Student experience

There are two types of private accommodation. Self-contained property, where a house is let to a group rather than to an individual, meaning the group is responsible for the property and the rent as a whole; the second is known as a House of Multiple Occupancy (HMO) and each tenant has their own contract with the landlord. All of the private sector properties advertised on our list are furnished but none are checked by the Accommodation Service. You can take a look at an example of a landlord's website to give you an idea of the types of accommodation available privately.

The cost of renting private accommodation can vary greatly depending on the location, size and quality of the property. We would advise that you speak with local estate agents to gain the best idea of the cost for accommodation you are seeking.

You should be aware that our Accommodation Service provides an introductory service only; it is down to the prospective tenant to arrange a visit to the property from the list of houses provided. It must be stressed that the responsibility for entering a contract rests entirely on the student and the landlord. If there is any problem between the landlord and yourself, please remember to contact us as soon as possible so that we can provide early advice to you.

Whether you go through an agent or take a property advertised on our list, we are happy to look over the contract for you and warn you of any potential pitfalls.

The following information will also be useful if you are considering this type of accommodation:

Sarah Fombo said, “I lived in private accommodation with some other students about 20 minutes away from the University and only five minutes away on the bus. The Accommodation Service helped me to find the house by providing a list of local places to rent.”