Written by: Carib Students’s creator and writer, Nia Golden
Most uni’s have their own student accommodations but there are also private providers. I currently live in an accommodations from a private provider.
Your uni’s website will have a section with the accommodations that you can apply to but for some you don’t get access to that until after you’ve been accepted.
I used the website amberstudent.com. You will find that most websites are offering the same accommodations in your area but some do have more options. When you use the website it will check with the accommodations for availabilty and then you can put a deposit to reseve your room.
The accommodations will have their own website where you will make an account to pay your rent. They will have a few payment plans, like every month or 3 times for the school year. It depends on the provider. If you are using student finance, student finance gives you your money 3 times a year so you can line up your rent payment with that.
Check Reviews
For every accommodation no matter if its from your uni or private, google it for reviews. Or you can check the reviews on the website or other student forums. You want to be at an accommodation that has good facilities but also friendly staff and a landlord who will fix any issues in your flat in a reasonable time and it is done well.
One night before I was about to go to sleep, my fire alarm started to make a noise. Safe to say it was hard to sleep and the worst thing was, it happened on the weekend. I had to wait until the Monday to get it fixed but, bright and early someone came in and fixed it. At another time, our flat’s kitchen microwave stopped working and the heater had issues and maintenance quickly replaced them with new ones.
So definitely check for students experiences to help with your choice.
Proximity to necessities
Pay attention to your accommodations proximity to supermarkets, pharmacy (Boots or other stores) bus stops or train stations. In England, walking is something you cannot avoid, but it will become your friend, don’t worry. It’s a good way to get to know the area around you especially if for one reason or another you need to walk home. Check the proximty to the city centre. My accommodations is about 12 mins walk to my city centre.
If your accommodations does not have a local supermarket around it like Lidl, Asda or Aldi. I suggest you take a bus or walk to where they are located and shop because Tesco is expensive. Do not shop there for main necessities. that goes for Sainsbury and Marks and Spencers as well,
Room & Building
Get you an ensuite room, friend! This will come with your own bathroom and it will help you create your own sanctuary especially since you will have to share the kitchen and living room space. But it will also mean that your room will come a little more space than one with a shared bathroom.
If you believe that you will have a hard time sharing the kitchen space, I suggest getting a studio, but it will come at a steep price depending on where you are living. I won’t lie, living with other people can be quite hard because everyone has their own meaning of cleanliness, but this is not to say that it cannot work. My flatmates are good, and if I have an issue I address it with them and they make adjustments. If your flatmates are cool, living with other people helps with the lonliness in the beginning and adjusting. Being able to see a face in the morning helps whether you realize it or not.
Note: You can always speak to your accommodations to express your concerns and they might move you to another room. Every accommodation does checks every few months to assess the state of the rooms and living spaces.
Bed Size: Double bed is advised. Make sure to check the details for the sizes. Note: if you are like me at 5’8″ you will be hanging off the bed so I advise you get a king size duvet to help with the cold.
Laundry services: To get your laundry done may cost differently for everyone. My accomodation does not require me to add detergent, but my sister who lives in a different city her accommodations does require her to.
Click here for an example of an ensuite room in Liverpool.
Prices
Prices can range from £70 to £200 weekly. £70 would be a room with a shared bathroom and living space. £200 is studio prices. In between from about £100 to £145 is ensuite rooms.
When you pay your rent it includes water, electricity, heat, wifi, security and other amenities like gyms or cinemas.
Some Private Providers
- amberstudent.com
- https://www.unitestudents.com/
- https://www.mystudenthalls.com/
- https://www.xeniastudents.com/accommodation/middlesbrough/
- https://www.iqstudentaccommodation.com/
Start with amberstudent or unitestudents.