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What can you get for your money when renting as a student ?

Whether you’re just starting university or have been studying for a while, the yearly cycle of finding a place to live somehow manages to be frustrating and exciting at the same time.

The first decision you’ll have to make is house or halls, so which is better?

Assuming your budget is limited (and let’s face it, no student is flooded with cash), keeping your rent low is always high on the list of priorities.

Student Halls of Residence

Student halls are notoriously expensive, the University of Liverpool’s in-house halls are advertised at almost £150 a week. The private ones aren’t much better with most costing more and a few offering rooms for below that.

What do you get for that price? A standard room (which is what £150 per week will get you) will usually have enough room for a single bed, a desk, somewhere to put your clothes and that’s about it.

You’ll have access to a kitchen too, but that will likely be shared by five or more people, the same can be said for the showers and toilets.

It’s worth noting that in most cases halls also cover bills so you won’t need to worry about paying for your wifi.

There’s also the social aspect, especially for first years, flat parties in student halls are the way a lot of people make their first friends while at university. They also tend to be extremely messy and annoy the security staff who work in the building.

Student Rental Houses

Your other choice is to get a student house in any of the central areas of the city. If we carry on using Liverpool as an example, you can find a pretty big bedroom for around £80 to £110 a week. Sometimes they’ll include bills, sometimes they won’t, but if they don’t adding £10 a week to your calculations should roughly be right. So, you’re going to save hundreds in the long run.

By picking a house you also have much more flexibility in choosing who you live with. If you have a group of mates who want a place together then you can all find a house to fit you all. If you’re on your own you will at least usually get the chance to meet the people who will be living there before you sign any contract.

If you do go down this route, the house will also more likely have more communal space in the kitchens and living rooms shared with three to five people rather than the more crammed halls.

Don’t think this means you’re going to miss out on the social aspect of it either. What’s stopping you going to any of the party’s other people will inevitably host in their halls? At least you won’t be responsible for cleaning up the mess when you’re hungover the next day.

Contact our local team or browse our properties in Salford and Manchester.

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Demand For Student Accommodation in the UK

With many universities around the UK struggling to provide students with residences, increasing numbers of students are seeking accommodation within the private sector, and sharing a student HMO is a very attractive option for many.

Indeed the depreciation of sterling has made living in the UK an attractive option to many as the cost of living has reduced. For students living on modest budgets, shared student accommodation is a perfect solution for enjoying the benefits of university education at a reasonable cost.

In most university cities, the demand is still very much outstripping the supply when it comes to student housing. Occupancy rates are at higher levels than ever before.

Student Haus offer landlords of student HMO’s a tenant finding and management service. Our sole focus is student tenancy management so we understand the complexities of managing HMO  properties and can offer you a fully tailored service which will help you make the best returns on your student property investment whilst keeping your tenants happy.