International Student- Renting in Southampton

Legacy_user

Hi there,

I have a friend from the Midde East going to Southampton Uni next week and he's looking to rent a private house. I was wondering if anyone can tell me about Guarantor Forms. Does he need someone in the UK to sign the Guarantor form or is there another option for him? I have called some letting agencies and they are very hazy about the options as it seems to depend on the landlords disgression (sigh?).

Also a quick question if anyone is in Southampton - is Bitterne Park (on the waterfront) within walking distance to S.Hampton University? Having never been but suggesting areas to him is so difficult!!


Cheers for any help

tbs624

Have a look here:

http://www.soton.ac.uk/accommodation/privaterented/index.html

http://www.accommodationforstudents.com/landlords/landlords_southampton.asp

Your friend may want to check out the Uni guidance before starting to look at accommodation


Some LLs may want rent up front,others may want a working UK guarantor.

patricia..xx

Hi don't know the answer to the 1st question but can help with the 2nd. Bitterne Park is just about walkable to the university around 1.5/2 miles about 20-25 minutes - uphill all the way to uni, downhill all the way back. 10 minutes by bike, forever by car! I wouldn't want to walk every day as its just on the boundary of too far but cycling is fine.

Its not a studenty area particularly, Portswood is the main student area with post-grads tending to be in St Denys, which is the opposite side of the river to Bitterne Park. But its a nice place to live.

Richard_Webster

Also a quick question if anyone is in Southampton - is Bitterne Park (on the waterfront) within walking distance to S.Hampton University?

It will be a little further than the University Halls of Residence in Wessex Lane. The students there walk the length of Burgess Road to the University.

When you say "on the waterfront" which road do you mean? Parts of Woodmill Lane, Forest Hills Drive, Manor Farm Road and Oaktree Road near where Woodmill Lane goes through Riverside Park to cross the Itchen on Woodmill Bridge might be OK - but it is not a student area at all if he/she wants to be near other students.

The rest of Bitterne Park - especially the area around Bitterne Park Triangle would be a bit too far to walk.

patricia..xx

Richard_Webster wrote: »

The rest of Bitterne Park - especially the area around Bitterne Park Triangle would be a bit too far to walk.

My timings and advice was based on from the triangle (near cobden bridge if you are looking at a map). I forgot about the rest of bitterne park!

Richard_Webster

Ah, another local....I hope you don't refer to "Bitterne Triangle" - a pet hate of Bitterne Parkers!

System

Thanks for all the replies.

I think 25 mins-30 mins walk is maybe a bit much for him- I mean in the cold rain/snow it'd be a real drag!! I'll tell him to look at Portswood mainly then!

Thing is he has about a week to find a house and move in so I'm trying to book places for him to view (using the internet, calling up etc). I don't think he's too bothered about being in a studently area- his main "wants" are quiet streets and a nice, furnished warm house (he doesn't drink, and I think being on a rowdy student street would be awful for him!!).

Seems we figured out the best way around a guarantor form, and a possible way to get a bit of money off his rent- he's going to pay all of it up front instead of per month. The money has been set aside for this anyway!

Cheers all

G_M

Just be aware that
1) if a tenant pays the whole rent upfront and then the LL has his property repossessed for mortgage arrears, tenant may lost it all and
2)some landlords are now wary of tenants paying upfront as this is what brothel and cannabis farm managers do.

A guarantor will need to be UK based, and will need to pass normal tenant-vetting checks.

System

Oohh wow I never thought of that!

Thanks for all the help, but he has managed to find a university-partnered landlord and everything is completely hassle free !

Dave_Simmons

G_M wrote: »

A guarantor will need to be UK based, and will need to pass normal tenant-vetting checks.

Not correct! My son shared a place in London with a Spaniard & Nigerian, each of the parents stood Guarantor for their sons respective third payment.