Glasgow Uni, when to look for a flat for second year?

[Lint6]

My DD's a first year at Glasgow. She's in halls this year, but aiming to rent with a couple of pals next. They know flats can be tough to find around the Uni, so they're wondering when they should start looking - they're guessing before the summer rush. I'm a bit worried she'll end up paying rent over the summer when she's not even there, but maybe that's the norm? If anyone has any wisdom on when students find flats or any tips, I'd really appreciate it!

DD and her friends mostly signed their second year house in the first term, summer sounds very late and there likely won’t be much choice left, and they’ll pay through the roof!

Absolutely the norm to pay rent over the summer.

And to answer your other question, it's never too early to start talking to others already in a for incase they are planning to give it up and happy to hand over to another group of friends.

MaloneMeadow was that the norm amongst her friends? According to my DD no one she knows has started looking yet, though they're all starting to think about it.
FinallyHere, that's a good idea - I'll suggest she tries to others already in rented accommodation.

My DD and DN both looked and signed up early June last year and paid over summer (both work as well as study). One in Partick and one Maryhill. DD found it fairly easy to get a 2 bed.

That's reassuring Sandy Irving. DD will be looking for a 3 bed, so hopefully they can find something. Do you happen to know if that was the time most people started looking, or were they early or even late!

MaloneMeadow, if you have a min do you mind me asking how that worked practically? Was your DD's flat through a lettings agency? I thought properties in Glasgow were only available once the tenants had given notice, so not months in advance. Sounds like I've got that wrong.. 🙃

Now!!! DD is at Stirling and they have been organising themselves for this week. Pressure on accommodation throughout the central belt is acute.

I think May/June is average as that's when most UGs who are not staying give their 28 days notice.

There might be another flurry in September when PGs give notice but I think less available (or more competition with clearance and new postgrads/new grads starting work)

We've already sorted dd's for her 2nd year. It was possible to book again for the same student block where she is now but on the private let not the leeds uni managed side. She preferred that to a student house and we are happy with that decision.

Interesting... it's confusing how every University is different. A friend's son at Birmingham sorted his 2nd year house before Christmas. I haven't heard of that that in Glasgow though.

SandyIrving, I can see why the 28 day notice makes April or May a good time to look. I'll pass that onto DD.

Bargello, is your DD thinking about a private rental too? I can see the logic of getting in ahead of the game, but if they nail down a flat soon surely they'll have to pay rent for it from March or April (ie still paying for Halls alongside)?

At English unis students seem to find flats earlier because I believe there are fixed term leaves. In Scotland, these don't exist so flats will come up only once final years or people moving on have given notice.

I have a dc at St Andrews, and the uni organised an info session last year about how to go about finding a flat search, so worth seeing if Glasgow uni do the same. As well as signing up for letting agency alerts it's worth trying word of mouth and asking any final year students about their flats.

I was in this situation last year in Glasgow with my daughter. I would advise that it's easier to find a flat for two and I'd get to it asap. HMOs are hard to find and a lot of them are pretty grotty. We ended up buying and her flatmates pay rent that covers the mortgage

Theydontknowaboutus that makes sense - thanks for explaining it. I've heard from a friend that St Andrews is really short of places to rent. Good on your DC for being so proactive.

IamMummyhearmeROAR DD's all set to try and find a flat for 3. They're all really close so it's unnegotiable. The buying option's a great idea, but we're not in a position to go that way. So long as they all end up together I'm sure they'd be fine with a bit of grot!

Dd and her Bf started looking in the September in his second year.
They got a great two bed for them, but not in a popular area, which meant the rent was great!
Four years on they are still there.

I'd keep an eye on West End Letting as they specialise in HMOs. Cairn letting too. But they will most likely have to make a move quickly when they see something if they want to stay together. There's a FB page called Glasgow Students Accommodation 2024-25 which may be of use. Egg Glasgow FB were also really helpful for me.

My niece is in Aberdeen & is sharing with 2 friends. They signed their lease at the start of April & got the keys in June. They paid 50% rent over the summer & stayed there intermittently but the landlord decorated etc over that period. They started looking in March & knew it would be tricky needing 3 similar sized bedrooms

This is all ever so helpful, thank you to all!

PicklesAndTequila do you mind me asking which area your DD's flat's in? DD's saying they want to be close to the Uni, but they might be persuaded to look in other areas. They all have the free bus pass so travel costs are sorted.

I'll tell DD to get onto those letting agent's lists, IamMummyhearmeROAR I haven't heard of the Egg thing on Facebook. It sounds useful though!

Kimmeridge that's given me a bit of hope money wise - paying 50% over the summer sounds far better than 100! I have a feeling West End-ish Glasgow might not be so accommodating though.

DS is 2nd year. His GF & others looking for flats for 4/5 + looked earlier- April/ May. Lots of competition- many viewing & vying to get chosen. Lots of rejections.

DS was in the US for 4 months & didn't want to.pay over summer. I looked for him August/ Sept & we found a 2 bed no bother. But I reckon that'd probably because it was a 2 bed.

My advice: don't even think about looking online, by the time they're on there 100s have got viewings arranged & they're taking no more. Get the numbers of all the estate agents, register with them & call every day. Basically you need to make a nuisance of yourself.

We have an advantage as we live in Glasgow & DS has the fall-back of coming home for a bit if he doesn't fund anything, and we have room for a couple of friends too.

He's giving up his lovely 2 bed in Partick end of May- shame ypu don't need a 2 bed. He has plans to be in a bigger share flat.

You're right, you'll not get 50% payment in Glasgow! DS is in Partick, which is perfect, and Finnieston is the new favourite place to be, but try Maryhill, North Kelvinside, St George's Cross, even up to Anniesland as it's just one bus up Great Western Road

Alternatively, if it's really tough, anywhere beside any underground will get you to Byres Road very quickly.

Partick for my dd too. She's very happy there.

My daughter and flatmates moved out of halls February last year- had to find people to take over their rooms in halls which seemed straightforward. Loads of competition for flats- they were getting taken before they managed to view sometimes. Lives in West End

Oh & my niece had no luck on Rightmove but got her flat on Gumtree

Puffalicious, how interesting that you easily found a place in August. I wonder if there's a lull between term ending and panic setting in in September. DD's mentioned a few of those areas already so I think she's onto all of that though she might not have thought of Anniesland. The advice on getting lettings agents on-side sounds essential. I will pass it all onto DD.

Thanks to the rest of you too. It's ever so helpful just being able to ask questions this way. I feel like I've gone from clueless to quite sussed in 24 hours! 😂

@Lint6 DD was in this position last year. We started to look in April, got a flat in May and moved in for mid June so, yes, we started to pay and she was effectively home for the summer holidays. She was also only looking for a 2 bed (furnished) which appeared to be easier than 3 bed upwards and we did see some absolute hovels. She had her name with the various letting agencies and she had alerts on Rightmove etc. The flat she eventually got had something like 15 viewings on the 1st day, it was mad! We also considered buying, then letting out to friends but DD didn't want to effectively be her friends landlord which was fair enough. Prices were mad, her flat, admittedly a lovely old Glasgow tenement a few streets back from Great Western Road is £1450 a month shared between them and doesn't include utilities, which is bonkers!!! Her flat though is wee gem. Her boyfriend went down the unfurnished route as it proved to be quite a good bit cheaper monthly but obviously they had to furnish it so there was some initial upfront costs.

@Lint6 they're in Springburn, 10 minutes walk from the train station.
Their flat is lovely and it was great for them over lockdown as their second bedroom is a study, plus they have a corner of their living room set up as a workspace too.
Not sure about now, but the rent then was £450.
Bf has graduated now but Dd is still at Uni, however it's their permanent home for now.

PicklesAndTequila that sounds fabulous. I'll see if I can persuade DD to look a bit further afield.

motherstongue , the more I hear stories about viewings the more my heart sinks. They'll just have to be highly organised. I can't believe how expensive it is though!