10 Tips All Student Should Know Before They Rent

It’s true that renting accommodation in university can be a fun and exciting experience. Renting offers you the opportunity to meet new people, enjoy living with your friends and overall become a more independent person.

Although the idea may sound simple and straightforward, there is always the possibility to run into a few troublesome snags along the way from uncooperative landlords to unpaid bills and rent. However, with the right knowledge and preparation from the guidance available to you, you can get the most out of your rented property and fully enjoy the time you spend there.  

NSW Properties are here to give you the advice and guidance to tackle these potential issues as well as show you what we can provide to help you find the perfect rent property for you.

Know Your Stuff

The best way to find out the most about a property is to speak to other students or check the university advice website for first-hand experiences with renting in the area you are thinking of going to. Factors such as average rent charged as well as available accommodation can drastically vary depending on the area you choose. Student unions provide free housing and legal advice as well as tenancy agreement checks so you can find out more about a property before you decide upon the right one.

NSW Properties understand the importance of knowing a property before you rent it. We meet with Edge Hill SU each year to discuss how students can be better informed on the process and as a result of this, Edge Hill SU hold seminars for students to attend to advise them on searching for a house. From working with the university, the NSW portfolio is featured on their approved list of properties.

Rent With the Right People

It’s a fact that anyone can become a landlord. Due to this, you may find that some do not have your best interests at heart. To ensure you’re working with a trustworthy and genuine landlord, you can receive advice from letting agents who works with professional organisations such as ARLA. Such organisations offer free, independent services for solving disputes and protecting you if any problems occur whilst you’re renting.   

NSW is a member of ARLA and voluntarily subscribe to the Property Ombudsman who provide free, impartial and independent alternative dispute resolution service. We’ll make sure you have access to help and advice about your rent whenever you need it.

Deposits

Whenever you pay the deposit for your rented property, landlords are legally required to safeguard the deposit and must place the money in one of three government-approved schemes. They are then required to inform you of the location of your money, as well as how to get it back, within 30 days of taking it. If they fail to do so, they can suffer a penalty of up to three time the value of the deposit.

Looking for the right landlord is just as important as finding the right property. NSW Properties use a trusted scheme that ensures the security of your deposit. With our last intake of students not a single dispute was made via the scheme and over 90% of students received the majority of their deposit back. If you’re looking for a safe and trustworthy landlord, NSW Properties can certainly provide one.

Know What You’re Signing For

There is more to consider than just rent and location when searching for a suitable property, of paramount importance is understanding the ramifications of your tenancy agreement. If you decide to take a shared tenancy, there are numerous joint liability clauses included within the agreement. This mean that you are not only responsible for your own actions and paying the rent but also for the actions of the people you live with. Ask yourself if you really know the co-tenants and if you trust them enough to be responsible in managing a household with you before you rent with them.

With NSW Properties, all student tenancies are offered on an individual basis which means that you are only liable for your own rent. Unlike some letting agencies, we don’t hold you responsible for the damage that other tenants cause to their own rooms so you don’t have to worry about paying for someone else’s mess! Please note though, this does not apply to common areas though so tenants are equally liable for damage to bathrooms, lounges, kitchens etc. 

The Cost of Living

The monthly cost of your rented property will be more than just your rent; there are many other factors to consider before determining your budget including anything from your internet costs, utility bills and TV license. Even with a furnished property, you should avoid extra costs once moving in on items such as washing machines and fridges. These may be there when you view the property but might not actually come with it. Take into consideration that a property viewed on a warmer day may seem all cosy and pleasant at first but once the colder weather sets in, you could be huddled with blankets and hot water bottles; you don’t want to be spending a fortune on heating after you find your property isn’t the warmest.

To eradicate any nasty surprises arising from utility bills, the vast majority of the NSW Properties student portfolio are offered with utility bills included in the cost of the rent so you know exactly what you will be paying before you even apply for the property. 

Safety First

Before you ever consider renting a property, you need to know if you’re going to be safe and secure in the place you’ve chosen. It’s a fact that student accommodation areas have higher burglary rates so the security of a property should always be checked. All entrances should be checked, windows reviewed and burglar alarms tested as well making sure that everyone knows how to use it so you can live comfortably knowing you and your property are safe.

Insurance

You need to know if you’re insured and what is covered within that insurance. Personal property and belongings can be covered by insurance providers who offer insurance policies specifically for students. Alternatively, your personal property can be protected by your parents’ content insurance but you should always check the specific terms of the insurance.

Whilst our landlords will insure the building or their tenants, this does not cover a tenant for their contents or internal damage that may occur. However, NSW Properties can offer specialised tenant insurance to cover your personal property if you find yourself without the suitable cover. 

The Inventory

To protect yourself against possible inventory disputes during your tenancy, you can avoid any problems by requesting a complete inventory list at the start that includes all features of the property as well as their condition upon beginning the tenancy. This way, if you have any disputes regarding the condition of the property upon leaving, you will have sufficient evidence to back it up. You should also ensure that your landlord has a copy of any notes or pictures you take adding further weight to your evidence in the event of a dispute.

NSW Properties make sure that these potential inventory disputes are avoided from the get go. We provide full and detailed inventories along with two mid-term inspections to guide you on issues you may need to remedy before you move out. This means we can seek to maximise the amount of deposit that is returned to you when you decide to leave.

Your Best Source

If you're wondering where you can find the best source for more information about the property you are considering renting, you need look no further than the property itself. Asking existing or past tenants about their time and experience there is the most effective way for you to gain honest and insightful information about the place, whether it be their experience with the landlord or even inventory issues and maintenance.

We greatly value the feedback and thoughts from our tenants, so if you feel we can improve upon anything at all, please don’t hesitate to let us know. Our door is always open!

Sharing Your Property

Last but not least, some landlords who provide accommodation for tenants who are sharing a property are legally required to obtain a Homes in Multiple Occupancy (HMO) license so ensure that your landlord has this, where applicable, before you consider renting.

Being as informed as possible about all there is to consider when renting is the best way forward for you to not only get the most out of your time whilst renting but also, to concentrate more on your studies, get the most out of the time with your friends and enjoy your student life to its fullest.

Want to know more about the accommodation we have available or even find out more about how to approach renting a property? Visit our rent page and find out all there is to know about our properties to rent.