It’s easy to get caught up in all the excitement when looking for your next student house! Choosing your first new home with your friends can help you to begin to feel truly independent, but you’ll need to be a bit savvy on your hunt for the perfect pad. If you’re wondering where to begin, we’ve got some helpful advice on how to get your property search off to a flying start! Read on to find out more!
Housemate material
Before you even think about looking for a student house you’ll need to know who you’re going to live with. Choose your housemates wisely. You might be best mates with someone down the pub, but will they do the washing up? Make sure you’ll not only get on with your housemates, but that they’ll pull their weight too!
Consider the basics
Once you’ve got your group together, you might want to come to an agreement on what you’re looking for. Make sure you’re all on the same page. Do you want a house or a flat? What location would you like to live in? How much can you afford to pay? If anyone’s unhappy you might need to compromise, or go your different ways.
Do the groundwork
When you’re beginning your search it’s good to remember that you don’t have to just go with whatever the letting agent down the road has to offer. Doing your research both in different letting agents and online will show you all your options. Also use your university’s housing service. They might be able to recommend landlords, as well as let you know about any to avoid!
Take your time
In the excitement of house viewings, you can soon find yourself eager to sign on the dotted line! This can be especially tempting given that student lets tend to go up in November or December for the following year. Remember that you don’t have to join the mad rush. There will still be houses left later on.
Finding the right place
Viewing houses can be fun, but you also need to keep an eye out to spot any existing or potential problems in any home you look at. There are some houses out there that that really aren’t fit for human habitation, and which are best avoided. Find out more about what to look out for here!
Once you’ve found “the one”
So you’ve found a house you all love. Now it’s time to deal with the admin! We know contracts are boring and confusing, but it really is important to read them through. If you’re unsure of anything, it could be a good idea to get it checked by your university’s housing service before putting your name to any paperwork.
Fine tuning
When you’re looking through contracts, there are some other things to consider. Find out what the deal is over summer. Is your landlord planning on making any improvements? If they are, find out if you can have a rent reduction. Are there any items of furniture that really need replacing, or any work that really needs doing. If your landlord agrees to anything you ask, make sure to get it in writing!
Finding your new student home can sometimes be a lengthy, but also fun process. However, once you’ve picked the right place it’ll all be worth it! Once you’ve found a house, why not consider taking out student insurance to help protect your belongings? At The Insurance Emporium we offer Student Insurance with Contents cover up to £5,000 as standard, plus there’s a range of Optional Benefits to choose from. You could also grab up 30% student discount. Get down to The Insurance Emporium today to find out more!
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