Buying in a university town and avoiding students

[JinglingHellsBells]

Just that!

We are thinking of buying a new build in a popular (high ranking) uni town as a 2nd home, to have a base near family who we visit a lot.

We've stayed in a few AirBnBs over the years and discovered that a lot of rentals (flats) are leased to students.

Do any leases prohibit the renting to students because the last thing we'd want is to be surrounded by noisy students?

Some leases do, my DF BTL originally had these stipulations, however now no one cares or pays attention to it. How close to the university are you looking?

First of all most reasonable size towns and cities will have Universities, some have more than one, so you are going to encounter students where ever you go however most will be renting at the less expensive end of the market in not so fashionable areas. Regarding leases specifically excluding students, not sure thats even legal but I've never heard of it. I may be wrong. But agonsing over where to buy your second home is a nice , if increasingly more unacceptable , problem to have. Most people have other things on their mind at the moment.

I’d definately make sure you check the area well.
Both my DC are about to go into second year private rentals as students, I’m really surprised that their houses are not what I’d expect student houses to be (based on my uni days a long time ago).
They are in 2 different cities but both are going to be living in quite new houses in small developments in cul-du-sac type locations. One has about 10 houses of which 5 are rented to students.
The other has about 15 quite big detached houses with garages, small play park in the middle, my DC house is in one corner and his neighbours are all students. I don’t know if all 15 houses are student houses, but I can’t imagine they were built for the student market.
It may be they are fine, but I wouldn’t want to live next door to a house of 8 students.

I’d look at places out of town with poor transport links ( unless you need public transport) so there will be less likelihood of having students nearby.

IME it's not just students that are noisy (and where I am, we have maybe 2 noisy nights per year from students and a blissfully quiet summer with ample parking when they all go home). I think instead of avoiding students in particular, it would be best to just pick somewhere that you like and that you get a good feeling of the surrounding area/neighbours being quiet. Any anti social noise/behaviour is dealt with in the same way by LAs so it doesn't really matter if it's students or not.

@VesperLynne I am fully aware of the existence of accommodation in uni cities. I don't need a snipy comment about buying, thanks. You don't know the circumstances. The city is my home town, where I lived for many years, I have very elderly parents there who I visit.

I know the city as it's my home town. I lived there for years and my elderly parents live close by- hence the idea to buy a base.

We want to be in the city centre for various reasons.

Students are now living up to 2 miles or more out of the city in the suburbs which, when I lived there, was unheard of.

I did read on this forum that someone knew of flats (hers) that could not be sublet to students.

We are looking at 2 beds, which I guess would possibly limit the noise factor. Definitely would not buy near a house with 6 beds!

I live in a place like that and there are definitely areas where it's densely for students which tend to be more central. On the outskirts there are very few , but local student rental and EA would be able to advise

Most estate agents and most universities will tell you.
Could also try local FB or Next Door?

If you’re going to buy in the centre, it’s bound to be studenty, isn’t it?

I think that it’d be worth looking at modern flats as they have excellent sound proofing.

Most cities have a university. You just need to avoid the student areas.

The university sector is undergoing changes I response to covid. There's quite a bit of uncertainty atm. In response to covid some of the high ranking universities (including Cambridge) are doing lectures online.

So, the student rental market may also be impacted.

Under normal circumstances I still think you will be ok if it's only a 2 bedroom place that you're looking for. It won't be big enough for too much rowdiness - unless there are parties, maybe.

you also cant guarantee it wont change over the years

Thanks for the comments.

I was hoping someone might come along (I read a comment on another thread a while back) where a poster said her block of flats had a restriction on student lets, or perhaps listed as 'multi-occupancy.'

I know the city inside out- was my home town- and it's a small city with one of the UK's oldest unis.

The increase in student numbers has been a talking point with the locals for years but now the uni is building more accommodation for students (another bone of contention as it's an old city of historic interest.)

I also know the outskirts and how student accommodation has rippled out.

I accept that any flats anywhere in the city might end up as student accommodation - goes without saying- but I wondered if there were ever exclusions in the leases for buyers, to sublet.

Yes, this can and does happen. In Durham, for example, the council introduced an article 4 direction which prevents people turning their home into a house of multiple occupancy. It is quite strictly (controversially) applied and the effect is that no properties can be turned into student housing for 3 or more people without permission. Instead, there is a move for larger blocks of student accommodation.

There are also some developments within the city which prevent occupation by students through various means, including provisions which stipulate occupation by a single family group.

Again in Durham, the council record and should be able to provide the percentage of student occupants in an area.

I should add that in my recent interactions with students, they've been lovely. Any anti social behaviour I've witnessed hasnt had anything to do with students.