How to look for 2nd year housing

Here’s all our best tips to find the perfect house for your second year at university as you move out of halls and into renting.

You may feel terrified at the thought of trying to find a house or flat for second-year as the ease of booking halls is not a reality after your first-year. If you don’t have an obvious group of friends to find accommodation with, the process can be that much harder.

1. Start out by asking around in your halls or on your course for any friends that may also be looking for housemates.

You will be surprised at how easy it can be to find a great group who would be good to live with, even if you aren't best friends yet. Make sure you feel comfortable with the people you choose as you have the luxury to choose housemates, rather than being in halls and living with strangers initially.

Consider how well you get along and also make sure to consider your differences. As flat/house mates, you’ll have to have important conversations about cleaning, cooking and buying food. If you like things to be clean but you know someone takes minimal care, it’s probably a good idea not to ask them.

Just really think about who you gel on really well with. It makes all the difference.

2. Then there’s the hard part: finding a house or flat.

It is better to go through a company that deals with students rather than sites like Rightmove and Zoopla because they don’t specialise in student houses and they tend to want more long-term tenants. For example, online websites like sturent.co.uk or going through Kingston University’s personal accommodation finder are probably going to be better options.

Don’t just reach out to one estate agent either. Talk to multiple agents and go to as many viewings as possible. It's good to shop around and not settle for the first house. It will start becoming very competitive as more students begin to look for accommodation, so also keep that in mind when finding a place too.

3. What do you need to look for when finding a place?

The most important thing to check for is that you can actually afford the accommodation. Remember you have to reapply for a maintenance loan each year and there is no guarantee you will get the same amount again. Consider affordability as it differs from halls in terms of time, privately rented is generally for a 12 month period, rather than the shorter option in halls. Is the place you’re looking at energy efficient? Is the price good for what you get?

When searching for our own second-year housing, we looked at three houses for five people. One had a living room and a garden, while the other two did not. Ironically enough, they were all the same price - so make sure you are really getting good value for money.

You need to check for mold and damp, heating, water pressure (toilet and taps), room size and storage size. As a consumer, you have every right to test these things and check with the landlord or agency that these are all working properly. If you’re an art student or you suffer with mental health, lighting will also be important to look at.

There is also the deposit to consider as well. Some can range from £100 - £500+. How are you planning to pay for this?

It may sound like common sense, but these are the things people more than often forget.

4. Location, location, location!

This goes as a separate point because this is so vital. If you go to Penrhyn Campus and you’re looking for places way out in Norbiton or further into London, you need to consider travel costs. £1.50 per bus ride may sound cheap but it adds up, especially for those of you on a budget. Taxis cost even more. It is so important to consider where the place you are looking at is. If you do decide to take the bus check it is near or on a bus route, especially the free university one!

If you get a place near the train station or right by town, it is more than likely that the price of it will naturally be higher too.

5. Signing the documents...

This is the most scary part of the process. When you choose your future home and you are given the documents to sign, then please please please make sure to read everything in the contract. Check the small print; check everything and you will feel confident committing to the property.

Are the prices correct? Is the length of the contract for the place correct? These are all very important to keep in mind. Know what you are signing for and what rights you have throughout the tenancy.

6. I need to urgently save money for housing. What should I do?

The best advice is not to spend unnecessarily.

If you eat out a lot, maybe you should stop doing so and instead plan out meals you can cook for the week. There are loads of quick and easy recipes you can find online and on YouTube. So, when you do grocery shopping, you can go in knowing exactly what you need and what to buy without impulse buying. You probably can go without hot drinks at Starbucks or from the University Cafe too.

You more than likely have plenty of clothes in your closet, too. So try to stop buying what you want, and think about what you need. Minimalism is very much in trend at the moment and it's always good to worry less about looks especially when it concerns your finances.

Getting a part time job might be worth a shot as well, if you don’t already have one. Look at jobs you can do during the summer. Apply to as many jobs wherever you can. Don’t be picky, either. Money is money and work is work. As they say, just do it.

Overall, just make wise decisions. Live off slightly less than what you have, not every single penny.

Co-written by Eleanor Yates and Abby Lake