Chichester Student Houses

FORM A GROUP ASAP

Remember it is not the “House” that’s important, it is your new housemates that make the difference. Whilst you can have a lovely house if you do not get along with your housemates it will not be fun. So, choose your new housemates carefully and bear in mind you are looking for people to live with rather than people who are fun to socialise with. Students that you have already lived with in Halls during your first year or friends made on your course, often make suitable housemates.        

VIEWING PROPERTIES

Look carefully at the property, take your time, ask yourself practical questions. Is there enough storage space in all the bedrooms? Is the study desk and chair adequate? Is there room in the kitchen? Can we all eat together? Is there a Tumble Dryer as well as a washing machine? Do not be swayed by big rooms, think of the practicalities. A well-designed small room can work better than a big one that is poorly laid out. If the bedrooms are small, is there enough communal space? Do not be afraid to ask lots of questions and if the current students are in when you view – ask them what it is really like?      

GET ORGANISED AND KNOW WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR

As with any search you will all have a long list of requirements – it is best to discuss these with your group and decide which ones, you may be prepared to compromise on, as inevitably you will not find a house that fulfils all your wishes. Our advice is to be flexible and realistic. 

 WHAT PROPERTIES TO GO FOR

We advise you to find a property that is accredited with Chichester District Council and preferably University registered also. 

BILLS

Household bills are Gas, Electric, Water, TV Licence. Most landlords include some or all these but usually they are subject to a cap, which means you will get charged for billed amounts in excess of the cap. Rents are therefore higher in properties where Bills are included. The internet in our properties is left to the students to sort out themselves.  The council tax is always left to the students as you can get a 100% exemption, provided you register for the exemption with the council and are a student (the council can check this). 

GUARANTORS

Student tenants will be required to have Guarantors who pass the landlords credit checks and often they are also required to be UK houseowners. This needs to be discussed with the landlord to see if alternatives can be found if required.   We would advise thinking about who your guarantor could be and alerting them at an early stage – do not leave this until the last minute.     

LANDLORD VISITS

Landlords will typically visit a property fairly regularly to attend to various maintenance tasks and check all is OK, thus ensuring a smooth stay at the house. Landlords should alert you well before such visits.  

HOLDING DEPOSIT

On agreeing to rent a property you will be asked to pay a Holding Deposit, this gives the landlord time to prepare the paperwork and obtain guarantors, documents etc, -this can take a few weeks. Once you have paid a Holding Deposit you can expect the landlord to cease viewings on the property and you should stop viewing other properties. A receipt will be given, along with the Landlords details.

SECURITY DEPOSIT 

On signing the paperwork, including the rental agreement, the landlord will need to have received the Security Deposit – the holding deposit is a part of this payment. Typically, the total deposit is around 5 weeks rent.

RENT

Usually, the first month’s rent is required just before the tenancy starts and monthly thereafter by bank transfer. A typical tenancy lasts for a full 12 months and you will need to bear this in mind as you look ahead to managing your cash flow.     

OTHER ADVICE

We would advise that you chat to 2nd, 3rd year students to see if you can learn from their experiences.