Everything you need to know about renting as a student

If you’re exploring your options for student accommodation in your second year and beyond, you might be wondering where to go, what to pay and how to pay those pesky bills.

If you’re a second-year student, you will have no doubt already achieved the milestone of living on your own — that is, finding the perfect home to share with your new uni buddies. However, if you’re in your first year and you’ve decided to pursue private renting over university residences, you might have some questions.

There’s a lot to unpack, especially when it comes to the money side of it. You will find a wide range of private accommodation on offer in Leeds, and dozens of estate agents to choose from. We’re here to help cover some of the main questions you may have during your house hunt.

Location

Location wise, where is the best place to live? Areas closer to the University and the city centre can be more expensive, but make for a convenient choice.

Headingley

Headingley might be the furthest away from the University but it makes up for it with the endless choice of restaurants, bars, its own cinema, and green spaces like the Meanwood Valley Trail on its doorstep. The area boasts some more affordable housing options, although modern or refurbished properties will set you back a bit more.

Woodhouse

On the edge of the city centre, but offering some cheaper accommodation, Woodhouse is a great option for students. As it’s just a stone’s throw away from the University, making those 9AM lectures has never been easier!

Hyde Park

From pubs to skateparks, vegan eateries to murals, you’ll never get bored in Hyde Park. Hyde Park is a popular choice among students, not only for its vibrant community but also for its convenient location and transport links. The area has a train station nearby in Burley and is just a 20-minute walk away from Campus.

City Centre

Last but not least, the city centre. Being in the centre of Leeds is an exciting place to be. With so much to do on your doorstep, and only a short walk to the University, living in the city is a great option for those looking to stretch their budget.

Choosing your house is a big commitment for you and your future housemates and there’s a lot to consider. It can be helpful to have a wander around potential areas, explore public transport links and test your doorstep to lecture commute before you sign for a place. And don’t forget to give the local takeaways a quick glance too! Book yourself onto a few viewings to get an idea of what you can get for your budget, and don’t just jump on the first one you see, it can be worth shopping around.

Paying rent and signing a contract

Being open and upfront with your future housemates can help you all get on the same page in terms of what type of properties you can start to view. Be mindful of the fact that you might all have different budgets, but having those conversations early on can help avoid disappointment, or worse, financial stress down the line.

Factors such as location, number of housemates and the quality of the property can all affect the price of the rent you’ll be expected to pay. Unipol is a registered charity that helps students find suitable accommodation, and they’ve got a helpful article shedding some more light on rent prices and potential hidden costs.

Each landlord will have their preference on when you pay rent, but most understand that students rely on loans. Consequently, they will ask for rent in quarterly amounts. Nevertheless, due to housing contracts starting in July, your landlord may ask for the rent monthly during the summer before you receive your student loan in autumn. You can have a chat with your future landlord about this if you need to try to negotiate.

Once you’ve received a contract, you’re entitled to 24 hours to check things over before returning it. LUU offer a free online contract checking service that can help flag any potential issues with the contract you intend to sign. If there are issues, you can speak to an advisor to help clear things up ahead of signing.

Bills

Bills are typically not included in the rent price per person per week (which is usually abbreviated to pppw), and so students are presented with two options: either pay bills individually or invest in a bill package.

Bill packages are a simple solution since the money will be paid to only one utility business, and you do not have to keep track of separate strands for water, electricity and gas. Bill packages often include extra bonuses too, such as contents insurance or a TV license.

The recent rise in energy prices may mean that it’s more cost-effective to pay bills directly to each company. That may sound daunting, but it’s not as scary as it sounds! LUU Help and Support is here to help if you have any questions.

Ultimately, it depends on experience and whether you’re looking for the easiest solution or the best option for your budget. The good news is that if you’re a house of full-time students you are exempt from Council Tax, so it’s not all doom and gloom.

What’s next?

So, you have discovered your dream student home, and you are thinking about signing — what do you do next?

The longer you take to decide, the riskier it becomes that another group may snatch the property. But don’t let that pressure you into making a quick decision! Some agencies can take multiple applications and decide which group to give the house to, which means it is important to have your funds ready and guarantors in place (if applicable) when you apply. If you’re not sure what guarantors are, they are the people who promise to pay your rent if you cannot, usually your parents or guardians. Not every property requires a guarantor and if you don’t have one, speak to your landlord to see if you can reach another arrangement.

And there we go — everything you need to know about student renting! If you still have questions, Unipol and Leeds University Union can offer further advice to help with your search.

We hope that your house-hunting journey is smooth, and we wish the best of luck to all those searching for your dream student house.

Commuting in to campus

If you’re a student who lives at home and commutes to campus, or you’re considering this for next year, find out more about the Commuter Society.