivering his writings in the field of business administration and creative writing, he is the Go-To person for the best possible writing solutions you can ask for.
