Accommodation & living costs to think about

[Comefromaway]

Dd is currently living with a host family which includes breakfast and evening meal but next year she would like to move into a shared student house.

We currently pay £130 oer week which inclused breakfast/evening meals, basic toiletries (communal soap, toilet roll etc and washing and ironing). We give her £25 per week for lunches and personal toiletries.

She is going to visit the house tonight and I'm trying to get an idea of what costs might be involved. The house is £80 per week and she thinks bills might be included but the students currently living there are not sure as their parents deal with it all.

So there will be food and cleaning items. How much does a single person need to feed themselves for a week?

I've asked her to find out about things like wi-fi. Is there anything else she will need to account for that she doesn't have to currently?

I do my son a shop delivery when he needs one rather than bits of money here and there. But then he also has money each week too. But a big shop fills the fridge and freezer and toiletries and cleaning stuff too. I find that cheaper than just sending cash.

it doesnt cost much to eat, is she a vegetarian?
i dont blame her for wanting to live with other students.

Insurance?
bus costs if further away?
It's much cheaper if they all cook together, but even if that does not work out they can share the cost of cleaning products, loo rolls etc.
My ds spends about 40 - to 50 per week on food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but he does a lot of sport and eats a lot!

No, not vegetarian although she does like some vegetarian food. She can buy lunch at college for about £3 (soup & sandwich/salad) but she prefers to make her own as she doesn't like the fact they sprinkle bacon bits over stuff on the salad bar or slather the sandwiches with mayo.

Currently she tends to buy a pack of chicken slices (lasts two days) a tin of tuna (lasts two days) some grains (cous cous/quinoi, microwavable protein noodles etc) and a pack of fresh salad leaves to make up a salad or she will have a John West Salmon/lentil/cous cous creations pouches or John West salmon light lunch (£1.75-£2 from Home Bargains/Tesco) or a tin of soup. Her course is performing arts and she doesn't like to eat bread when she is dancing.

When she is home she tends to eat things like chicken portions with rice and vegetables. She doesn't like potatoes but she loves sweet potatoes.

She doesn't turn 18 until October hence why she had to live with a family for at least the first year. Some students start on her course aged 16, others join at 18 after A levels/btec. The ones she would potentially be sharing with are all aged 18/19.

No bus costs, it is walkable or she can cycle. Her current accommodation is walkable in distance but along an unlit lane with no pavement so she currently either has to get a lift or get a taxi/cycle so that should be cheaper.

Insurance yes, I hadn't thought of that.

We plan to give dd £150 a month allowance for food, toiletries and socialising, her loan doesn't even cover accommodation alas so will top that up termly. Once in private there's usually utilities on top but does vary. She has a very cheap price at moment but is loan eligible if it's higher ed, not if it's further education.

Dd's course is higher education but it's not eligible for a loan as it is a Level 6 diploma not a degree. She does however get a means tested grant towards tuition fees that you don't have to pay back (so its us that have to pay but she won't have any student debt!!). She has a part time job but was going to give it up at the end of the year as the taxi fayre there meant she came out with very little (she earns less than £15). If she does go in this house she will be able to walk there so may keep it on.

the students currently living there are not sure as their parents deal with it all. That's very unusual but I see she is at a performing arts college so maybe they are younger than uni students?

DS is a student. After the rent and bills are paid we give him £250 a month. This covers absolutely everything - food, entertainment, sport, books, travel, clothes and phone. I've never bothered with insurance for my student DC.

She is younger but they are not. They are all aged 18/19 and have done A levels. But the difference might be the funding mechanism. The parent applies for funding, not the student and only very low income families get maintenance. But tuition fee grants don't have to be paid back. Two of them are already in the house and need two students to replace 3rd years who are leaving. The other is currently in uni hall of residence.

To be honest, would she not be better off applying for halls of residence. I assume there are problems each year of funding students to replace leavers as they are different year groups. Most students share with ones at the same stage and give up tenancy at the same stage. What happens if no one takes the second space? Who is responsible for the rent for that room?

I’m not sure this is a great plan. Can she not share with people on her course and find a flat with them?

Also, bills are rarely included. No council tax but everything else is normally extra. Often students set up accounts with supermarket delivery options to avoid lugging home basics. You really don’t want your own fairy liquid in a shared house. Not your own loo rolls! I think girls tend to want more clothes than boys and you have to decide who is buying them. Holidays, phone, meals out and entertainment need to be costed because when she’s 18, it will all change! A new life will be out there!

They would all be in their second year bubbles.

Halls is seen as a last resort for the diploma students. They are mostly used by the degree students vThey are located away from Dds college too.

These girls (the two already in the house & the one moving into the house from halls are all on dd’s Course in the same year.

My DC is in a shared house at uni (6 students) and they each pay £30pm into a pot to cover gas, electric, tv licence & broadband. One student then oversees it all. Check if your home insurance covers your DDs items, it might. One of the parents might have put all the utilities in their name for ease. I would also check the tenancy agreement/any guarantee you sign doesn’t make you liable if the others don’t pay their rent (for most student lets you have to guarantee their liability for their own rent). As for household items, they shared out everything needed to stock up when they moved in (washing powder/kitchen stuff/cleaning items/loo rolls etc) and they then take it in turns buying what they’ve run out of and it’s worked well for them.

Unfortunately the landlady just texted and someone else went to view yesterday and has signed up.

I’m sorry I appeared confused about age groups and the course! I thought as she was younger, a Hall might now be an option now she will be 18. However can she flat hunt now with a group of friends? I assume there might be 4 looking to rent.

It’s a fairly unique set up in that intending professional dancers can do diplomas and in some case degrees when they are 16 rather than having to wait until age 18 and the way the government funds it is a bit different to normal degrees.

It’s a 3 year degree equivalent diploma. Dd is in her 1st year, she was 16 when she started straight after GCSE’s but turned 17 early in the autumn term.

Others may choose to do A levels or a Btec first hence they are 18 when they start (such as these other girls)

One question was answered anyway. Each student has a separate contract which is why this other student was able to sign up to the spare room without the knowledge of dd’s friends. (she’s the friend of one of the girls who is leaving).

That’s quite useful having separate contracts. University houses are rarely like that but it seems it’s different where your DD is. Has she got more friends to flat hunt with?

No, this was a group who are her main friends. She has asd so can struggle socially She is going to look at an alternative homestay but one where the family prefer older students and in a more convenient area travel wise.

She is disappointed but that’s life I guess.

Oh, I see. That is very disappointing then. I think a similar set up to this year might be the best way forward. More friendships might be formed throughout next year though so she can spread her wings a bit in a house.