Ariston Property’s 5 Top Tips for Student Property Hunters

London's fast-paced and metropolitan atmosphere means that there are a different set of rules for student tenants than the rest of the country. If we compare student-dominated cities like Bath, Exeter, Southampton or Nottingham, the search for a property for the next academic year starts in November and most of the good properties have been snatched up by February. This forces students, and Fresher’s especially, to seek both property and housemates right as the start of the academic year. This monopoly also forces students to pay full summer rent though many are not in these properties during the summer break. But London, the bustling city that it is, plays by different rules.

Below are our 5 top tips for students at London universities seeking tenancies.

1. Do not rush to enquire.

Our policy, like most other agencies, is not to advertise properties until a month before the current tenancy is about to end. If you want to move in September, start enquiring in August. This ensures you do not waste your own time or the time of the agency. It also ensures that you aren’t made to pay rent over the summer unnecessarily if you are not staying in London during the holidays = saving you some £££!

2. Know your requirements.

How long do you want the property for? When are you looking to move? What is your preferred location? What is your maximum budget per calendar month? Are you willing to share facilities with other tenants? Make sure you know your preferences before you enquire so that the agent is best able to help you.

3. Know what the agency requires.

For full-time students, except those completing a PHD, agencies and landlords require you to have a guarantor. A guarantor is someone, often a family member or loved one, who is willing to agree to pay your rent if you default payment and your rent becomes in arrears. Your guarantor can be international, though some countries are harder to reference. In this case, our policy at Ariston Property is to ask for the full tenancy rent upfront. This may seem like a steep amount but this is to ensure the rent for our landlord and at the request of our insurance company.

4. Be prompt with your referencing.

Referencing students for the property is a little more complicated as we have to verify your guarantor too. Make sure you promptly fill out your referencing forms, send over all necessary documentation and that of your guarantors, especially if you have a holiday planned just before you move-in! This will not only help process your insurance faster bu also means you can switch off when you're away.

5. What to know when you move-in.

An inventory check-in is often mandatory on the day of your move-in. You are required to attend and the inventory clerk will go through and note any damages to the property left by the previous tenant, this is for your benefit so you are not unfairly charged at the end of your tenancy. We would advise you also to take pictures as evidence and email anything you'd like the agency to note to prevent any issues around damages when your tenancy ends and it's time to get your deposit back.

Your Deposit. All landlords and estate agents are legally required to register your deposits 30 days after receiving it. Make sure you are provided with evidence of its registration. If your landlord fails to register your deposit he may be liable to pay you 3 times the deposit amount and is prohibited from issuing a section 21, an eviction notice.

Those are our top tips for student renters, at Ariston Property, we understand students needs and ensure that requests are processed as quickly as possible. If you'd like to enquire, do not hesitate to contact our support team who will be happy to help!