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International Students: Your Guide to living in the private rented sector
The Private rented sector is when you rent from a landlord or agent rather than from the University
To avoid such stressful and potentially expensive situations, take your time and find out what your legal responsibilities are before you agree to rent a property. This guide is split into sections to give you the essential information you need to help you make this decision. If you need further advice or help you can contact LUU Student Advice Centre – full contact details at the end of this guide.
Before you begin to look for a property to rent you need to think about:
- what type of property you want to live in
- what services/facilities you want in your home
- how much you can afford
- who and how many you want to live with
You can share a house (or flat) or rent on your own, or with a partner. Each of these options has advantages and disadvantages.
Shared property: you have your own bedroom and share the rest of the property with others e.g. bathroom, kitchen and living space (lounge).
Advantages
- share with friends and you choose who to live with – or-
- meet new people by moving in to a household that is already formed.
- living with others may mean you have support, especially if you feel
- homesick.
- rent is usually cheaper and you share the household bills such as gas, electricity and water bills.
Disadvantages
- if you fall out with your housemates, you can not just move out as you may still have to pay the rent.
- if you take the property with a group of friends and someone does not pay the rent, the landlord could ask you to cover any rent unpaid.
- there can be disagreements if someone wants to bring their friends or family to stay for a short holiday.
Living on your own: you can rent a bedsit or a one bedroom flat. The difference between the two is that usually in a bedsit you share the bathroom and sometimes the kitchen with others but have your own bedroom/living space. In a flat you have all of these facilities to yourself.
Advantages
- it is easy to have friends or family to stay over for short breaks.
- you are only responsible for your own rent.
Disadvantages
- it can be lonely, especially if you feel homesick or are used to living with other people.
- the rent is higher for one bedroom flats and bedsits.
- you are responsible for all of the household bills.
Living with the owner of a property: you will have your own bedroom and share the rest of the property with the owner and possibly their family or other students.
Advantages
- the contracts may be more flexible so you may be able to move out without having to continue paying the rent.
- because it is their house, the owner will probably look after the property.
- you would have some company, especially if other students are there.
Disadvantages
- you may feel restricted if the owner has lots of rules.
- due to the fact that your landlord is also your housemate, it can cause problems if you do not get on well with the owner
Unless agreed when signing the contract, the landlord does not have to make improvements during your tenancy (e.g. providing new furniture, painting, alarms etc). So you need to know what you want before you start to look and be clear about what is really important for you to be happy in your new home. Give careful consideration to the following areas.
Security
Security is a big concern for most students so make sure the property has:
Safety
Most landlords are very good at meeting their responsibilities but there are a few who are not. Don’t rent a property unless it has:
Services
Remember that the property you choose will be your home for at least a year so it should meet your basic needs. The property should have:
The rent will vary depending on the type of property you want. Think about how much per week (and over the year) you can afford, and whether you are getting value for money.
Utility bills
There are costs other than the rent that you need to consider. Unlike University accommodation, the rent a landlord quotes will probably not include gas, electricity or water. These bills will cost you approximately £7 per week on top of your rent.
Telephone costs - a landline (not mobile) bill cost approximately £3.75 per week for line rental but remember to add cost of your calls on top.
If the property does not have a washing machine, a trip to the laundrette could cost an additional £10 per week.
So if the rent does not include bills or have a washing machine it could cost an additional £10.75 - £20.00 on top of the weekly rent.
Added extras
Added extras such as a dishwasher or tumble dryer are good but will increase your electricity bills. Tumble dryers are expensive to run and could add an extra £5 - £8 or more per week to your electricity bills.
Deposit
A deposit is paid to cover any rent due or damages at the end of the contract. Some landlords charge international students a very high deposit, sometimes over £800. This is a very large sum to pay, much higher than the standard £250 most landlords ask for. Landlords’ claim that higher amounts are taken in case there is rent owed at the end of the tenancy. However, if you are leaving the UK after the contract ends, how will you get the money back? Be cautious of renting from any landlord that demands more than £400 as a deposit.
Contract signing/administration fees
Good quality landlords don’t charge such fees or their charges are relatively small. Charging over £40 for signing a contract is not reasonable. Some landlords buy contracts for as little as £1 so it is pure profit when they charge high administration charges. Landlords who make such charges are taking advantage of students.
Value for money
The rent you will pay will depend on the type of property you rent, shared houses are normally £45-£70 per week, bedsits or flats for single students can be as high as £120 per week. However, paying more money does not automatically mean that you will get a good property. What are you getting for the rent? You need to think about what the landlord is offering, don’t feel that you have to accept what they say, if the property does not have everything you want then ask for it e.g. new carpets, re-painting, new furniture. There are some landlords who will try and take advantage of International Students. If you are not happy with what is being offered you can look elsewhere.
Who do you want to live with?
If you move in with a group of friends and sign the same contract, you may all be jointly responsible for paying the rent. If one person does not pay e.g. they can not afford it or they move out, the landlord can ask everyone else to make up the rent, even if you have paid your share. If someone you are thinking of moving in with is concerned about the weekly rent level, don’t push him or her into agreeing to take the property because they may not be able to make the payments and you may have to end up paying their rent. If you are asked to move in with a group but are unsure if you will get on with them, it may be better to say no at the start than agree and have problems when you move in.
Your Legal responsibilities
When you agree to move into a property you have to sign a contract known as a “tenancy agreement”. It is legally binding and very difficult to get out of once signed. When you have signed the tenancy agreement you have to pay the rent for the length of time stated in the contract. So if you sign a contract for 12 months and then want to move out early, you may still have to pay the rent until the end of the contract regardless of whether you live there or not.
Bringing your family
Do not bring your family or partner with you until you have found your accommodation, as it may take some time to find something suitable for them. Family accommodation in the private sector can be expensive because you will rent the whole house rather than one room and many landlords charge per room and not for the whole of the house. Do not sign a contract for a single room with the intention of moving when you find somewhere suitable for your family. You may find that you are still responsible to pay the rent or to find a suitable replacement which can be difficult. It will be very expensive to have to pay two lots of rent.
Illegal tenancies
If someone offers you a property they rent from Leeds City Council you are strongly advised not to take it because it would be an illegal tenancy. International students are not allowed to apply for Leeds City Council properties. If you do accept such an offer and Leeds City Council find out they can ask you to move out.
Where to look
A good starting point is to contact Unipol (details at end of guide). You can do a property search on line, searching for properties advertised by landlords through Unipol. There is also the Student to Student notice board which is students advertising rooms they have available in their houses. Another option is to call into agencies of which there are many located in Headingley and Hyde Park .
Who to rent from?
Rent from a landlord that is part of a code of standards, this can either be the Unipol or Leeds City Council code. The codes are voluntary and cover more than the basic legal requirements e.g. fire safety, timescale for getting repairs done and safeguards for getting your deposit back. Unipol have a list of the current landlords who have signed up to their code and LUU Student Advice Centre has a list of Leeds City Council code landlords. If there are already tenants living in the property, it is a good idea to ask them about any problems they have had with either the landlord or the property. Although a landlord may have signed up to either of the codes, not all of their properties are checked so it is important not to assume that they meet the standards they are supposed to.
Who can help you?
A full years rent can be over £3000, so before you take this step and sign a contract and commit to paying this, seek advice on the property and the landlord. LUU Student Advice Centre offers an independent and professional housing advice service to all students at the University of Leeds . The Student Advice Centre can check through your contract, give information on the landlord and highlight any problems with the contract, the house or even the neighbourhood. We can help with problems before they arise and also if you find yourself in any difficulty after you have moved in. So if you face any problems or have any questions regarding your housing or anything else, please visit LUU Student Advice Centre.
Here are a few do’s and don’t’s which if you follow can minimise the risk of renting in the private sector:
Good Luck with your accommodation search and enjoy your stay in Leeds!
LUU Student Advice Centre
First Floor of the Union Building
Telephone: 0113 380 1300
Fax: 0113 380 1301
Email: advice@luu.leeds.ac.uk
Unipol Student Homes
155/157 Woodhouse Lane
Leeds
LS2 3ED
Tel: 0113 243 0169
Email: info@unipol.leeds.ac.uk
Information on the Code of Standards and applying for family accommodation
University Accommodation Office
Next to the Refectory
Telephone: 0113 343 6072
Email: accom@leeds.ac.uk
Applying for family accommodation
Mary Morris International Residence
Telephone: 0113 275 2315
Email: admin@marymorris.com
www.marymorris.com (warning the front page of this site contains flashing images)
Applying for accommodation including for families
Please be aware that we are only able to advise current or prospective students of Leeds University.
These pages are for guidance only and are not a substitute for diverse legislation that they cover. The information was checked and correct at the time of writing.
If you have any comments or queries about this page please email advice@luu.leeds.ac.uk.
© LUU Student Advice Centre September 2004.
