The first semester is well under way and hopefully you’ve begun settling into university life. Around now, it’s usual to start thinking about securing your accommodation for next year.
While it can be a good idea to secure your student accommodation for next year as early as possible, being hasty can have some pitfalls so it’s important to make these decisions carefully.
Tenancy agreements are legally binding, and once you have signed one there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to cancel it if your circumstances change.
Here’s some tips to get your accommodation choice right:
- Don’t be pressured by friends or accommodation providers. Get to know your friends properly to make sure you’ll be happy living together for another year. Some landlords, agents or halls may encourage you to sign a tenancy straight away but don’t feel pressured – look at all of your options, you may find a better deal. If you are undecided or want more time to think, do what is right for you.
- View a range of properties and take your time. Seeing multiple properties will help you to understand the range that’s on offer, and help you to compare prices, facilities and the overall condition of different properties.
- Check rental prices carefully. Make sure you understand if bills are included, how many weeks the tenancy is for and how the rent on one property compares to others.
- Be sure before you sign a tenancy agreement (contract). A tenancy is a legally binding contract between you and your accommodation provider and are often not possible to exit once you’ve signed. Therefore, ensure you fully understand the terms and conditions of the contract before signing. If you need support, please contact Liverpool Student Homes.
Need help? Find University-accredited accommodation through Liverpool Student Homes
Liverpool Student Homes (LSH) is an official university housing advice and private accommodation accreditation service for students in Liverpool.
The service is owned and managed by the University of Liverpool along with the other universities in the city. The team are there to support you throughout the time you’re renting private student accommodation in Liverpool, and it should be your first stop when looking for somewhere to live after university halls.
As well as providing free housing rights advice, they have a large database of accredited student properties. This means that to advertise properties on the LSH website, accommodation providers must commit to meeting the strict requirements of the accreditation scheme.
The team have put together lots of useful information to help you, including an accommodation timeline, advice on where to live, and information on viewing properties, and finding housemates.
LSH are here to support you all the way, so if you need advice about renting private student accommodation, please visit their website to find out how the can help.