If you are a first year student you may be unaware of the ins and outs of renting a property, what it’s important to remember is that you should be treated just the same as any other tenant renting a property. Being a student doesn’t mean you have to live in a dingy, mould-ridden property. Where you live will play a huge part in your university experience so you want to make sure you are making informed decisions and find a house or flat that you feel comfortable in.

Most students will live in student accommodation or halls of residence in their first year. Living in halls of residence is a safe option as they are usually run by organisations who will sort out your bills and rent installments – that way, all of the hard work is done for you and you just need to make sure you pay on time. The organisations will usually integrate rent payments with the time your student loan comes through to make it easy for you to pay your rent on time.

In some cases, students may not always get a place in halls of residence so it is up to them to find a shared house with other students. Most university cities will have designated student areas, and there are many places you can go to get guidance on the right property and the right property areas.

The location you decide is important, you want it to have good transport links to your university and into the city should you need to go there. For example, if your campus is in Manchester city centre, you could look for a Manchester city centre property so you are only a stone’s throw away from your campus – this has benefits as you will be close to the hustle and bustle of city life and you can also get up as late as you possibly can if you live close to your lecture theatres – a definite advantage for the average student who may be staying up late drinking (we don’t like to stereotype though!).

If you decide to find a property owned by a private landlord and not by a student accommodation organisation, there are certain precautions you can take to cover yourself. Many students opt for private landlords and it is a safe route to take but there have been reported cases where landlords keep hold of deposits. To combat this, you should make sure your deposit is in a Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS). This scheme protects your deposit until the end of your tenancy and will be released when you are entitled to it, providing the house is still in the condition it was before you moved in! We suggest you take photos of the property before you move in, especially take photos of any signs of damage so you have proof you aren’t to blame. Better still, if you see any signs of damp, mould or any other damage, you should inform your landlord so it can be fixed before you move in – no one wants to live in a damp house as it can be detrimental to your health.

Clair O\’Hara is writing on behalf of Shepherd Gilmour, specialists in Manchester city centre property.

Clair O\’Hara is writing on behalf of Shepherd Gilmour (http://www.shepherdgilmour.com), specialists in Manchester city centre property.

Author Bio: Clair O\’Hara is writing on behalf of Shepherd Gilmour, specialists in Manchester city centre property.

Category: Advice
Keywords: Manchester city centre property, estate agents Manchester, estate agents