So you have enrolled into university or polytechnic and now need to find somewhere to live. Finding student rental houses can either be a breeze or quite a struggle depending on how well organised you are. Like anything well sought after, if you leave finding a student flat to the last minute, your options will be limited. Student housing in New Zealand is in high demand during a particular time of year, which is usually the last semester of the university or polytechnic year london accommodations. It is during this time that many rental houses are signed up with new tenants, deposits paid and weekly retainer setup to secure the property for the following year.
If you have no idea what to look for in a flat – keep reading.
It is critical to select a flat that suits you, your finances and your lifestyle. Before signing a tenancy agreement you should view the rental property in person. We recommend you view several properties before settling on one – again reiterating the need to be organised in order to have the best possibility of applying for the flats you really like.
To give yourself time to find a suitable rental property, you will need to arrange temporary accommodation (ie. at a friend or relatives place, backpackers or motel) for at least two weeks, alternatively if you have a group of friends keen on flatting together make sure you start your search while everyone is available or still at the hostel.
When looking for a flat, some things to consider are:
- Your budget: Can you afford it? In addition to regular rent payments, you will also need to pay for monthly phone, electricity, food and transport costs. You could also potentially have gas, internet and satellite TV charges as well.
- Heating and insulation: Most properties are not centrally heated. Consider the heating method you will be using and how much this may cost you. Has the property got suitable insulation, ventilation and sunlight?
- Location: Make sure you are in a suitable neighbourhood and you are close to public transport routes and supermarkets. Check how close are you to the University campus and make sure you factor transport costs into your budget.
- Quality: Is the rental house in good condition, clean, safe, secure and well maintained? Does it have smoke alarms?
- Furnished/unfurnished: Many properties are rented unfurnished. You will need to factor this in to your set-up costs. You may be able to split the cost of items such as a fridge with other flatmates.
- Tenancy agreement: Read the tenancy agreement carefully and make sure you understand all of your and your landlord’s obligations. Are you happy with the duration of the tenancy agreement? Are all the flatmates signing the tenancy agreement?
- Flatmates: Choose your flatmates carefully – best of friends can be different people when you actually live with them!
Once you have these considerations covered you can get onto contacting local real estate agencies that offer rental houses, scanning the papers for available flats, or check out online listings – a simple way to get started on your student housing search.