Choose Wisely:

Your chosen student accommodation can impact your happiness, so consider your options carefully. If you’re a social animal and crave other people’s company, choose housemates that are similar to you in terms of their social life and energy levels, rather than subject. If a student house share is your preference, group some friends together and seek out a property; student rooms to rent in houses or flats that already have their own dynamics may make it difficult to settle in.  

Be prepared:

Certain issues regularly cause problems further down the line; but if discussed up front with your housemates, this can be avoided. Three of the biggest complaints that arise are people not cleaning after themselves, people using other people’s food, and an unfair sharing of bills. Figure these out before you move in to your student accommodation to prevent unnecessary fallouts. It might sound silly, but choosing to have some communal food basics and a cleaning rota could be your saving grace!

Agree Boundaries:  

We’re talking important stuff that can easily irritate and set sparks flying – for instance, visitors (How many? How often?) noise levels (How loud and how late?), wifi usage (streaming – how much, how often?), partners (Is staying over OK? How frequently?). With boundaries set, you can offer a reasoned argument if someone oversteps them; otherwise, you don’t have a leg to stand on and your complaints will probably be ignored.

Approach Calmly:

Whatever the issue, approach the person you have an issue with calmly. Find out if other housemates also have the same issues and if so, approach together. Often, the person may not realise their behaviour is offensive; if they do and they refuse to listen to reason, then you make have to take the next step.

Landlord Intervention:

This may be your last choice of action, but if you are suffering at the hands of some truly difficult and obnoxious behaviour (property damage, violence, etc), let your landlord know. You can contact your landlord directly or through your chosen student letting agents; your landlord will want to make sure that their accommodation and tenants are happy and safe.

Handling student tenant security problems are very different to regular tenants. It is really important to be aware of the unique security problems that students could bring to the table, and how you can minimise or avoid them.

1. Lack of Security Knowledge

As a student landlord, it is really important to remind and educate your tenants about basic security. Usually, student tenants are moving out on their own for the first time and may not be aware of all the risks and issues surrounding security protocol. Teaching your tenants’ basic handling of security will not only reduce the risk of compromised security, it will protect you and your property in the long run.

On occasion, your student tenants might forget to close a window or lock a door on your rental property. Not only will this pose a huge risk for all your student tenants’ belongings inside the property and potential damage to the property, it could cause huge problems with your landlord insurance.

Educating your new student tenants about security is a must. It is recommended that on move-in day, that you show your students around the property and explain all the security measures which should take place before leaving your rental property.

Recommended: How to handle problem housemates

2. Unregulated Key Control

As a landlord, key control should be familiar.

Key control is usually put in place to deter unauthorised access to buildings and to also manage who has control of unit keys and master keys.

As with any tenant, students could lose apartment keys or compromise security by getting unauthorised spare keys cut (which could violate lease agreements). As a landlord, it is crucial to consider key management and include rules in rental agreement of how keys should be handled with your student tenants.

Landlords should also make sure that they do not compromise key control when they are acquiring new student tenants. It is always best to reach out to a locksmith so that they can help you rekey locks on some or all of the units.

Also Read: 5 quick tips for student landlords

3. Volatile Personal Relationships

Every so often landlords will have to deal with volatile relationships.

If your tenant has problems, and one party decides to lash out, there is a chance that your property and your other tenants may be caught in the crossfire.

It is crucial to pay attention to the kind of relationships your tenant has (without being nosy) because it will help give you some insight into how their acquaintances will treat your property. This will also come in handy if you are dealing with housemates. The way your student tenants treat personal relationships will be an indicator as to how they will handle issues with their housemate down the line.

Do your research

Research, research, research. If you want to make the most out of your investment and ensure you’re competing with rental prices, in-depth research is a must. Take a look at Rightmove or Zoopla and find similar properties in the area to get an indication of the rental costs.

It’s also worth checking to see if you need to register your rental property for multiple-occupancy.

Inspect your property regularly

Popping into your property at least every quarter is a great way to keep track of the condition of it and record any damage or mess. Use this opportunity to get your tenants to clean or fix any problems, so come the end of the tenancy, there will be less of a rush.

If you notice any mould, it’s great to get on top of it. Bare in mind that mould is not always the tenant’s fault and can be related to the structure of the building so try to find the root cause of it. It’s important to communicate with your tenants and ensure rooms are being properly aired or heated.

Health and safety checks

1. Water is very important, also A gas safety check by a certified engineer to ensure your property aligns with gas safety regulations.

2. Eletricity connection, An EPC check is due every ten years, or earlier if you have made any energy saving changes. Find an accredited domestic energy assistant to undertake the check.

3. Smoke detectors on every floor of the property and must be wired into the mains.

Inventory checks

Inventory checks are the incredibly important when it comes to check in and check out days. Take photos of everything, any marks on the walls or carpet, the condition of the rooms and even the oven. Have a full inventory list of everything left in the property, including the number of spoons you have in the drawer. Give your tenants time to check everything over and agree to the inventory check so come the end of the tenancy, you have photographic proof and tenant signatures to back up your claims.

Improve efficiency

Having a “green” property is becoming more and more important to students and they look to save anywhere they can. Efficiency is must and here’s what you need to do to improve it:

1. Replace existing low-energy lighting with LEDs – a really simple and inexpensive change to introduce immediately.

2. Insulate the loft with decent insulation – it can save up to £160 on average each year.

3. Upgrade the boiler and central heating system – inefficient boilers can add more than £200 to your energy bills.

4. Double glazing windows – the initial investment is fairly high but will trap more heat indoors and save money in the long term.

Keep your tenants happy

Having a good relationship with your tenants is a must. If there are any problems, you want to have good communication with them. The best way to manage your relationship with them is being prepared to deal with complaints or problems immediately, sorting out repairs and chasing rents. Be respectful of your tenants but firmly enforce rules of the tenancy agreement and payment terms.

To reduce the hassle of chasing rents, we recommend making the rental due dates tie in with student loans or payment days for part-time jobs.

There’s hundreds, if not thousands of options on the market when it comes to student housing; double bedrooms, properties with gardens, recently renovated. But what else should you think about when searching for the perfect student house?

Luckily, we’ve put together a list of key things to look out for when searching for a student property.

1. Who to live with?

It’s finally time to decide who you’re going to live with for the next year – but who should you choose? Just because you can go out for a drink with someone, or have a laugh and a joke with them in lectures, doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be a walk in the park to live with.

Before you sign on the dotted line, or even consider viewing student properties, you must consider if you actually want to live with these chosen housemates. Everyone has their own living habits, so it’s worth finding out a little bit more about your potential student housemates’ expectations for next year. Will there be a cleaning rota? How will you live together? And most importantly, how often do they want to party? If their way of living sounds like your idea of hell, then it’s pretty much guaranteed that you’re going to have a very long, and difficult year ahead.

2. What about the bills?

Ahh, money problems…. the kryptonite for every single student.  But what about the bills? It’s very likely that most, if not all, of your maintenance loan is going to be swallowed up by rent. So you’ve got to be prepared. Before viewing a property, it’s worth finding out how you and your potential housemates are going to pay the bills.

Will you have to pay more rent for a bigger bedroom? That’s the main question on students minds when booking a student house. In our experience, students usually split the rent equally as they rarely spend time in their rooms, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right answer for you. Before you progress with your room booking, make sure you decide on how the rent will be split.

Warning: if you do decide to split the rent unevenly, make sure everyone has committed to the agreed situation (preferably in writing) before you sign a contract.

3. Have you viewed the property?

It might sound like a given, but you should view the property before booking it if possible. Trust me, we at AidTheStudent.com see plenty of students trying to book properties without viewing them, and sometimes it can end in disaster. So make sure you’re actually attending the student property and checking it thoroughly before booking it. If you’re not able to attend to view the student property, suggest a Skype viewing or at least extensive photos to make an informed decision.

Also, there’s no shame in asking mum and dad to pop around the property and take a look. They’ve most likely bought or rented properties before, and will know what to look out for when viewing somewhere.

Your heart might be set on booking a certain student property, but we recommend viewing a couple before rushing into making a decision. Think about it, when buying clothing, you wouldn’t choose the first thing you see; you’d try a couple on first. So why do it when viewing a house? Compare the properties you have viewed; how much is the rent, the location of the property, and how close it is to transport routes to make sure you’re getting the most for your money. There is a fine line though between making an informed decision, and going over the top and viewing hundreds of different student properties. Think about the current tenants, and try and cause as little disruption to them as possible.

When you’re viewing the property, there’s plenty of things to look out for. Check out our student property viewing checklist. to ensure you miss nothing at your property viewings.

4. How will you get to university?

If there’s one thing Channel 4 has taught us over the years, it’s Location, Location, Location. No matter how great a student property is, if every lecture is going to require a three-hour journey to get to your lectures, then it’s likely not the right house for you.

Before you book a student house, make sure you take note of public transport stops on Google Maps, travel routes, and how long it will take to get to your university. In reality, the closer you can get to your campus, the better.

When it’s time to get to that all-important 9 AM lecture, or late evening seminar, you will really appreciate the shorter travel journeys and hopefully your grades will reflect that!

5. Have you checked the tenancy contract?

Don’t forget that renting a student house is a legally binding contract, and you will be forced to comply with the terms and conditions you sign to. We recommend reading through your tenancy agreement, and perhaps getting someone with experience of renting to check it over too, to make sure everything is clear and reasonable.

It might sound a little excessive, but if you’re a couple of months into your rental agreement and you spot mould appearing inside the property, you’ll be very grateful that your letting agreement covers you.

6. What about security?

Student populated areas are usually a hotspot for burglars; so ensure that your student rental property has appropriate security features fitted.

When viewing the student property, it’s important to look out for locks on the doors and windows, burglar alarms, and whether there’s a neighbourhood watch programme.

The level of security will not only protect your belongings, it will also have a huge impact on your insurance. If possible, we recommend getting in touch before going to the property to find out which security features will have a positive (or negative) impact on your insurance policy.

Tenant insurance will give you peace of mind as it will protect your contents from theft or damage. It’s really important to protect your belongings as soon as you move into a student property, especially if the property is empty during the day.  

We’ve teamed up with security specialists to find out three unique security concerns for students.

7. Water Suppy

Conducive living facilities for students across the country constitute a vital requirement for a smooth education experience in universities. Sadly, with the number of admission seekers, and even with the seemingly low figure of those who are eventually admitted, many universities don’t seem adequately equipped to accommodate the students, leaving them to resort to off-campus alternatives.

However, with the reports from across the country, the available facilities within the campuses in some schools don’t even seem habitable enough for humans. From Abuja to Lagos to Ibadan and even to Enugu in the South-East, the reports are a mix of good, bad and the downright ugly.

When your choosing your apartment at uni, make sure you take your time to look for a place where they have water.

8. Electricity

Despite the obvious connection between electricity and educational achievement, however, the troubling scenes in Nigeria, are repeated in thousands and thousands of homes, organizations, hospitals, and and student hostel is not excepted across this noesis. As student always laments, in the educational community, “we focus largely on pedagogy and little on access to energy”. When choosing choosing an apartment to rent consider a place with an head start on electricity. watch out for a soon to be written article about electrify in student hostel.

9. Do you need parking?

This may not concern all university students, but if a few of your potential housemates have cars, think about where you can park. Some properties may have space or two, but what happens if you don’t have available parking or a drive? Have a look whether you will park on the road and how busy it is, or the local parking signage as you may require parking permits.

When you’re viewing a property for university, it’s worth taking your time to search the property and make sure everything is at a high standard. You might feel pressure to secure a house; but it pays off to be thorough when viewing the property.

We’ve put together a list of essential questions worth asking when visiting a student property.

Safety and Security Features

1. Is there a safety blanket and a fire extinguisher in the kitchen?
2. Does the landlord possess an up-to-date gas safety record which has been carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer?
3. Is there any fire detection equipment and do they work?
4. Are there any carbon monoxide detectors and do they work?
5. Does all the furniture and furnishings comply with Fire Safety regulations (1998)?
6. Are there locks on the windows and do they have keys?
7. Is there a burglar alarm for the property?
8. Are there any signs of exposed electrical wiring such as loose wires, faulty plugs or lights?
9. Are there suitable locks on the exterior doors of the property?

External Features

1. Is there any slipped or broken tiles on the roof of the property?
2. Are there cracks or damage to the exterior walls?
3. Is there any rotten timber? (Doors, Window Frames)
4. Is the guttering blocked or broken?
5. Is there rusting or cracking to pipes or gutters?
6. Is there mould or vegetation growing out of the gutters?

Internal Features

1. Are there signs of mould or damp?
2. Is there any mould around the window frames or in the bathroom?
3. Is there any damage to fixtures, fittings and furnishings?
4. Is the property properly insulated? (Double glazing)
5. Are there locks on the bedroom doors?
6. Do the kitchen appliances and white goods work properly? (Fridges, Washing Machine)
7. Is there any mould around the windows?