Some questions on Student Accommodation

bel2310

Hope some moneysavers can help me. My daughter is in her first year at uni in halls but is looking at property with a view to moving into a house with 3 friends. I know about gas certs. etc. but is there anything in particular she should look out for? Presumably they have to have a 52 week tenancy, or do landlords offer a shorter term. Also think internet access would be needed, do student houses tend to have this nowadays. Have I heard somewhere that students get reduced council tax? Sorry for all the questions, just a nervous Mum trying to offer guidance without being accused of worrying!
Thanks in advance.

Guy_Montag

Students don't pay council tax, but have to declare that they are students. If one of them isn't they need to 75% of the full bill.

When I was a lad we went to the Uni library for internet access, but I guess it can be useful, get them to arrange it so it starts as soon as they move in, most ISPs have a 12 month term. Though they may have options under the circumstances.

Make sure the check the meters (electricity & gas) when they arrive & leave. If possible get a flat rate phone line (if possible), paying a little extra to get free phone calls all day, every day saves a lot of argument & agro about who called whom & when. Though I don't suppose they work on mobile calls.

Best if, with bills, each girl is responsible for one bill or, alternatively everyone's name is on each bill. If one person ends up responsible for all the bills, they can end up seriously out of pocket when all the others spend all their money on drink, drugs & fags.

Oh & get a TV licence too.

I always had to rent for 12 months, but it depends on the market, if you get a 10 month lease you tend to end up with the scummier places (all the nice ones having gone).

Try to get a 12 month lease, rather than 52 week one, it tends to work out slightly cheaper (so I was told, though I never worked it out).

Someone will be along in a moment to give info about the HMO rules.


Edited - for tidyness

TJ27

Depending on the type of house, it will almost certainly need a fire alarm and various fire protection items. This is because it will be a house in multiple occuation or HMO. There is enough information on this to make you go crazy but if you phone the local council they'll tell you the basic requirements.

If it's three storey the the fire protection requirements are very much increased.

If it's a three storey shared house HMO with five or more tenants (but it sounds like it won't be) then it also needs to be licensed.

Guy_Montag

If you put a lock on your daughters door (or if there's one already) your household insurance may cover the contents of her room - check your policy. When I was at uni, a policy for my ROOM was more expensive than for my parent's house including my room at uni.

prudryden

I don't know much about student lettings but they are exempt from council tax from the day they enroll. She will need a letter from the Uni.

It probably will be an AST (12 months with 6 month break clause). After the 5th month, she can give one months notice (unless LL asks for more in the contract).

If she is on the tenancy agreement with others, she will be jointly and severably liable for all bills.

Internet access will probably be at her own expense.

Be sure there is an Inventory/condition report done at the beginning of the tenancy with you, your daughter, or your independant professional present at the time the inventory is taken. Take some digital photos.

bel2310

Thanks so much for all that info. I knew I could rely on this site!

Guy_Montag

The student council or union may have a list of approved & blacklisted landlords, might be worth checking out.

bijouinnuendo

Hi

I have 2 daughters at different uni's in private accomodation at the moment. The one in london we have had to act as guarantors for on the lease. I assume this is because of the cost of housing in london and they refuse to rely on the students definitely paying the rent. The one in wales on the other hand has been able to lease without us acting as a guarantor. Both had to put in to have a phone line and internet connected to the houses themselves. Also as far as bills are concerned they asked the landlords for previous estimates and averaged out the monthly amounts roughly paid by previous tenants and they all pay an amount into a savings account when they receive their loans each term to cover at least most of them. So far this appears to be working extremely well.

Hope this helps.

Bijou

jennifernil

Up here (Glasgow) an HMO is anywhere that 3 or more unrelated people share. And to licence it costs £1700 for 3 years.
Sounds like our rules are stricter than in England.