University accommodation

lucym

My daughter is looking into the cost of accommodation for university – if she goes for a house share with her friends will it be a 9/10-month agreement or will they be expected to pay for the whole year? Don’t know if it makes any difference, but she will be studying in London.

surfcat

Generally pay for the whole year. (Why would a landlord want to have an empty place for several months?) But on occasion 9month tennancies are available.

hopingforahouse

If it was a Uni owned or student based flat share (e.g - http://www.unite-students.com) - similar to halls maybe, but split into seperate flats, then prob yes, could get a term time rent. However I can't imagine that a private landlord would be too chuffed with this, although she could go for a property that has a 6 month initial term, then with a rolling month by month lease. I don't know London, but imagine that she would be more likely to get away with this here. Where I went to Uni, so many flats became availalble at the end of the academic year that they were impossible to let out, so landlords really wanted you to sign up for 12 months (or consecutive 6 month renewals). Remember though that she may want to stay in the city during the summer for a summer job/ voluntary work to gain experience.

melancholly

private landlords are in general a lot cheaper than halls, and some student houses have summer (july/august) at half price - but this can vary. if your daughter is studying in london, the price will depend on just how far she is prepared to travel to lectures (taking into account travel too!). often there are places a few extra tube stops away that can be a substantial amount cheaper.
http://www.accommodationforstudents.com/ might give some ideas on flat/house rental prices in areas she might want to live.

jennifernil

Up here in Glasgow all landlords, including the Uni expect a 12 month agreement these days. Only the catered Halls go in terms now here.

Impet_Limpet

When I was studying full time in Preston, landlords who wanted to rent to students advertised through the university. the contracts were just for 9 months only. It is worth asking the university for advise as they my have lists of landlords who are student sympathetic and thereforecheaper. the other advantage of this is usually to be on the lists the landlords have to sign up to a code of conduct and the premises are inspected by the uni to make sure theyare suitable, therefore any problems with the house/landlord can be sorted through the university.

where will she be studying?

The_doomed

edinburgh has many 9 month leases due to the festival where rents can be doubled! - americans eh?!

6month rolling rentals are also very common up here,ie 6 months min then rolls month to month with 2 months notice both ways.

studentmusician

Usually student lets are 40-42 week contracts, depending on your universitys length of terms. If you live in University Halls accomadation then it's usually fairly expensive but usually all the bills and insurance are included so its like learning to swim, you start in the baby pool and move onto the bigger pool in your second year, when you are ready to take the plunge into bills and the fun that comes with them. I would always recommend halls for the first year not just for financial but also social inpact, because it means they cant overspend and not be able to afford heating. Then 2nd year moving into a house where you have to take more resonsibillty. Hope this helps

3plus1

Where I study, it's a 12 month let or nothing.

The market is geared up towards the landlords, not the students, despite efforts by the local students' union to turn this around. As said before, why would a landlord want to let your daughter sign a 9 month lease when another student could easily be talked into signing for 12?

I would definitely recommend that your daughter lives in halls for her first year, just to make friends more than anything else. Live out from second year onwards.