Freshers being told they MUST book accommodation NOW for Sept 2020

[DishingOutDone]

Sorry if this is being covered on another thread but just wanted to get opinions on this; I've heard of this happening but hoped that my DD wouldn't get drawn in. Apparently the third years have told her course that unless they get booked in now for sept 2020 they won't get anything nice. I have heard that this is something rogue landlords do to try to bump up their rent; what does everything think?

I am worried as she's not entirely happy now what if she wants to change uni for year 2 or something goes wrong? Also I looked a few weeks ago on Right Move for her area and there were loads of 3 nice bed semis for rent outside of the main student drag in quiet residential areas - but I wonder if owners/landlords automatically refuse to rent once they know its for students? Also it would take a lot of nerve to hold out till September 2020 before booking.

Hive views please (or if this has been done on another thread tell me off and send me to it!)

[Baytreemum]

Needmoresleep - thanks so much. Will do some ‘on the ground’ research when down in London in a couple of weeks time (DD over-loaded with work and can only focus on exams in 2wks time!). Yes, that’s a really good point about guarantors for overseas students - 6 months? But that surely means finding something earlier than June? Do you know if you can ever rent a studio for less than 51 wks as I have not seen any so far. I think finding a space in an established unit sounds by far the best from what you say - need to put my feelers out! Stamp duty is a bit if a killer for another ‘home’ and am not sure about putting it 100% in DD’s name.... Also it could be awkward letting to a friend?

[Needmoresleep]

In London it is normal to start looking two months in advance, ie when previous tenants give notice. You rent through the summer in most places, the advantage in London is that is much more scope for internships or paid work. (Or letting a friend elsewhere stay when they are doing an internship.) It is then quite common, though not universal, to have to pay for the 12 months in two tranches, one immediately and one six months later. It should mean that parents are not expected to sign up as guarantors.

DS's flat was in a really central location. There will be cheaper options. I would recommend considering around the city fringes, perhaps to the east close to the forever delayed Elizabeth line. There are still some bits that are both central and grotty though becoming cool, and which should massively improve once the Elizabeth line finally opens. It also depends on college. Kings students often head south east, especially if their lectures are close to Waterloo. UCL students often head north.

In terms of funding one option is
www.lovemoney.com/guides/78143/buy-for-university-mortgages-how-to-buy-a-house-as-a-student

[Baytreemum]

Thanks so much, yes near the Elizabeth line sounds good but needs to be safe and close to connection from Paddington. Thx for mortgage link - 100% not more than 300k - hmmm! Think I need to pop into Student res office and have a chat. In my day we just had a notice board with cards on it!

[Moominmammacat]

I can't recommend buying for student children enough ... but put it in their name to make it financially worthwhile.

[Fozzleyplum]

The problem with looking to buy for year 2 onwards is that at DS's university, they are 5 weeks into term and most have already committed to groups for houses next year; there has been a scramble to reserve the nicest houses. There is no way we would have been able to help DS find and buy a house and have housemates willing to wait to see what he manages to get.

He goes abroad for the third year, so he'll step off the student housing treadmill for a year. We did (only half jokingly) suggest that we could buy a houseboat to moor at the local marina for his return for his final year. At least then he could move it to wherever he moves on to after university!

[Baytreemum]

They don’t seem to be talking about accomm. for next year yet in London, just about getting through the first exams the week after next! It’s just me who is worrying- I knew London was “expensive” but I didn’t realise that in order to be on a split campus plus weekly placements, it would mean paying a small fortune, to say nothing of finding somewhere my DD can get back to without risking getting stabbed! Aargh! Hence wondering about re-mortgaging our house to release some capital and buy a place. All options unappealing at the moment!

[Needmoresleep]

I don't think Fozzley is talking about London. If she is she is misinformed.

[Fifthtimelucky]

My daughter told us yesterday that she and a group of friends have just found a house for next year. They will be in their 3rd year, and I'm much happier about it than I was this time last year as obviously she knows her prospective housemates much better than she did this time last year.

I remember being very surprised last year how early it all had to be organised. She is currently in a house of 6, two of whom she's not really friendly with any more. Thankfully it seems to be working ok (so far at least).

[Fozzleyplum]

I'm not talking about London. DS is at Lancaster.

[EduCated]

I think it can be be hard for parents students to take a step back and hold off. The run up to uni and starting is so much admin that needs to done to deadlines and it’s good to be diligent and prepared and on it - to suddenly be presented with a situation where it’s better to hold off and not rush into getting things sorted can feel something of n anathema.

[SouthWestmom]

It is so hard for the dc that don't find their group.

Dd had a crap time in year 2 having had to sign up to a house before the Christmas of Year 1.

[DishingOutDone]

EduCated what do you mean? Why did you type parents with the strike through? If you have something to say just say it? I think its hard for anyone to hold off if they are being advised to do something urgently, which is why I was asking for opinions.

Some have come on this thread and talked about buying a house; I had to send my DD £25 today and its buggered my budget for the month - when money is so tight you are sick with worry about it all the time then committing to accommodation for next year and all the expense that might involve is a massive deal.

[AtiaoftheJulii]

All the accommodation Dd saw in Newcastle had living rooms. They’ll have an enormous one with 3 sofas in it.

Ha, was going to say that my girls' houses have all had living rooms/areas, but that dd2's second year house in Newcastle was the best - 9 person house with a massive living room with 3 sofas to seat all of them!

Ds now in his first year - he's not finding life easy at uni so doesn't need the added stress of house hunting yet. He's in a big city and so I don't think there's too much pressure yet. I think he has a few decent friends around him that he'd be happy to live with, so I'm hoping it works out!

[Xenia]

I was just on the phone to one of my twins who is at Bristol as he was arriving back at his flat. A large group of students were in it or coming out of it - they were looking at it for next year.

Mind you I could hear him unable to answer their question to him which was what do the bills cost per month but he did say to ask one of his flatmates. I don't think his bills are too high.

[EduCated]

It was light-hearted, and meant supportively...

Yes, it is hard when you’re being told it needs to be done and comes off the back of a period of time when things do need to be done and are best done as soon as they can be (personal statements, UCAS, Student Finance, University enrolments etc.).

So being told that you must sort second year accommodation now makes it hard to take a step back and consider whether now is the best time. Sometimes that’s the student struggling to step back when others around them are amping up the pressure, sometimes it’s parents who see others on here or FB or elsewhere talking about getting accommodation sorted and start asking their children about it and adding (intentionally or not) to the expectation that this is something they should be doing now.

But in the very vast majority of student areas there really isn’t any need to do it now - the pressure is being orchestrated by lettings agents and landlords who spread the message that all the good stuff will be gone, that you’ll be left without anywhere decent to live, because it suits them to have their properties signed off early.

I was trying to recognise and acknowledge the about turn in the me reality of ‘best to do it early’ to ‘best to hold off a bit, actually’ can be a difficult mental switch when you want to be diligent and keep on top of things.

[Ginfordinner]

I wish there was some kind of ban on any accommodation booking until the third term.

I agree. It would prevent so many fall outs and scrambling for somewhere to live or finding someone to fill a spare place.

four of the eight in his flat decided to share together, all studying different subjects, but similar in personality - sport rather than clubbing etc.

Same with DD, except for the sport bit
She seems to have “found her tribe” and has made friends with students who are sociable but not part of the party crowd. They all take their studies seriously and don’t call each other killjoys if someone declines an invitation because they have work to do or are too tired to go out. DD has CFS and her friends have been pretty understanding. Especially as one of her friends also has it.

One slight warning is the 'friend of a friend'. Just because you like your friend does not mean you want to live with their friends. If someone suggests another person it is worth checking that they share similar attitudes to noise, cleanliness, drugs and nouse.

This nearly happened, but everyone vetoed the idea, thank goodness.

She has already signed up for year 2 accommodation and is pretty excited about it. She gets on with everyone in her flat, but is keen to get away from the ones who leave the kitchen like a pig sty. So she is sharing with the three who do tidy up from her current flat, and four from the flat opposite. They socialise together all the time and I hope and pray that there are no bust ups.

I don’t know if their new house has a living room, but a nice kitchen was a priority as they often cook meals together. They have themed curry nights or Chinese nights rather than painting the town red. Three of them are vegetarian and I’m sure that was a bit of an incentive for them to stick together.

[Kuponut]

The ones living away from home on my course are all signing up for student houses for next year already too. Seems to be about the norm in this area at least.

[scarecrowfeet]

@Fozzleyplum has your dc found something yet ? My ds is also first year at Lancaster and has sorted his. I was surprised at how early they were looking.

[Fozzleyplum]

Scarecrow, he has (although he's not been asked for the deposit yet). I was surprised at the rush, because Lancaster is not known to have any shortage of off-campus accommodation. He's in a townhouse of 12 at the moment, and they all get on so well that they have found 2 houses to accommodate them all next year. It seems to have gone smoothly so far.

I'm not sure how the students who go abroad for the third year (DS is doing languages) sort their 4th year accommodation, but no doubt they will have a system.

[scarecrowfeet]

Mine is in a townhouse too - in County. 7 of them staying together. They've got a flat near the station for next year which looks nice. Got to pay deposit before they go home for Xmas.

[Fozzleyplum]

DS is in Grizedale. They have a house for 5 in the Scotforth area, and the others have a flat/condo type thing in a big old house a bit further towards the town centre. There are some great student houses in Lancaster- DS sent me the links to some of the ones they were considering.

[DishingOutDone]

Got a question I wonder if anyone knows, maybe the lovely landlords that came on earlier (are many lovely I wonder?!) - DD has now found a place with 2 friends. She's going to be the lead tenant. Landlord is not paying bills all in so they have to pay water, gas and electric - whose name are those bills in? The landlord? or DD? and who is liable for non payment or any other issues? Or does the agent deal with this?

[Xenia]

On bills a lot of students sign up to new apps where the bills are spilt for you. I have forgotten the new of the app one of mine used last year - that seems to be more common these days than one student being the nominal account holder.

The landlord will not be on those bills.

..I just looked it up - it was Glide which one of them used last year and possibly this glide.co.uk/parents

[DishingOutDone]

Wow, thanks Xenia - they think of everything eh?! Good find.

[Needmoresleep]

For her second year DD was in a flat of four, and the only medic so was due to start three weeks before the others.

As a result we decided to treat it as a learning opportunity. We went down together and went through the inventory, writing a detailed email to the letting agent outlining discrepancies and listing four or so items which were H&S and needed to be fixed immediately. The flat was actually in a pretty shocking state and seriously filthy, but the LL accepted this and did the required repairs quickly. And returned the full deposit, as with the long list of agreed inventory discrepancies there is no way he could have deducted anything.

DD took on all the bills. She did not need to but it seemed easier, I liked the idea of her building a credit record and agreed to underwrite her. Luckily one of the others was willing to help chase the one slow player and once they had got direct debits set up there were no further problems. We sat down together and went through U-switch recommendations looking for 12 month contracts with fixed monthly payments. There was quite a lot of initial work sorting out cable (you need LL permission if it is not already in the property and they can be a lag of a few weeks between application and installation), getting the water company to accept it was not possible to fit a water meter, and finding the gas and electricity meters which were in another flat. A sort of summer school in life skills.

This year they have taken one each...other than DD who managed to duck out. (She wanted a break!) The downside is they got the cheapest broadband so can only stream one device at a time. Broadband companies can be fussy about credit ratings so worth using the person with the best credit score. And they must apply for Council Tax exemption (usually done online) or face court action.