6 Tips for Finding Student Accommodation
One of the most pressing issues for students is finding accommodation. Sometimes you didn’t get a place in the dormitory, and sometimes you didn’t have the best luck with your dorm roommates. Whatever the reason, accommodation is something you have to solve as soon as possible after getting your acceptance letter from uni.
Notably, being young and out of your parents’ house for the first time puts a lot of pressure on you when solving your living situation. It could be quite overwhelming and confusing at times. But luckily, there are some simple guidelines to follow for getting a nice place and signing a lease. Here are six tips to keep in mind for a student in search of a place.
Start Early
Regardless of your particular situation, start planning the search as early as possible. There are a lot of things to consider when looking for accommodation. Are you renting alone or with a friend? Will the room be enough or you’re hoping to get an apartment yourself? What are your budget limitations? Naturally, you cannot expect yourself to deal with this in a day.
Finding a place takes time. There is no guarantee that you get the first one you see. You might not like it, or it could be snatched from you by the earlier viewer. Hence, make sure you have some time to do a proper search. And if you’re wondering who will help you during that time, put your trust into professionals who will write paper online. Thus, you can keep your priorities straight.
Keeping up with studies and searching for a place is quite a challenge. So, make sure time is on your side here. Always squeeze some time into your schedule to browse your options and be available to view the places.
Search Smartly
Half of your success is getting your initial data right. Determine right away what kind of place you’re looking for. Is it a room or is it an apartment? Do you mind sharing the space with the owners or would you prefer to share it with other tenants? Understanding how much space you need will give a clear idea of how to set the search parameters.
Make sure that you’re browsing trustworthy platforms for rent only. Do not rely on random ads, whether on the internet or glued somewhere on pieces of paper. Ask people who already rent where they found their place. See the reviews online and pick up a few sights to diversify your search.
Neighborhood Matters
Pay close attention to the neighborhood when looking for a place. As a student, you’re likely to spend long hours in the library and have days when you’re coming back late. You wouldn’t want to do that in the sketchy neighborhood.
Consider how far your place is from your uni. If you need to take transport to reach it, there will be an additional expense to add to your budget. See what is around. Is there a grocery store nearby? If you’re working out, it would be a good idea to pay attention to the gyms in the neighborhood as well.
Budgeting and Bargaining
Another thing to consider is the full price you have to pay when moving in. Don’t look at the monthly rent only. Add the deposit to that sum at least. See how much the utility bills will cost you. Think even about what you would need to buy or pay for when moving (i.e. boxes or transportation).
Consider the areas you can save money on as well. Do not be afraid to bargain for the better deal. Of course, it depends on the landlord and their disposition. But it never hurts to try. Since you’re a student, a lot of people can be sympathetic to give you a small discount. Do not be pushy and use it wisely.
Beware of the Scams
As easy as it is to find a bunch of advertisements for living spaces, there is also a high chance of getting scammed. Even if you’re browsing a platform that takes care of landlords’ verification, you can be unlucky to lose money. But there are a few things to keep in mind to avoid these situations.
Never share any of your credit card details in a chat. Do not pay anything to the landlord beforehand either. Discuss payment only after seeing the contract and reading it carefully. Sometimes scammers can get aggressive in messages, trying to pressure you to pay quickly. Block them and move on to another option.
Make Your Safety a Priority
Finally, be sure you’re following all the safety measures before visiting a place. There is no good in getting paranoid but it’s not smart to disregard precaution either. Make sure to ask your potential landlord about all the details of the accommodation. If they are behaving sketchy when just answering the questions about the place, you’d better skip this ad.
Run a background check on your potential landlord. Google their name to find their socials and see if they are a real person at least. Moreover, sometimes just googling a name can lead you to a news article that would immediately discourage you from meeting them in person.
If everything adds up to the point, arrange the meeting during business hours. Never go to an unfamiliar place at night. Ideally, take a friend or a relative with you for the first meeting. If the landlord insists on you showing up alone, just block the number and move on. Better safe than sorry.
Wrapping Up
Here you have it. Make sure that time is on your side when searching for accommodation. Think about all the parameters for your new home and include them in the search filter. Pay attention to the neighborhood’s reputation and its proximity to your uni. Budget smartly and try bargaining. Finally, be cautious about scammers and make safety your top priority during the viewing of the place.
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