Every Monday, firstpoint publishes five points about a topic related to life at university. This week, if you’re moving out of university accommodation later this year, what to consider when house hunting for your next academic year…
POINT ONE: KNOW WHERE TO LOOK…
We have a variety of resources to help you find the perfect accommodation. Many of our students find properties advertised on Student Pad which goes live usually in late January; it’s the University and SU official property search website. You can use our StudentPad website to search for suitable properties online, or post and send messages to other students also looking for housing. Pop into the Accommodation Hub (St. Johns Campus), contact firstpoint or email Accommodation for this year’s password.
Alternatively, you can consider University managed accommodation options to help you decide your next home away from home. The team will currently be processing what availability they may have for those students in second year or above. If you think you might be interested in finding out what we have available, please email accommodationteam@worc.ac.uk who can confirm with you when accommodation is available.
You can check further information about university accommodation here and contact the accommodation team for enquiries about university halls options.
POINT TWO: PLAN THE COST…
We would recommend that you check whether your rent will include your utilities – water, gas and electricity. Some agreements will cover these, but you may need to budget for these separately. There may also be other hidden costs like internet and TV licences.
You will probably want to make sure that you have a good internet connection to access all the University’s online services, or chat to friends and family back home, and that the cost won’t be too much. Talk to your landlord to see if it is included, or if switching to a cheaper provider is possible.
The University’s Money Advice Service have advice on their webpages about how to budget and boost your student income. Check out their online resources or email firstpoint to book an appointment with an adviser.
POINT THREE: THINK ABOUT LOCATION…
Location, location, location! Are you going to be at lectures up on the St. John’s Campus or mainly based in our city sites? Think you might spend a lot of time using the sports facilities at Riverside and the Arena or hitting the books in the Hive? Consider where you will need to be based for easy access to lectures or whether you mind travelling between locations.
Perhaps you will be criss-crossing between places, in which case have a look at the bus routes, timetable and prices on the First Bus webpage, or find out about the Beryl Bike Loan scheme. The firstpoint webpage has more links, including information about parking on campus or discounted rail travel.
POINT FOUR: MAKE TIME TO VISIT…
It is a good idea to visit prospective houses to get a feel for the property and the area. You can also use the visit to make sure there are no major issues. Go with your new housemates, consider who is going to get which room and how you will make a fair decision: drawing straws, flip a coin, who shouts first?
Don’t forget when you move in that you will be living in a residential community area, so be mindful of your neighbours. Take the time to pop in, say hello and introduce yourself. We promise it will make living in, and being part of the community much easier and will help you settle in. Our Living Well in the Worcester Community page includes important considerations for students living in local residential areas.
POINT FIVE: CHECK THE CONTRACT
Once you have found your ideal house, make sure you check over your contract thoroughly before signing it, confirm how your deposit will be held and make sure the gas safety certificates are in place.
When the time comes that you are ready to commit to a property for next year, please do not sign anything if you are unsure. The Students’ Union will happily look through contracts for you and let you know if any of the terms seem unreasonable. Please make use of their services. The Students’ Union website has more information about these matters with an informative Student Housing Guide and specialist officers can also help you to check your contract – check out their Contract Checking webpage which includes some important considerations before you sign on that dotted line…
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