When to sort out 2nd year uni accommodation?

[lostinthesunshine]

DD is in 1st year. I’ve been on at her since about January to find something for 2nd year. She wants to house share with her dorm mates.

They got their act together in the last few weeks, found several student flats on a property website, and contacted them for viewings.

All have responded with a variation of “It’s too early and the market for students doesn’t really open up until the summer” (even though the property was already listed as available from the autumn).

Are they being fobbed off for some reason, or is this really the case?

And if they are being fobbed off, why?

Mine always sorted theirs out just after, or even just before Christmas (although I have to say, it's a bit early for friendships etc).
I was glad DS2 did, however, as Covid came along, but he already had accommodation sorted before lockdown.

Mine got theirs in January. They’d already missed out on a few by then. May be different in different cities though.

Some places you have to sort out in the autumn of first year, some places are more normal and people sort it much later. She seems to be in the latter type of place, my DS is at Plymouth and that is similar. People sign up in April and May. The estate agent must know.

Mine sorted his out in November. From what I gather a lot of his friends (at other universities) did theirs before Christmas too.

whereabouts? In Scotland she may be correct.

Seems to vary a lot from place to place. My DS is in Scotland and a lot of people have only just started looking but he has friends at some Universities in England who were all sorted by November. Personally I think that's too early as friendships are not necessarily secure by then. Probably also depends on the availability of student accomodation. My other son is at an English University in a city where rented accommodation is both relatively inexpensive and easily available so he didn't sort his secondary third year accomodation until about March and had plenty of choice. But in other places there's a lot more competition for limited places. I think you have to assume the local agents/University accomodation office know what they're talking about as it's so variable.

November for both my children, different UK cities. But, they both went into private halls of residence for 2nd year.

Some places are more cut throat than others but there is usually some accommodation left but you have far less choice and may be further out. Ds's mates were a 45 minute walk away from uni, Ds was 10. So no nipping back for lunch for the ones 45 minutes away.

If in Edinburgh then I’d say sooner rather than later, although there is still (limited) stuff available as late as August (DS did this, private halls, we called it ‘the bunker’).

Ds2 for various good reasons was late sorting his for next year and had a bit of a panic he wouldn’t find any - or rather who to share with - thankfully he got sorted a week or so ago, but in previous years he has done it in about Jan at the latest. This is Lboro so pretty cheap Victorian houses and plenty of them.

Scotland has different rental laws to England, the leaving students only give 1 month notice so it’s still early.

Ah, that’s a good point!

Its Aberdeen.

I just don’t understand why they are advertised now if they can’t arrange them yet.

Some will start to advertise now as the academic year ends in May. Finalists often stay until graduation which may be early summer and postgrads until August/September.

Most places are earlier now. It’s usually autumn term for the following September. So actually most student private accom for next year will already be signed for long ago.

After covid bulge entry years lots of unis had a shortage of accommodation and people queued to get lets. This resulted in students booking earlier and earlier - often within a month of arriving.

Thise cohorts are finished now and entry levels are lower so most places seem to report accom being available later and no need to rush so much. But April is late. That said accommodation will be available up until Sept…but you just get less choice and might find it harder to find a group to sign up to a house with. Random spare rooms pop up and private halls let you sign as individuals…but you can’t pick who to live with then.

Mine sorted hers just before Christmas. Everyone else was looking so they were nervous they would be left with the crappy flats in the crappy areas if they left it much later.

Mine were always sorted by Xmas at the latest. One was in Notts and had plenty of time really, the other in York and had to be very quick off the mark.

It all depends on the city. Many places do organise the lettings very early on, but other places - especially where there is a strong non-student rental market - may well prefer letting just a couple of months ahead. My DD in Manchester was organising her accom for the next year in October/November (and still couldn't move in until Sept!), but DS in London went flat hunting in August and got somewhere to move in the following month.

Thanks all. I’m still not really understanding why they are advertising them now, showing them as available in the autumn, but not agreeing to enquiries.

Yeah Manchester seems crazy, real shortage of student accommodation, think last people some freshers had to live in Liverpool and commute!

That does seem strange! DD in Edinburgh is looking but places are only now starting to come on the market, and even for those it would mean renting from mid-summer.