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Original poster

Jst realised house we are buying is attached to student rental

76 replies

bdot86 · 02/09/2024 19:42

So we’ve had an offer accepted on a 1930s semi detached house which we will do some work to, but has great potential . It’s on a beautiful quiet road in a lovely part of Kingston (we’re moving from nearby so we know it well). However I’ve just googled the house we’re attached to and it’s a student house! Saw it advertised as one, seems like it has been one for a while and it’s advertised as a 3 bed although a 4th person can go in the study which is tiny… it’s a pretty small house with little communal space, they’ve put an extra room in the living room downstairs. But I’m already anxious about the prospect of noise and the uncertainly of tenants changing every year. Stupid me for not checking earlier..
We’re trying to sell our house which is a Victorian cottage attached to a rental that sometimes goes to students and so far that’s been great! But I hate the uncertainty. Especially as the staircases in the new house are not adjoining so we share a lot of common walls!
Would this put you off? Does anyone have experience living attached to a student rental?

OP posts:
ItsMeMaria · 02/09/2024 21:21

I'd not want to live next to a student house because they'd be a different group every year. Some would be no problem and some would be a problem. I was a student about 20 years ago and looking back, I think even we (relatively quiet) students would've been a pain at times. Some groups of students I studied with would have been a total nightmare to live next to

soberholic · 02/09/2024 21:21

I remember living next to a student rental, and once they threw this MASSIVE and loud party. I had work next day so I went round and said:

"Guys I LOVE your taste it music, it's brill, but unfortunately I have work tomorrow. Is it possible you could turn it down just a bit?"

After turning down invites to join their party, I went back to my bedroom and noticed the noise had been turned right down. I got my zzzz's.

A couple of other experiences, but always positive if you say something.

Living in a flat above drug dealers though 🥺, that was a noise disaster

RoachFish · 02/09/2024 21:23

I wouldn’t risk it. If it’s awful and you want to leave you will be the ones with the issues trying to sell it.

autumn1610 · 02/09/2024 21:23

God no. I felt sorry for my neighbours in one house. The other I think they got their own back with their kids music practice nice and early on a weekend Morning (that house was a lot calmer but still your next to students getting home at god knows what time)

DodgyFriend · 02/09/2024 21:31

I bought beside a student rental. Every so often there is a bit of a party but it's not a constant that infringes on us day to day. I think students aren't have as hard-core as they used to be and they spend most of their evenings on Netflix and ordering deliveroo.
I always make a point of smiling and saying hi when I see them, just so they think of me as a fellow human and might be more considerate!
I wouldn't let it put you off.

PhilsMajicHat · 02/09/2024 22:05

That would be a deal breaker for me, I’d walk away

romatheroamer · 02/09/2024 22:10

I lived next door to a student house and never had any problems. They were bar students, the house was owned by the Inner Temple and very polite and friendly.
Frankly I preferred them to one or two of the families I've shared a party wall with.

JoyousPinkPeer · 02/09/2024 22:11

I would pull out of buying

garlictwist · 02/09/2024 22:13

Our house is attached to a student rental and faces three others that are student rentals. It's fine. To be honest they're not actually here for 70 percent of the year. It's a bit messy and noisy when they are but tbh I would rather have that than pristine curtain twitchy neighbourhood watch vibes.

Prettytiles · 02/09/2024 23:02

Yes it would put me off.

BrigadierEtienneGerard · 03/09/2024 10:33

My parents had a house opposite one when I was growing up. I'd pull out now OP if I was you.

Nourishinghandcream · 03/09/2024 10:38

As so eone who lived next door to a student house for years, I fully agree that it is not something I would recommend to anyone.
Constant change of tenants (some stayed a couple of years, other came & went quite quickly) and while a few were (relatively) quiet & considerate, the vast majority were not.

SecondFavouriteDinosaur · 03/09/2024 10:39

We lived next to students once and it was absolutely hideous, would never do it again.

SecondFavouriteDinosaur · 03/09/2024 10:40

garlictwist · 02/09/2024 22:13

Our house is attached to a student rental and faces three others that are student rentals. It's fine. To be honest they're not actually here for 70 percent of the year. It's a bit messy and noisy when they are but tbh I would rather have that than pristine curtain twitchy neighbourhood watch vibes.

They’re not the only 2 options though!

GasPanic · 03/09/2024 10:45

It's not great because students often have a different lifestyle.

Getting back late, slamming doors, playing loud music at ungodly hours and having massive parties.

I know this because I was a student once and this was exactly what we did.

Of course you may get some very well behaved students but it could vary hugely from one year to the next depending on who lets it.

Of course while the students aren't there it could be quite quiet.

I would either pull out, or be looking for a massive discount if I thought I could cope with the (potential) noise.

DeeplyMovingExperience · 03/09/2024 10:47

I live next door to a student house in a popular location - we've only had a problem once which was very quickly resolved. There are strict rules governing student houses and quiet hours and we have a good relationship with the landlord.

There are upsides to having a youthful element to the town. We like the young people and they like us!

GoldPlayer · 03/09/2024 10:48

Can you find out if hands on LL or outsourced to an agency? I think there's a world of difference

THisbackwithavengeance · 03/09/2024 10:50

When I was a student in a set up as you have described, we actually complained to our neighbours as their teenage DD used to play Whigfield Saturday Night back to back for hours on end at full volume whilst we were trying to study. It was actual torture.

I'm not saying we didn't have the odd drunken session but on the whole we were fairly quiet and studious. Just saying...

ginger2026 · 03/09/2024 10:51

I live in a 2 bed 1930s purpose built flat. When I bought the flat 5 years ago, the tenants of the neighbouring flat were 2 young professional women but as rents rose from £1400 to £2000, the only takers became international students so now the flat opposite is occupied by 3 students from India. There is also a Porsche in our carpark now (with a baby abroad sign) so I guess its higher earning people or (better off) students for the tenant population and there are probably more students than the former (as the former could probably afford to buy my flat ).

i never hear them. tbh most lower priced homes (at least where i live in London) are owned by landlords and they will rent to anyone who can pay the rent which may or may not be students (I am nowhere near a university, nearest university is a 30 minute bus ride). 70% of my flat development is owned by landlords, just 8 years ago, it was 70% owner occupied.

Tenants often change on a yearly basis so the students may not be there next year. in my building, only an elderly man and us are long term occupiers (as we own).

Pootles34 · 03/09/2024 10:54

No, run now. They will probably be nice enough, but you'll be on completely different schedules.

Not only that, but student landlords are not known for keeping their properties nice - ours left a smashed window for weeks. Also, you'll have the upheaval every year, and possibly loads of junk fly tipped in the street when they go home. Don't do it op!

Hoppinggreen · 03/09/2024 10:54

Impossible to say if they will be a nightmare or not.
We were 3 girls who weren't big party animals and one of us (not me) was obsessed with cleaning so our Landlord really loved us and begged us not to move back into halls for our 3rd year.
I really would not have wanted to live next to DH and his mates though.
As you can't know which one you will get I would say its a no. Plus given your concerns any future buyer will probably have the same

sueelleker · 03/09/2024 10:55

I'm in a terrace, next to a private student let, but the landlord is very careful about his tenants. In over 20 years, there's never been any trouble; and the only sound is them occasionally sitting and talking in the back garden of an evening. Have you asked the neighbours if they have any complaints?

MabelMaybe · 03/09/2024 12:29

The other side of this is to look at the price of the property. Was it suspiciously cheap? If not, you'd have clear negotiating power to get money off on the basis of the undeclared neighbours.

Original poster
bdot86 · 03/09/2024 18:46

Thank you all for responding! I’ve asked another mum who lives opposite the house and she was very encouraging saying there don’t seem to be issues with the students in this house. But who knows…
To answer the question about the price.. no it’s pretty overpriced if anything. Would be great to get some money off if we don’t pull out..
Also great to hear some positive experiences from people who have lived attached to student let’s. Friends in the same situation tell me that students are generally different these days, and are more likely to be gaming than partying! Also DH is very keen and thinks it has potential to be a forever home. But I’m still torn mainly due to the risk and uncertainty so will sleep it on for a few more nights.. don’t want to string seller along much longer. But you have all given me perspective and have reassured me I’m not crazy!

OP posts:
SunQueen24 · 03/09/2024 18:51

I lived in a beautiful detached house with students on the other side, a garage inbetween us. The first year we had a delightful bunch of girls. Absolutely no bother whatsoever. After that we had some lads who were horrendous.

They were burgled and left all the glass from the front door on their path, no attempt to clean it and slowly trod it down the street.

They forgot their key (to the new lock, post burglary) and booted their own door in once in the small hours, I actually went out thinking it was a burglar. That door stayed without a lock until the end of the uni year, just swinging in the wind with snow and rain.

They were noisy, would loiter outside our bedroom window chatting pissed up. It was utter hell. If we had undisturbed sleep one day a week it was a luxury! In the summer they had their windows open blaring out music.

We spent a fortune on the house, renovated it throughout, loft conversion, but we left because of the above. It was torture!