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Finding Private Rented Accommoda on
2 Contents Top Tips 3 Choosing Your Housemates 4 Cost of ren ng 5 Area guide 6-7 Budge ng 8-9 Guarantors and references 10 House viewing checklist 11-12 Contract checklist 13 Moving in 14-15 Landlord responsibili es 16 Trouble Shoo ng 17 Deposit protec on 18 Contacts 19
3
Top Tips
When to look Where to look
Houses are usually adver sed 4-8 weeks • ULHS has a flatsharing message
before they are available and it takes at board and property lis ngs
least 1 – 2 weeks to find a place that you
www.housing.london.ac.uk
are happy with. Houses adver sed
through the University of London • Le6ng agents registered on these
Housing Service are adver sed earlier, websites are recommended. Find
from May onwards. agents based in your chosen area
www.arla.co.uk
Houses are adver sed www.nalscheme.co.uk
4-8 weeks www.naea.co.uk
• Agents and landlords also adver se
before they are available on the following sites
www.zoopla.co.uk
Always view a house before you sign a
www.rightmove.co.uk
contract or transfer any money.
www.spareroom.co.uk
Dinwiddy House offers affordable short
• Local shops some mes put adverts in
stay accommoda on during the summer;
their windows for people looking for
its central loca on makes it a good place
lodgers or tenants
to start your search.
www.sanctuary-students.com/ Facebook: SOAS Accommoda on group
dinwiddy-house
Arranging viewings
Work out your budget Get an early start, and spend an hour or
Knowing what you can afford to spend two in the morning looking for suitable
will help you narrow down your search. proper es using the ps above. When
Use the budge ng tools on pages 8 to you see a property you like, phone and
help work out your budget. try to make an appointment for later on
that day. Leave plenty of me to get
Choose your area
from one viewing to the next — 3-4
Use the map on page 7 and the ps on viewings is probably enough for one day.
page 6 to decide on an area you want to If you are looking as a group, try to go
live in. Consider transport links —use and see the property all together as
Google Maps or the City Mapper App to arranging mul ple viewings can take up
work out your journey to SOAS. Most valuable me. Use the checklist on pages
students live in zones 2-3. 11-12 when viewing proper es, and take
lots of photos so you can remember it
later.
4
Choosing your housemates
Whether you are looking for a place to live with friends, or looking online to find
new housemates, taking me to consider who you live with can help to stop
problems developing later in the year. Groups of 2-5 are best for house hun ng in
London
Finding Housemates
Consider….
At SOAS, there are always opportu-
Budget – choose housemates with a similar
ni es to meet new people. Would
budget to you, and s ck to it when you go
you like to live with people from
house hun ng. Big discrepancies in what
your course, or do you want to
you can afford both in terms of rent and
branch out and live with others?
living costs can raise tensions.
Have you enjoyed living with your
flatmates in hall, or would you like a Cleanliness – different people have
change? Join a society or a@end different a6tudes towards keeping their
some Students’ Union events to living space clean and dy. How important
meet poten al flatmates. is this to you?
Many new students arrive in Daily rou ne – consider your metable and
London without knowing anyone. when you will be in and out of the house.
Look out for the ULHS flatmate What me do you usually go to sleep? Are
finder event in September, or try you easily woken by housemates coming in
the ULHS flatsharing message late?
board. Socialising – do you prefer to live in a quiet
www.housing.london.ac.uk house where you can study or a noisy party
house? How do you feel about your house-
mates bringing friends over?
Dealbreakers – think about
your worst nightmare house-
mate. What would you ab-
solutely not be able to live
with? Make sure your house-
mates know what is most
important to you.
5
Cost of ren ng
Holding Deposit Rent
The le6ng agent may ask for a holding deposit
whilst you make up your mind and arrange your £120-£200
paperwork. This usually means that the property
will not be offered to anyone else—but always
check with the agent.
Bills
Only put down a holding deposit if you are sure
about a property, as it is usually non-refundable
if you change your mind.
£10-£15
Always get a receipt for a holding deposit
per week
outlining proposed rent, length of contract, start
date of tenancy and length of me you have to
finalise your contract with the landlord.
Other agency charges
Le6ng agents usually charge for their
services. Charges can include
Deposit for damages
• Contract fee
You will also be expected to pay a deposit when • Reference checking fee
you move in, usually equivalent to 4-6 week’s rent. • Checking in charges (you may also
The landlord can make deduc ons from this be charged for checking out)
deposit to pay for unpaid bills, cleaning or damage
There is no limit to what agents can
to the property, but if you hand back the property
charge, although fees will usually total
in the same condi on as when you moved in the
£100-150 per person.
deposit is refundable.
These charges must be adver sed up-
If you have an Assured Shorthold Tenancy agree-
front. It is illegal for an agent to charge
ment, your landlord must put your deposit in one
you to look round a property, or to
of the following schemes :
• Deposit Protec on Service
• My Deposits
• Tenancy Deposit Scheme
Average rent by area 6 This map gives an indica on of rent prices in different areas. Central London is by far the most expensive place to live. Living further away can mean cheaper rent, but will push your travel costs up. When looking at an area, consider the travel zone that it is in, and use the TFL website to research transport costs. www.=l.gov.uk Student Oyster card A student Oyster card will save you 30% off any travel card. Visit www.=l.gov.uk/photocard to apply You can also link your Oyster to your Young Person’s Railcard to save 1/3 on single off peak tube fares www.16-25railcard.co.uk
Choosing an area 7
SOAS students live all over London and
beyond. Choosing an area that you like
and feel safe in is important. Areas in
London tend to be very diverse, with
different communi es oMen living in
certain areas. This can be really useful No 6
for prac cing the language you are n g Hi
West ll Car
Lond nival
learning at SOAS! on ,
We
Most students commute
20-40 mins
to SOAS*
Spend some me researching different
areas. You can do this by visi ng them,
looking online, talking to other Hampsted Heath,
students, or visi ng the SOAS Housing North London
Adviser. Some great ps can be found
here
www.commonplace.arts.ac.uk/where-
i-live
Koko music
venue,
Camden
Many students choose to live along the
Piccadilly Line (dark blue) and Northern
Line (black) as these provide good
transport links with SOAS.
Popular areas include Caldeonian Road,
Holloway Road, Camden Town, Ken sh
Town, Finsbury Park, Manor House and Street art, East London
Stoke Newington.
*SOAS SU Accommoda on Survey 2012-13
Working out a budget 8
Working out your budget is vital to finding affordable accommoda on, avoiding
financial issues developing later in the year. Once you have an idea of rent costs in
different areas, you can input them into this table to work out what you can
afford. Use the table on the opposite page if you are unsure of some costs.
Weekly expenditure £ Weekly Income £
Accommoda on Student Loan *
*Undergraduates should divide their total student finance contribu ons by 39 to get a
U lity Bills Special Support Grant*
weekly amount as these contribu ons are designed to support you during term me only
Internet Maintenance grant*
Food University bursary*
Insurance Other bursary*
Travel Scholarship/trust/grant
Study Materials Earnings
TV Licence Career development loan
Mobile phone Parent/partner contribu on
Entertainment Housing benefit
Toiletries/cleaning products Child benefit
Clothing/footwear Other
Childcare Total
Outstanding debts
Other
Total
Total income – total expenditure =
*Undergraduates should divide their total student finance contribu ons by 39 to get a
weekly amount as these contribu ons are designed to support you during term me only
Cost of living in London 9
Accommoda on £120-
Private rented accommoda on in zones 2-3 may be found for £120- 200
200 per week.
U lity Bills £10-15
In private rented accommoda on you will usually be responsible for
paying gas, electricity and water bill. Some mes this is included in
the rent.
Food £30-40
Going to larger supermarkets, buying ‘value’ range or own brand
items, shopping at the SOAS Coop and buying in bulk with your flat-
mates can help to keep food costs down.
Insurance £2
In private rented accommoda on, you will need to purchase con-
tents cover to protect your belongings from theM or damage.
Travel £10-30
The closer you are to SOAS, the cheaper your transport costs will
be. You may need to buy a travelcard – students save up to 30% on
the normal price. A bus only travel card is cheaper, whilst many
students choose to cycle.
Study Materials £5-£10
Most study materials will be required within the first few weeks of
your course. All SOAS printers have a scan to email func on, which
may reduce your photocopying costs.
TV Licence £3
If you want to watch TV you need to get a TV licence
Mobile phone £10
Internet
Shop around to find the cheapest provider £5
Entertainment £20-40
Look for discounts offered to students for club nights, theatre and
cinema ckets, and special events, as well as free events held at the
Students' Union.
Miscellaneous £20
Birthday presents, clothes, toiletries, cleaning products, pre-
scribed medica on, sta onary, etc.
Total £230-
£430
Guarantors and references 10
Guarantors References
It is common prac ce in London for
Some agents and landlord will ask for a
private landlords and agents to ask
for a guarantor based in the UK reference from your previous rented
(usually a parent, friend or rela ve) property. If you lived in halls, a reference
who would pay your rent if, for any that states you have been a good tenant
reason, you do not pay. If you are and paid your rent in full may be provid-
unable to provide a guarantor, they ed. If this is your first me living away
may ask for 3 to 6 months’ rent in
from home, a character reference from a
advance. This can leave you in a vul-
nerable financial posi on, so where teacher, employer or someone who has
possible try to nego ate with the known you for a long me may be ac-
landlord. cepted.
If you have an individual contract Nego a ng
with your landlord, then your Housing in London is in short supply, and
guarantor will only be responsible for landlords and agents may try to pressure
your share of the rent. However if a
you into signing a contract quickly. How-
joint contract has been signed, your
ever, if there is something about the
guarantor may be liable for unpaid
property that you would like to have
bills and rent of other tenants. You
changed—for example you would like a
may be able to ask your landlord to
desk in the bedroom, or a washing ma-
provide a guarantor form which limits
chine—you can nego ate the terms of
the liability to your rent—see the
your contract. Anything that the landlord
SOAS Accommoda on web pages for
agrees to should be put in wri ng before
an alterna ve guarantor form.
you sign the contract. You can ask that
this is made as an ’addendum’ to the
contract.
Equally, if you think the rent is unreason-
able, you can try making an offer of a
lower amount. Again, be sure to get any
agreement in wri ng.House viewing checklist 11 Cut this out and make copies so that you can take it to your viewings. Address of property………………………………………………………………………………………………… Number of rooms…………… Date available…………………………………. Contact details of landlord/agency…………………………………………………………………………… Rent per week £………………. (divide monthly rent by 4.3) Addi onal agency fees per tenant £……….. Deposit £……….. Loca on How long is the journey from the property to SOAS? Tip – Use City Mapper or Google Maps to work out your route How far is the property from a bus/rail/tube stop? Is there a regular night bus to the area? How far away is the nearest supermarket? Are there other ameni es nearby – eg. pub, cinema, gym, shops? Would you feel safe coming home alone at night? Tip – If you have visited a property during the day, consider visi%ng the area at night to see how you feel External Features Does the exterior of the property look well maintained? Tip – look out for broken gu&ering, missing roof %les, cracked window panes If there is a garden is it well maintained and clear of rubbish? Tip – ask who is responsible for maintaining the garden Internal features Is there enough communal living space? Do the bedroom sizes meet your expecta ons? Tip – Take photographs so you can compare with other proper%es Does the interior look well maintained? Tip – look for signs of damp eg. mould on carpets or walls, check that the hot water, hea%ng and lights work, check that there are no outstanding repairs Is there sufficient hea ng? Tip – ask to have this turned on before/when you arrive
12 Is furniture provided? Tip – ask the landlord/agent to be specific about what furniture is/isn’t included. You may be able to nego%ate for addi%onal furniture. Does the house have double glazing? Tip – this helps to keep warmth in and saves money on hea%ng bills Is there a washing machine? Safety Does the landlord possess a gas safety cer ficate provided by a Safe Gas Registered engineer within the last 12 months? Tip – you can check this on www.gassaferegister.com Does the property have working smoke alarms? Are plug sockets free from cracks and other damage? Are all windows lockable? Are there strong locks on front and back doors? Tip – look for solid wood doors, double pane glass, and deadlock bolts Your Landlord Is the landlord or agency part of an accredita on scheme? Do you have the landlord’s full name and address? Have you seen a copy of the HMO licence? If the property houses 5 or more people over 3 or more floors Has the landlord provided details about the deposit protec on scheme they will use to protect your money? Would you feel comfortable approaching your landlord/agent for repairs or any other issues? Contract If you have decided on a property, ask to see the contract before signing it Have you taken the contract to the University of London housing Service to be checked Do you know if any bills are included in the rent? Have you got any proposed changed in wri ng? eg. plans for refurbishments, promised changes, addi%onal furniture agreed, dates of comple%on
Contract checklist 13 What kind of contract is it? The most common type of contract is an assured shorthold tenancy. If you are not sure, seek advice before signing. Are you signing a joint contract or individual contracts? If it is joint, does everyone understand that they could be asked to pay another housemate’s share of the rent if they do not pay it? Check for The correct address of the property or room you are ren ng Full name/address of the landlord (and agent if there is one) Name(s) of the tenant(s0 and contact addresses Guarantors If you require a guarantor: Have all guarantors seen the guarantor form and tenancy agreement? If it is a joint contract, is the guarantor’s liability limited to an individual tenant’s share of the rent? Length of contract Do you know when the contract starts? Do you know when, why and how the contract can be ended? Do you know how long the contract lasts and if there is a break clause? A break clause allows you to end the contract earlier than the end date if you wish Money Do you know how much the rent is and are you and any joint tenants happy to pay it for the full dura on of the contract? Are there any bills include in the contract? If yes, have you checked the terms of this arrangement? e.g. fair usage or maximum amount clauses Are there any other charges to pay? e.g. signing/checkout fees Does the contract detail the deposit protec on scheme being used and why money can be deducted? Other terms Have you read the contract in full and understand your rights and obliga ons? Have you had your contract checked by ULHS*? Good landlords will let you take the contract away for 24 hours before signing Have you got any proposed changed in wri ng? eg. plans for refurbishments, promised changes, addi%onal furniture agreed, dates of comple%on *University of London housing Services www.housing.london.ac.uk
Moving in 14
A week before you move in
Check your paperwork and make sure you’ve done everything you have to to get the
keys eg.
• paying deposit
• paying first month’s rent
• providing signed guarantor form
• comple ng standing order forms for future rent payments
Move in day
Make sure you keep a record of the condi on and what is provided in the property.
This might seem like hard work on your move in day but it is crucial to ensuring you
get your deposit back. Take photos of the current condi on of the rooms and any
damage you no ce. Check that this is noted in the inventory.
The inventory
The landlord should complete an inventory – this is a list of what is in the property
and, more importantly, what condi on the property is in. They should give you a copy
to check and sign. Make sure that you
• note any changes – ensure all damage no ma@er how small is included
• sign and date
• keep a copy
• give/send the amended version back to your landlord
If the property isn’t up to standard
In most cases, problems with the property do not
stop the contract from being binding.
Report any issues in wri ng to the landlord. Always
keep a wri@en record of any correspondence
between you and your landlord.
Seek advice from the University of London Housing
Service before you walk away from a property as
you may remain liable for rent.Move in day: 15
Check and sign inventory—make
sure that all damage or issues are
noted
Take photos of condi on of
property and any damage
Take a meter readings
Report any issues to landlord in
wri ng
Bills
Take meter readings for electricity, gas and water (if applicable) as soon as you move in
and keep a note of these.
Even if bills are included in your rent, s ll take a meter reading if you have access to the
meter.
Within the first week
• Find out who supplies your u li es. The Ci zens Advice Bureau may be able to help
you with this www.ci zensadvice.org.uk
• Contact the current supplier and open a new account in your name. Have your meter
reading from the day you moved in to ensure that you are not charged for any
previous tenants’ bills.
• Find out from your local council when your bins get emp ed and how your local
recycling scheme works
• Introduce yourself to your neighbours – this can reduce risks of future disagreements
and help to reduce risk of burglary.
Within 30 days of moving in
Within 30 days of paying your deposit, you should receive confirma on that your deposit
has been protected. Contact your landlord if you have not received this informa on.Landlords 16
Landlords’ responsibili es Use emails or leGers when
• Protect your deposit in a deposit communica ng with your
protec on scheme, and inform you landlord. Avoid using text
of which scheme they have used messages.
• Allow you to live in the house
If you send leGers, ensure that they
without unnecessary disturbance
are dated and keep a copy. Follow
• To carry out certain repairs,
up any agreements or promises
including repairs to the exterior or
made in person or over the phone
structure of the property and keep-
with an email or leGer confirming
ing the equipment that supplies gas,
what was agreed.
electricity and water in working
order Live in landlord
• Give the tenant at least 24 hours
no ce before entering the property If you live in the same building as
• Meet safety standards, including your landlord, you will be a licensee
ge6ng gas safety cer ficates and rather than a tenant. You will not
HMO licence (for proper es housing have the same guarantee of legal
5+ people over 3+ floors) rights, so try to get a wri@en civil
• Follow the rules on rent as stated in agreement between you and your
your contract landlord. Get this checked by ULHS
before you sign.
• Give their name and a contact
address www.housing.london.ac.uk
Always keep a record of any correspondence
between you and your landlord.Trouble-shoo ng 17
Disagreements dealt with differently by different local
Disagreements are a normal authori es—although rats will always be
part of living in a shared dealt with by your local Environmental
house. These may be due to Health Department.
personality clashes, or more A landlord is responsible for infesta ons
serious issues such as not paying bills. If that existed before you moved in or that
problems arise, the first step is to calmly occurred as a result of disrepair, but they
discuss the issue. Be open to hearing the may argue that the infesta on has been
other side of the story and the possibility of a caused by the tenants. Seek advice from the
compromise. Consider invi ng a someone sources overleaf if you feel you have been
from outside your household to mediate. unfairly charged for pest control.
If you are having problems regarding threat Leaving early
of violence, harassment, or extreme noise
and damage, contact the police, your local If you want to leave your
council, or the services listed overleaf. contract early, you will
need permission from your
Repairs landlord. In many cases,
Report repairs to the land- you will need to find a replacement that is
lord or managing agent in acceptable to your landlord and any other
detail as soon as you can. If tenants.
you have reported a repair It is rare that a tenant has the right to leave
over the phone, it is best to follow up in without the landlord’s permission, although
wri ng. Sec on 11 of the Landlord and there are some excep onal circumstances.
Tenant Act 1985 outlines the landlord’s duty Seek advice from the services listed overleaf
to repair; your tenancy agreement may also before you leave a property, as you main
include responsibili es of the tenant and remain liable for rent.
landlord.
Seek advice from the sources overleaf if the Top ps
landlord has not undertaken repairs within a
1. Put the issue/complaint in wri ng
reasonable me frame.
2. Seek advice as soon as possible—see
Pests overleaf for details
Report infesta ons of mice, 3. Try to keep emo ons out of disputes
rats, bedbugs or cockroaches
to your landlord as soon as
possible. Infesta ons areDeposit protec on 18
If you have an Assured Shorthold Tenancy your landlord must place your deposit within
one of three government approved protec on schemes within 30 days of receiving it.
They must tell you which scheme your money is protected with and give you certain
prescribed informa on within this 30 day period. If they do not do this, you can take
your landlord to court and may receive compensa on of up to 3 mes the amount of
your deposit.
Government approved deposit
30 Days protec on schemes:
• Deposit Protec on Service
Your landlord must
www.depositprotec on.com
protect your deposit
• My Deposits
within 30 days of
www.mydeposits.co.uk
receiving it
• Tenancy Deposit Scheme
www.tds.gb.com
10 Days Raising a dispute
If your deposit has not If, at the end of your tenancy, the landlord decides
been returned within 10 to withhold a por on of your deposit, you can raise
a dispute through your tenancy deposit scheme. All
days of the end of your
three schemes offer a free adjudica on service as
tenancy, you may raise a an alterna ve to going to court. The adjudica on is
dispute based solely on the evidence provided, which
includes your inventory, schedule of condi on and
any photos taken at the start and end of your
tenancy. This is why is important to ensure that
3 Months these are accurate and detailed at the start of your
tenancy, to ensure that you cannot be blamed for
A dispute can be raised damage that you didn’t cause.
up to 3 months aIer your If your landlord has not provided informa on
tenancy has ended about where your deposit is protected within the
first 30 days of receiving it, seek advice from the
SOAS Housing Adviser.Contacts 19
University of London Housing Ci zen Advice Bureau
Services Tel: 0845 0716 379
Student Central, Malet Street, www.ci zensadvice.org.uk
London, WC1E 7HY
Tel: 020 7862 8880 London Borough Councils
Email: housing@lon.ac.uk www.directory.londoncouncils.gov.uk
www.housing.london.ac.uk Gas safety register
www.gassaferegister.com
SOAS Housing Adviser
Land Registry
Student Advice and Wellbeing
www.eservices.landregistry.gov.uk
Vernon Square, V302
Email: le8@soas.ac.uk
Tel: 020 70745 011
www.soas.ac.uk/
studentadviceandwellbeing
SOAS Students’ Union
Email: SUadvice@soas.ac.uk
Tel: 020 7898 4983
www.soasunion.org
Shelter
Expert & emergency advice no
maGer what your situa on
Tel: 0808 800 4444
www.england.shelter.org.uk
This booklet was produced by SOAS Advice and Wellbeing Department.
To make any amendments please contact le8@soas.ac.uk20
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Follow @SOASWellbeing
Picture credits: Kunal, Jarmoluk, Sludge G, Alan Cleaver, Paree—CC AGributed works.
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