SECOND AND THIRD YEAR HOUSING
So the frenzy begins! You have made it through freshers week, potentially attended a couple of lectures and learned how to cook many a thing in the microwave.
Although it seems that you only just met the person in the room next to you, you suddenly have to decide if you want to live with them next year. Exeter is one of the earlier Universities when it comes to choosing housing for second year. This does have its upsides as you deal with the stress very early on and can get it out the way. I would advise to sort it all out in October or early November.
Where do I begin?
First things first: who are you going to live with? This detail is obviously very critical as you can’t start looking at houses unless you know how many people will be in your house.
This is actually the hardest thing so once that is sorted the fun begins! Here is a checklist of the things you may want to consider when choosing a house.
FIRSTLY:
- Do you want to be close to the University (Streatham and/or St. Luke’s) or closer town?
- What is the price that you are willing to pay?
- Are the bills included* — every student wants this to prevent pointless arguments and cold showers
- Do you have to pay a non-refundable holding fee on the house?
*bills on average cost £10-15 a week per person if they are not included in your contract
THE DETAILS:
- When you can move into the house and when you have to move out — if you live far away or abroad you may have to pay for storage over the summer if you can’t move into your new home
- What is the communal living space like?
- What appliances are there in the house — washing machine, dishwasher, microwave …
- How many bathrooms are in the house?
- Is there an outside space, a patio for your summer BBQs perhaps?
- If you have a bike is there somewhere to store it?
- Are the beds double or single?
Everyone will want something slightly different so it can be helpful to write down the aspects you all agree are most important and start with those. You may have to compromise to fit within your budget.
Where to look?
There are two options when it comes to letting a house: an agency and a private landlord. Both have their upsides and downsides. There may be large holding fees with agencies but it does mean that everything is done by the book and you won’t be caught out. On the whole private landlords are very good, but there is the occasional dodgy one — last year I found an amazing house for only £95 a week and everything seemed perfect on the surface, but when I took the contact to the university to check it they informed me the whole agreement was illegal and we could be evicted at any point with no refund!
Location is key when looking for properties. In Exeter the most popular streets are:
- Pennsylvania Road
- Victoria Street (Vic Street)
- Longbrook Street
- Union Road
There are also many side streets off the main ones which are slightly quieter but just as close to the University and to other students.
If you are looking for cheaper housing there are many student properties slightly further away but just as popular: Pinhoe Road, St. Davids and Mount Pleasant.
When it comes to choosing rooms often people will sort out prices for rooms between themselves if one is considerably smaller/larger than the others.
Agencies:
The larger agencies to look at are:
- Cardens residential: https://www.cardensestateagents.co.uk
- Star students: https://www.starlettings.com/
- Gillams properties: https://www.gillams-properties.co.uk/
- Leamans: https://www.leamanslettings.com/properties
- Hello Student: https://www.hellostudent.co.uk/student-accommodation/exeter/
- Campbells: http://www.campbellproperty.co.uk/student-accommodation/exeter
All the agencies will release their properties at different times so be sure to check their websites to see when each year. Most properties will be released around October and November.
Viewings
To state the obvious — look around a house before signing it!
Agencies will offer viewings when their properties are released but to get ahead of the game often students will knock on doors beforehand. Most properties will have a sheet in the window with the number of bedrooms and the name of the agency/landlord. It does take time but is really beneficial to get ahead of the game to look at houses before they are released so you can sign straight away.
When looking around a house there are several key things which you should keep an eye out for.
Mould and damp. Be careful to check any properties you view for any mould or damp. Look around the windows, on the ceilings and on the walls. Ask the current tenants if they have had any issues with the property and how they have been fixed. Check for slugs! Disgusting I know, but unfortunately, it’s common for properties to have slugs, mice and/or fruit flies. Landlords will be careful to hide this. Remember to check that the property has working fire alarms, extinguishers and fire blankets. Be aware of any dodgy-looking plug sockets and loose or exposed cables as these are extremely dangerous.
Be sure to check if there are enough appliances and space for the whole group, it can be a nightmare living with six people and one fridge. Often people will bring their own furniture into the house, so don’t assume that everything comes with the house.
It can be helpful to film the rooms in the house or take photos as often you will look around several in a day and they will merge into one image by the end of the day. These can also be used if not everyone in your group can make a house viewing.
Other key things to note
READ THE CONTRACT
Make sure the landlord is legally obliged to extend the kitchen like they promised to you. Check and double check for any hidden costs.
As soon as you have decided on a property sign it. There is such a high demand for housing you don’t want to wait around.
When you move into your new house do your inventory properly. Write down and photograph any marks on the walls, stains on the carpets and broken furniture as you want to avoid being charged for previous damages.
If you can’t find people to live with don’t panic! There are always people on Overheard At Exeter throughout the year looking for an extra person for their house because someone dropped out or decided to take a last minute year abroad.
Good luck and make sure to have fun!
Travelling My Globe 