Staying in student housing as a university student will make a huge difference in your life. Unlike standard rentals, student accommodation helps you interact with other students and gain access to important support networks. Student accommodation will also assist you in saving money and being more self-sufficient.
Living in shared accommodation has several benefits. But, with so many options today, how do you determine which one to choose? This is indeed a critical decision because where you stay as a grad student will have a long-term impact on your academic success and the standard of your life. You can go through student accommodation Leicester if you are in the market.
As a student accommodation consultant, we will assist you in finding student residences to fit all budgets and tastes. When choosing the ideal housing match, there are just some variables to consider. Continue reading to learn what to look for when selecting student housing.
The Location
Before you get swept away by all the student accommodation options, be sure to consider the location. The student housing’s distance to the university you’ll be attending is a critical determining factor. Relatively inexpensive student housing that requires you to drive at least an hour to get to college can be stressful and costly.
Aim to pick student accommodation which is as close to your university as possible. Surely you’ll want to find somewhere close to your lectures when looking for new student accommodation? Living close to your university will be critical in managing your time when it comes to attending lectures or using university facilities, such as the library or laboratory. It will also influence your lifestyle outside of lecture time, if you live close by and you’ve got a few free hours between lectures, you can easily go home to study or rest before your next lecture. If you’ve opted to live far away, it might not make much sense to leave and you’ll have to hang around, which is time that could be used for other things.
Get organized
It is critical to stay organized through the process of searching for your student accommodation. Research and find out how long in advance you should apply for housing with your university – many deadlines are generally months ahead of the start of the semester.
If you are looking to rent a shared accommodation with roommates, be sure to have all the information and application details organized and handy to apply for housing as you see them.
Get your finances organized, and that is another part that is necessary for rental applications.
It’s important to choose accommodation you can afford with your student loans. Other ways to stay ahead of your finances is to look for a part time job or research for small loans which are suitable for students regardless of whether they have good or poor credit. Just remember to make sure you can pay back any money you borrow.
Home Comforts
If you have never lived away from your home, staying in student accommodation can be a completely different experience for you. The pressures that come with moving into student housing can also put you under a lot of stress.
Search for student accommodation that provides a reasonable level of comfort to what you have been used to at home so you can easily adjust to your new surroundings. Your university life will require you to meet new people, but if you still get to do the stuff you did at home, the transition will be much easier.
What Does the Rent Include?
Don’t get too excited if you see a very low market rent for a place. Inquire with the landlord as to what utilities are included, and if they are not, what will be utilities cost you.
If the internet is inclusive, be sure to check the quality of the internet connection and speed to ensure it matches you and your roommates’ needs, as your education and entertainment will heavily rely on your internet speed.
Choose your roommates wisely.
Since you’ll be living with them in the same home, carefully selecting roommates is crucial. It would be ideal to stay with friends who are attending the same program as you. That is because you will share the same schedules and workloads and thus be more compatible with living together.
If you are picking students from other programs as your roommates, be sure to check if their lifestyle and habits match yours.
Fittings and furnishings
Some student residences will include furnishings, while others will come unfurnished.
Be sure to look for what furnishings are included in the rent. Ideally, students preferred furnished residences as this saves them the hassle and expense of buying all new furniture.
If you are picking furnished accommodations, be sure to inspect the quality of the furnishings to make sure it matches your needs.
The bathroom
A decent bathroom is an indispensable part of life. So, before you register for a dwelling, try to ensure you search the bathroom and use the toilet to make sure it is in working order. You don’t want to use a plunger to unclog the toilet every single time you use it.
The supply of water
Low water pressure doesn’t really make for a comfortable household when a whole group of students uses the bathroom many times a day! So, look for good water pressure and temperatures (hot water should be hot!).
While you are inspecting, make sure to look for any water damages or leaks and ask that the issues be resolved before you move in.
Connection to the Internet
For university students, having fast and reliable internet connectivity is important. They’ll need to be able to access the internet at all times. This will be critical for any research projects and/or articles that are due. Students must have access to the internet in order to interact with their families back home.
When looking for student housing, make sure to look for a place with a reliable and fast internet connection. A simple speed test by logging on to the WIFI can also help.
Temperature regulation
Although it does not seem to be the most exciting feature to investigate, temperature regulation is a vital feature to investigate in your student accommodation. When you get home from school in the freezing cold or the sweltering sun, you will want to return to a cozy moderate temperature.
Your Contract’s Terms and Conditions
While no one likes having to read the user agreement in contracts, a housing contract holds much more weight than the terms & conditions you might read while downloading an app. Make sure you know how long the contract will last, how high the deposit will be, and if you will be able to cancel without breaching the contract if you feel the lodging isn’t suitable for you.
If you want to live with roommates, be sure to check the contract to see whether you are all individually liable or whether the house as a whole is responsible. When this comes to your deposit, ensure that your landlord can put it in a deposit security scheme and provide you with all of the required information.
Assess the advantages and disadvantages
Make a mental note of both the pros and cons of each alternative as you evaluate it. Keep in mind that finding lodging that is 100% compatible with your needs could be nearly impossible and that each choice will have imperfections. For instance, you may discover that, although sharing a house with friends from university has social advantages, it is not the best option for you academically (Try studying late at night when your roommates are having a party). Although on-campus housing allows you to get out of bed 10 minutes before a class, it is likely to be costly and does not provide you with a sense of freedom.
Safety and Security
You’ll be storing a lot of valuables in your residence. When you go to class, you’ll almost always leave your computer, cash, and other valuables in your dorm. But how can you focus in class if you’re worried about the protection in and around your home? Spend some time checking the protection of the student housing you’re considering before agreeing to terms and paying the deposit. Is there video surveillance installed in the building? What kind of locks do you have in your room? Is there a security guard stationed on the premises? The more security features there are in the housing, the better.
Do your research
One of the really important things to consider will be to thoroughly study each lodging choice. This entails attending open days and tours of on-campus housing, meeting with housing advisors at the universities, and conducting rental inspections (even if it requires getting up early every Saturday for a month), and taking a good look around. You can also make a mental checklist of the items you’re searching for when you visit each of your choices (location, bedroom size, parking, and so on). Nothing is more frustrating than signing papers and receiving keys just to discover that you’ve missed a big problem or will incur additional costs once you’ve moved in.
Final Comments
Finally, be cautious of scams on websites and never submit money for lodging until interviewing the landlord in person or seeing the place. To make your stay and study in Leicester a success, make sure your housing is comfortable, clean, and compatible with you and your roommates’ needs. If you do find yourself in a less than ideal rental place the first year, don’t worry, the commitment is only for a year – that will go by very fast! Consider it a learning opportunity!