Another path ....... the journey begins

[chopc]

Hello @321zyx @AvocadoPlant @bendmeoverbackwards @BigWoollyJumpers @Braveheart35 @calculatorqueen @ChimneyPot @Dobbyisahouseelf @Eastisup @jano69 @Majaso12 @MidLifeCrisis007 @NCTDN @Notagardener @OnTheBenchOfDoom @Parsonage63 @Pumpkintopf @Peaseblossum22 @quest1on @Peaseblossum22 @SATSmadness @SeasonFinale @Tenpastseven @Vargas @Xenia

Apologies for anyone I omitted to tag

@BigWoollyJumpers It sounds lovely, I have seen some very nice ones on the internet. I think I'd describe DS's house as basic not sumptuous ! In fact it's not that different to student housing in the 90s.

Agree!! DDs 6 bed for next year is definitely a student house.
Feels like a rite of passage as her older brothers both lived in similar in Y2 before finding a nicer house with a smaller group in third year!
Plus rent is on a par with what we’re currently paying 😣
Having said all that, DD has yet to actually sign the contract. Some of the parent guarantors are taking a bit longer to complete their part.

@calculatorqueen I hope you’re feeling ok re covid?
Talking of which it’s now spread to another of DDs flatmates though luckily no one had been particularly poorly.

So, DD has asked for a copy of the university charity calendar as a Christmas stocking filler.
Think Calendar girls - but across a variety of uni sports clubs!
I keep telling myself that it’s for a good cause & at least DD only wants a copy - she hasn’t taken part, though the reason she wants a copy is that several of her friends are in it 😲!
Oh the joys of young adults!!

@chopc

IMO in the first year I would be pleased the scales are tipping the way they are *@bendmeoverbackwards*

I think just trust your DD will be able to navigate her way through and come out on top

Thanks, I hope so @chopc

@BigWoollyJumpers their flat sounds lovely! I hope they can make the finances work.

Dd has made some progress on a house for next year in so far as deciding how the 10 students on her corridor will be divided up. Dd is in a group of 4 girls which she is very happy with. They’ve seen a few places online but don’t think they’ve got further yet.

What a pain it is sorting accommodation for next year.

My daughter missed out on a 6 bed house this week, as another group viewed before them, and she was so upset as she put the lettings agency back an hour as she didn't want to miss a lecture! My daughter's group have a fairly healthy budget but they are struggling to keep to £160 without bills. There are some lovely properties out there but at £185+ p/w but not everyone can afford this. I need to work an extra day to pay for Exeter accommodation!

I agree it is a pain . Dd and friends already seem to have devoted quite a lot of time to it and haven’t signed so far. They have quite a tight budget and at that price everything either goes v fast or she says they are absolutely gopping .

@bendmeoverbackwards Am I too late to say "He's behind you!" loved pantos, it is a lovely memory from childhood.

I do think rents are rising because there are now more students so they know they can all increase their costs. Ds's went up by around £300 for the year from one night to the next morning before he booked it.

The flat share group that DD left, that then became a four, finally also found a house they liked. The landlord, who was there to show them round, liked THEM so much, he reduced the rent! How lucky were they.

@BigWoollyJumpers That is amazing.

Some of the prices in Exeter are ridiculous especially as the contracts are for 51 weeks. I'm finding the accommodation hunt difficult as my daughter is getting worried that they won't find something in their budget. Whereas I'm thinking 'oh sod it' just secure something at £20 extra a week but not everyone in the group has the finances to afford this.

Any recommendations for letting agents in Exeter for those who have secured accommodation already?

Oh my, I thought that £125/week exc bills was expensive. There is no way we could afford £165!

Really lucky that DS is on the cornwall campus, Falmouth is a lot more reasonable at £110

@Dobbyismyabsolutefav I’ve PM’d you

DD isnt very organised for next year yet. She's found 4 people she wants to share with, decided on Leamington rather than Coventry, and started looking online, but not had any viewings yet. She seems to think they dont all become available at the same time so there isnt a big advantage to looking early. I hope she's right.

Both DC's unis on strike early December.
Dc1 in third year has had 1 term of "normal" lessons. Let's see how the rest of his third year goes...

Oh dear, DD’s having problems with her group. After successfully splitting the group into a 6 and a 4, a girl from another corridor wanted to join the 4 which was fine. But now a girl from the 6 group wants to change to the other group to be with her vet friends (having said she didn’t mind initially) which doesn’t work as it only leaves 1 girl in the bigger group. Bit frustrating as they had viewings lined up. It will all get sorted eventually, it’s just a pain for them to sort out.

Hope accommodation and group issues get sorted soon!
I still think it's ridiculous that they need to do this in the first term before they are able to establish friendships but it does sound like this is the way forward

DS said that the people he knows who are yet to sign up are having difficulty finding affordable accommodation which is not grotty

@Dobbyismyabsolutefav

Leamans have been a good letting agent for last 3 years.

So how are other London students doing with accommodation? I know there are a few at Imperial college.
DC has no plans at all and says no one is looking. Would it be That London is so much bigger so more options?

@Notagardener if I were your DC I would put some feelers out to see what people are thinking. I got caught out as most of my friends were from Greater London and chose to commute the second year. Plus she to discrepancies in budget had to sort myself out

My DS says no one looking either.A few second /third year students have mentioned their places in King Cross.
Maybe after Xmas they may start looking for places.

Yeah, she knows, but as mentioned dc1 didn't start looking till the summer either. He had various friendship groups and wasn't too bothered with which group he would share. Interestingly at least two of his house mates are from London.

Ah, good to hear that Engley🙂.

@Notagardener when I was a student at UCL lots of people rented houses in Golders Green. About a 15 min tube journey to Euston.

Ha ha, bendme, I was doing a postgrad at UCL many years ago and lived in
... Golders Green. Much better than dc1 who is housesharing
in the south😉

When were you there @Notagardener? I did my degree 1992-95. A postgrad in my department was Therese Coffey!