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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask for advice about student accommodation in York

27 replies

yellowellies · 13/09/2019 17:34

OK, so not really an AIBU, as I know I'm not unreasonable to ask for advice - I just want advice.......

DS2 is due to start at York Uni in 2 weeks, but missed his accommodation offer e-mail from the University, so that's withdrawn. He is on the waiting list but no one can tell him if/when there will be anything available. He has tried Rightmove, Gumtree, all the estate agents/student lettings companies on the Uni approved list and still hasn't found anything. I'm guessing others are in the same boat, because each property he arranges to see has 5/6 people looking at it.

Does anyone have any other ideas?

Or - in cloud cuckoo ideal world scenario - does anyone have a DC at York Uni who needs a housemate???

OP posts:
fairislecable · 13/09/2019 17:40

When my DD got in through clearing she had to queue up with lots of other people and she was given an address to go to as a house share.

It was very strange she ended up being allocated to share with 4 people all doing chemistry she was Humanities, by Christmas she had swapped and moved to student accommodation on campus.

Original poster
yellowellies · 13/09/2019 17:51

@fairislecable - was that in York? Different Uni's do things differently - DS1 had a much easier experience where he is!

OP posts:
BeepBeeep · 13/09/2019 17:51

Try the local newspaper OP.
My youngest was at York university and she found accommodation in a house share in the local paper.
Try the university notice board too.
Her three housemates and herself were all studying completely different subjects which made for an interesting share.
Over the three years she was in that house, her housemates moved out, moved in etc. At one point she was sharing with two Chinese and a mature student lady, later on she was sharing with three Turkish girls.
They all got on really well and are still in contact today.
Her landlady was a lecturer at the university.

BeepBeeep · 13/09/2019 17:52

If you're in the area, look in shop windows too for adverts.

DiBPD1979 · 13/09/2019 17:54

I have a long term friend in York who is a landlord and may be able to help. X

beethebee · 13/09/2019 17:54

Look in Heslington, not York itself.

Original poster
yellowellies · 13/09/2019 17:56

@BeepBeep thank you - DH and DS2 are there today trying to get something sorted, so I'll tell them to get a paper

OP posts:
Original poster
yellowellies · 13/09/2019 17:58

@DiBPD1979 that would be awesome - can you PM me the contact details (if they agree of course)

OP posts:
Original poster
yellowellies · 13/09/2019 17:59

@beethebee looking at both, thanks.

@BeepBeeep already told them to check windows for adverts - but good idea, thanks

OP posts:
BeepBeeep · 13/09/2019 18:09

Quite a lot of accommodation is round the Tang Hall area OP. Just ten minutes walk away.
That's where my youngest was.

fairislecable · 13/09/2019 18:11

Yes that was in York but it was quite a few years ago.

Hope you get sorted out.

Trafalger · 13/09/2019 18:49

Look at the university students' union social media pages as well. Our local SU facebook has a lot of other students looking for housemates etc.....

Original poster
yellowellies · 13/09/2019 18:51

@Trafalger he's tried that, thanks - sorry I missed it off my list in the OP.

OP posts:
justintimberlakesfishwife · 13/09/2019 18:51

When I was a student there many moons ago they had enough rooms in halls for all first years and a significant number of third years, how times have changed!
Have the uni given any advice? Most shared houses are in the Tang Hall / Fulford area. I'm guessing there must be estate agencies on the internet that will deal with student accommodation in those areas? Good luck with it all, it's great place to be.

ChangeOfTides · 13/09/2019 18:59

York still guarantee accommodation for first years. The OP’s DS didn’t get it because he didn’t respond to the offer. It’s not York’s fault he’s not having an easy experience!

OP, has he tried the FB pages for York St John university?

SleepyFlump · 13/09/2019 19:00

Adam Bennett (student accommodation agent) Tel: 01904 414444 will find something for him.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 13/09/2019 19:06

Has he tried the independent student halls? Student Castle for eg.

IAmALazyArse · 13/09/2019 19:11

Have you checked spareroom?

There is always plenty of last min accommodation on uni's facebook pages. If he adds himself to new starters groups he should find some

Original poster
yellowellies · 13/09/2019 19:13

@SleepyFlump thank you, I'll give them a call

@ChangeOfTides yes he missed the offer, but compared to DS1's experience (and mine and DH's when we went to different Unis many years ago) it's not that straightforward - one e-mail with a 48 hour response limit, and then that's it, the offer is withdrawn, this is after he had to apply for about 7 different choices etc. He missed it because he didn't know when they would be contacting him, and he was away with his girlfriend for a couple of days. I do agree, if he had been able to see and reply to the e-mail in time, this would all have been avoided!
DS 1 could log in and pick his room (like picking seats at a theatre) out of all the different halls where he is last year, so he knew it was sorted straight away.

He has tried York St Johns SU FB too, DS 1 has some friends at St John, and they have been asking around too, thank you for the suggestion.

OP posts:
stucknoue · 13/09/2019 19:14

Are their private halls? Eg sulets, unite students?

Original poster
yellowellies · 13/09/2019 19:19

@IAmALazyArse oops yes, another thing I missed off my list! Yes he's looked on there, has seen a couple of rooms from there, but has been refused by the other tenants because he's a first year/not a vegan/ doing a science course/ they liked someone else better - law of supply and demand I guess!

@ThroughThickAndThin01 thanks for the suggestion - they are more expensive, but we have looked at them as a back up plan - if they don't get anything else sorted today, or the next visit on Tuesday, I think it will be time for the back up plan......

OP posts:
Original poster
yellowellies · 13/09/2019 19:20

@stucknoue as above, an expensive back up plan.....but thanks

OP posts:
IAmALazyArse · 13/09/2019 19:30

@yellowellies I just checked and there is like 120 student friendly rooms😮 There must be some to accept him

IAmALazyArse · 13/09/2019 19:31

Correction. Some are in different townsBlush But there is still a lot. He has to go through more than "a couple"

stucknoue · 13/09/2019 19:35

Private halls are actually cheaper here than the university ones, well according the the sign outsides saying £89. Supply and demand though I suppose

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