Blog
January House Hunting.
Happy new year to you all!
January is traditionally the month that Canterbury students
start looking for their off campus accommodation for the forthcoming academic
year. This year however has seen many letting agents let large numbers of
properties in November and December, almost a full year before when students
intend to move in. Why? Because students want to live in the highest standard
of accommodation, in the most convenient areas, with the best facilities, the
most reputable landlords and pay the best prices. These types of houses are a
finite resource and students are entering into the hunt for them at an earlier
stage each year to avoid being disappointed.
Students settling for cold, damp and mouldy ‘digs’ is a
thing of the past and all the evidence suggests that students now demand a high
quality of accommodation whilst at university. And why not? Many students pay
even more than a professional would for their accommodation, so the notion that
they should settle for below standard accommodation is completely redundant.
Both the UKC and Christ Church are running accommodation
fairs this month which are an excellent opportunity for students to get a
really good idea of what the process is for letting a property. Landlords and
agents will be attending these events, so use the opportunity to speak with
them, find out about their services, properties and the areas that you could
rent in.
Things to remember when speaking to landlords / agents are:
1. Find out if the price you’ll be paying includes bills, or
if a bills package is available. Including bills in your rent can really
facilitate things financially for students and stops disputes and arguments
that can occur with housemates if bill don’t get paid on time.
2. Ask if your landlord / agents is accredited. The accreditation
scheme is run by the council and universities to ensure that landlords and
properties meet certain standards.
3. Ask about the area that the property is in. How long does
it take to walk to uni, what is public transport like, are there shops nearby?
4. Find out about the deposit. Some landlords / agents now
just require a non-refundable admin fee in the region of £100 to reserve the property,
whilst others still require a full deposit. If a deposit is taken, ask your
landlord about what tenancy deposit scheme they use. This is where the landlord
places the deposit with a third party to ensure that money is not deducted
unfairly from the deposit at the end of the tenancy.
5. Ask landlords if you can speak to the previous tenants –
they’re the best source of unbiased information you can get.
6. DO NOT be pressured into putting a deposit down quickly
or without seeing the property. You’re committing to spending a lot of money by
renting a property and where you live can have a huge effect on your overall
time at university, so don’t be rushed.
7. Finally, use whenUrent.co.uk! Search for available houses
or check to see if a property you’re interested in has been reviewed on here
already. We have roughly 1/3 of all student properties in Canterbury displayed
on whenUrent so you’ve a great chance of finding somewhere suitable to live.
Happy house hunting and we’ll see you at the accommodation
fairs!