“Students who are new to the UK to study must be most concerned about the housing issue. In recent years, many international students have chosen off-campus London student accommodation because they can live freely and comfortably. Here we will talk about London student accommodation. Consider a few factors.
When studying in the UK, there are mainly three types of accommodation for international students: one is living on campus, the other is homestay, and the third is student accommodations. Students can choose according to their own personal situation. If you choose to live in a student accommodation in the UK, you need to know some precautions for student accommodations, and I will introduce them to you below.
Check in time
First of all, students must know when your existing contract expires, and when looking for a new house, you have to find a check-in time that can be connected. For example, if your current contract expires at the end of June, then the house you need to find will be available for occupancy in mid-June or at the end of June.
What to consider before renting in London
If the house you are looking for can only be moved in in July, then it is not suitable for you, because during this period of time, where do you want to live?
About rent
When you are in a student accommodation London, students must ask clearly what is included in the rent. Miscellaneous fees such as water and electricity grids are included in the rent of some houses, while others do not and need to be paid by the tenants themselves. But generally you rent alone, and the rent does not include miscellaneous expenses. In addition, the tenant has to pay the local government tax (Council Tax). However, if you are a student, you only need to apply for a student certification letter from the school and send it to the local government. In the past, it was tax-free.
The emerging trends in student accommodation reflect a dynamic and evolving landscape that aims to enhance students’ comfort, convenience, and overall well-being. Inclusive design and accessibility initiatives, wellness-focused amenities, advanced security systems, experiential living spaces, sustainability efforts, and personalized tech-enabled experiences are transforming the student accommodation experience.
Note that the tax-free time is the same as your student letter time.
For example, if your student certification letter states that your class will end in June, but in fact your actual graduation time is not June, your local government tax holiday will also end in June. If you rent an entire apartment in the UK, if you do not work or your annual salary does not reach a certain amount, the intermediary or the landlord may ask the tenant to provide a rent guarantor (Guarantor), which is used to protect you if you have no personal guarantee , if in case you can’t pay the rent, your landlord’s rights can be protected, and if you can’t pay, your guarantor can help you pay.
There are also requirements for the guarantor. This person must work in the UK and the annual salary must reach a certain amount. If the students cannot provide a guarantor, it doesn’t matter, most intermediaries or landlords will accept you to pay the rent in advance as a guarantee, usually starting from 6 months’ rent.
The most important thing is that before you look for a house, you must first calculate how much rent you can afford, and set a range for yourself, so that you can find a house more accurately, and if you find an intermediary, you can better recommend suitable ones for you house.
Security check
Before you enter the student accommodation, you need to confirm with the agent or the landlord whether all the electrical appliances in the house have been tested (Portable Appliance Testing), and you should ask to see the test certificate as a confirmation.
Also, look out for smoke or burglar alarms in the house, and if the landlord is providing furniture, you should check that it complies with the latest UK fire safety regulations.
House inspection
Before moving into student accommodation, you should check that the interior is in good condition, that there are no signs of damp or peeling paint, that there is central heating, as winters in the UK can be quite cold and that it is essential to check that the heating is working properly, many international students have to buy electric heaters separately because the heating at home is broken or not warm in winter.
In addition, whether the furniture and electrical appliances in the house can be used normally.
Are there any signs of water leakage in the shower or faucet in the toilet? If these things are found to be broken after you move in, if you encounter a bad landlord, you may be asked for compensation, or deducted from your deposit. Remember to check all this before you move in, and ask the landlord to fix the broken things before you move in. You may be thinking, how did you check this? You have no experience at all! Don’t be afraid, if you are looking for a formal intermediary student accommodation, the intermediary will provide the Inventory Report service, that is, the inventory report of the house supplies, and there will be a special person to help you check it. This report is very important and you can check it out in the future. Prevent landlords from deducting rent randomly.
About the deposit
In student accommodations, tenants will be required to provide a deposit, but this deposit is not held by the intermediary or the landlord themselves. British law stipulates that all tenants’ deposits need to be placed in a deposit custodian. When many international students check out at the end, they will not get their deposit back. Therefore, everyone must understand the legal regulations related to deposits. If you have any questions about student accommodation in London, UK, please call Xiaoju, and we will arrange professional consultants to answer you in detail.
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