Looking for your first home
Published on 18 November 15
House-hunting season has started, but no need to start panicking about where to live and who to live with just yet!
Most housing lists are released in November, December and January so it's great to start thinking about the preparations you'll need to do to make to ensure your first year out of halls goes smoothly.
There'll still be plenty of houses left after Christmas but it's still worth bearing in mind some students will have completed this process for a year or two now so may have a head start on you.
Who to live with?
Deciding who to live with next year is a really important decision. You'll all be responsible for paying the rent and bills on time so make sure you take some time out to discuss options with your friends before you sign on the dotted line.
Think about your work/life balance. Do your friends study at the same time as you and go out and fun with you? Are you and your friends larks or owls?
Where to live?
Manchester is a great city with fantastic public transport infrastructure, so no matter where you decide to live it's always relatively easy to get back onto campus. Make sure you choose the right area to live with our handy area guide.
Finding a property – we can help!
There are many online resources helping you find a property but to help you find the right home for you, Manchester Student Homes will be holding four student accommodation fairs at the following locations:
- Tuesday 1st December, University Place, 10am – 4pm
- Wednesday 2nd December, Owens Park, 1pm – 7pm
- Tuesday 8th December, The Academy, 10am – 4pm
- Wednesday 9th December, Barnes Wallis Hub (North Campus), 10am – 4pm
You'll be able to meet approved landlords, letting agents and private hall managers, and search for hundreds of properties suitable for all tastes and budgets available for September 2016/2017. Manchester Student Homes will also be on hand to provide free, independent housing advice.
Signing the contract – don't rush it!
Once you've found a property Manchester Student Homes offers a free contract checking service. They can go through the contract with you and inform you about any unusual or unfair clauses and how best to negotiate with the landlord.
During this busy house-hunting time it is important not to rush in or be rushed into signing an agreement before having it checked over. You should request a copy of the contract to check before handing over any money. All Manchester Student Homes accredited landlords should provide you with a copy of the contract and at least 24 hours to get this checked over.
There are several things to consider when signing a tenancy:
- Type of contract - joint and several/ fixed term/ licence agreement?
- Deposit protection clauses- make sure your deposit is protected properly!
- Guarantor agreements - what additional clauses are being attached to this and what is being asked of your guarantor?
- Summer retainers - do you get access to the property? Who has responsibility for bills at this time?
- Fees- what fees are there, is the landlord being up front about any additional fees you may have to pay?
- If the landlord has promised any extra building work and repairs, decoration or additional items then these should be included in the contract before signing.
- Any hidden clauses- always read the small print.
To get your contract checked you can drop into the Manchester Student Homes office in Fallowfield Monday to Friday 9-5 or email it.
They're also going to be available in the Atrium on Tuesday 24 November 10am – 4pm for confidential and personal advice. Information and useful literature can also be found in University Place during the 23-27 November.
Manchester Student Homes
Email: manchesterstudenthomes@manchester.ac.uk
Tel: 0161 275 7680
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ManchesterStudentHomes
Twitter: @Man_Student_Hme