7 Common House Hunting Pitfalls Every Student Should Avoid
Bag the perfect student house for next year, with a minimal amount of stress by avoiding these seven common student house-hunting mistakes!
There’re a lot of things to think about when you’re deciding on your Loughborough student accommodation, but house hunting doesn’t have to be stressful!
Avoid the following seven common student house hunting pitfalls and you’ll be laughing…
Pitfall 1: Not Choosing Your Housemates Carefully
Not taking the time to really consider who you’re going to live with next year is a common mistake that lots of students make.
Most assume that shacking up with friends is the way to go when in reality this can somethings be a huge mistake.
Remember, you are going to be LIVING with these people for an entire year so it pays to consider their interests, their schedule and even their course.
All of these things will have an impact on your compatibility as housemates.
Pitfall 2: Leaving Your House Hunting until the Last Minute
Another fatal mistake that students make is to leave their house-hunting until the last minute.
While it takes time to settle into university and form those friendships and potential housemate groups, it pays to start thinking about where you’re going to live, as early as possible.
The majority of quality student houses in Loughborough get snapped up quickly, often before the end of the first term and certainly within the first month or two back after the Christmas break!
So make sure you don’t leave it too long before considering your housing options for next year. If you are starting to think about the type of student houses available in Loughborough, check out our range of student homes.
Pitfall 3: Letting One of Your Future Housemates Do All the Work
Some students opt for a laissez-faire attitude to house hunting, letting one of their other housemates take the lead on finding a student property.
While it’s true that too many cooks can spoil the broth, when it comes to deciding on a shared student house, it’s important that everyone is involved in the house hunting process to ensure that you find a property that is suitable for everyone.
When discussing your student housing options, it’s worth considering an All-Inclusive Payment Package. Our all-inclusive scheme is a great way to ensure you stay on top of your finances whilst studying and importantly, don’t find yourself disagreeing about money with your housemates.
Pitfall 4: Not Checking the Local Area
This is another error that many university students make when choosing their next student home. While it might not seem all that important to you, the surrounding area where you live can make a real difference to your quality of life whilst at University.
Try to think about what’s important to you.
Do you want/need parking nearby? Would you rather be closer to a bus stop? Is there a corner shop or local amenities for those nights when you run out of the essentials and you NEED them?
If you are new to the area it’s worth reading up on the Loughborough Golden Triangle – aka the most in-demand area for student houses in Loughborough.
Pitfall 5: Taking the Landlord’s Word for It
Most of us are programmed to be pretty trusting of others but when it comes to finding your student house, sometimes it pays to be a sceptic.
Simply taking a landlords word on good faith can lead to problems down the road, so make sure you get things clarified if something seems too good to be true.
Also, if possible, always try and talk to previous tenants or look for tenant reviews/testimonials on the landlord’s website or facebook page.
Pitfall 6: Not Asking Questions
No question is a stupid question, the only stupid thing is NOT to ask any questions!
Any landlord that is worth your rent money will be more than happy to answer any questions you have — so make sure you have a list ready!
Pitfall 7: Not Reading the Tenancy Agreement
Finally, make sure you READ the tenancy agreement BEFORE you sign it. You don’t want to find any nasty surprises in there once the deed has already been done.
Don’t forget that Loughborough University offers a free tenancy agreement checking service, so if you’re not sure what you should be looking for, make good use of this before you commit pen to paper on any student property.
For more advice and guidance to help you find the perfect student house in Loughborough, check out our Useful Guide to Viewing Student Houses blog.
Our friendly team is happy to help answer any of your house hunting questions – contact us today!
Andrew Chell can be contacted as follows:
Phone: 01509 552814
Mobile:07769 684800
Email: [email protected]
Office: 66 Ashby Road, Loughborough LE11 3AE
Published 14th November 2018
