Student Renter Life Cycle

January and February

Decide who you want to live with (or not live with) next year – there's nothing wrong with wanting to live on your own if that’s what you’d prefer.

Decide what type of accommodation you’d like to live in and if you want to remain at your current accommodation

Decide what areas of the city you’d like to live in – depends on travel arrangements.

Decide who you would like to be your Guarantor and ask them for permission. Try to start gathering any documentation you might need to speed up the application process later on – Proof of Address, Proof of Income etc.

March

Start organizing viewings for flats in your price range – many landlords won’t let you apply unless you’ve viewed the flat. Make sure as many of the flat mates are present at the viewing as possible to make sure no one can complain when you’ve moved in.

If you come across a flat, you really like – ACT FAST. Apply for the flat and fill in all the required paperwork as fast as possible.

Pay attention to the “available from” date, this lets you know when the flat will be available from and most landlords expect to get rent starting from that month.

Don’t be disheartened if you don’t get a flat on your first few tries, this process can often be long.

April – May

If you plan on moving into Purpose Built Student Accomodation, make your booking early!

Useful tips: If there are several flats you’d like to see at around the same time, split flat mates into different groups and chat about the pros and cons of each flat together. Make sure you take plenty of pictures and videos so you can show the flatmates who weren't there!
If none of you can make it to a viewing, try asking a friend to go in your place.
Ask your friends who are already living in flats and plan on moving out, ask them if they know when their flat is going to be market as well as their letting agency/landlords contacts.

If your application has been accepted go through the rest of this guide carefully and then sign the lease.

June

Useful tips: Ask your friends the contacts of their letting agencies/landlords and email them expressing interest in whatever property you are interested in.
Go to different letting agencies offices and ask them if they have any properties available in the locations you want to live in.
Most deposits are in by the end of June so make sure you get that done but your landlord will let you know when you need to get your deposit and your first month’s rent in by!

July

This is the perfect time for you to research utility companies and find the best one for you.

Set a move-in date for yourself (and your flatmates), depending on how soon you want to move in, you might want to set up your utility accounts in the month as well.

August