Housing for students can be tricky to navigate for many reasons. It may seem like every student house you view is messier than the last, the way the old tenants present the house may be very off putting to you as you tour the prospective locations and result in a long, tedious, viewing process. So it is important to remember a few things when searching for the perfect home to house you during your studies.
The Right Agency
The right letting agency is important from the outset as they will go a long way in filtering out the landlords that you might not want to be renting from, as well as giving a middle ground rather than having no safety net for you during the entirety of your letting experience. It also gives you a support structure if you have a problem with the house or landlord.
Take Your Time
When looking at houses, take the time to inspect the house. It might be tempting to rush round, see the basics and sign the lease just to ensure that you have a house in the first place. But, you should really take your time and inspect the condition of the house. The aesthetics aren’t what is important here. If the house looks unkempt that might just be a case of a messy current tenant, but if the facilities look run down and the pain is chipping off the wall then that is a case of negligence by the landlord. If they don’t care for their house it is very likely you will be as equally uncared for, so somewhere with basic upkeep is the preferable option here.
Do Your Research
Before you start looking you should investigate the average rent paid by other students in the local area. If you agree to an unfairly high price to later discover your friends pay substantially less, it is too late. You can’t negotiate a better price after signing the contract so it is much more ideal to know what you are expecting from the start, so you can judge if the price is fair.
A smart idea after signing a tenancy agreement, and specifically before you move in, is the drawing up of an inventory list. This verifies what is provided and the existing condition of the accommodation before you begin your tenancy. This way you are not made liable for pre-existing problems with the accommodation. Any unsatisfactory facilities or issues such as damp should be acknowledged by the landlord and agreed to be dealt with within two weeks.
When looking for a student let you will ultimately be looking for an affordable, well-presented and convenient accommodation for the duration of your tenancy. You need to ensure that you have weighed up your options properly and secured a house that will not be a headache in the long run.
And if you’re a landlord looking to let your property to students, check out our article here.
As property management and lettings specialists, here at Belvoir Birmingham Central we always ensure that our landlords have up to date information on important legislations and statutory obligations. If you want to know more about how we can help you, you can contact us on 0121 212 0122 and our team will happily help you with any query you might have. You can also follow us on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
