As far as a university student is concerned, renting the first property with a group of friends will be an exciting and rejoicing experience. But sustaining that excitement calls for flawless selection of the property as the student lettings market is a stressful place and those lacking in the rental know-how to distinguish between good and bad properties will be in regret.
Take Professional Help
To avoid the common pitfalls in student renting it is better to enlist the help of a professional letting agent as a middle man between the students and landlords. When a student renter is looking to rent an apartment or house, take along a few others also who are in the same situation. Involving a few others will be helpful in not only sharing the bills but also in networking with other people.
Deposit Protection
While negotiating the deal, care must be taken to avoid loss of security deposit as many unprofessional landlords fleece prospective tenants on that. In the matter of student renting, the university tenants have to ensure that the deposit they pay is really protected and going into one of the approved Tenancy Deposit Protection schemes of the government. This is a legal requirement in the UK as many tenants often default on this. The deposit ranges from 4-6 weeks of rent and are important enough to be protected. These schemes have a Dispute Resolution service which can be suitably used by both parties if in case the deductions, if any, at the end of tenancy leads to any dispute.
Research Well
Taking time to research the rental property market before the viewing is the right approach to get the best property at the right prices. For this, the safe mode will be to hire the services of accredited letting agents who can advise well in the most professional manner.
Rental Prices
Complete clarity on rental prices is very important for the new renter. The rent deal must be comprehensively explained in terms of the inherent components such as utilities, TV licence and internet. For many first time student renters this can be a shocker as there are very few properties where all bills are merged into the rentals. However, there are also landlords who maintain a flat rent for students, covering all the major overheads together.
Insurance
Student renters need to be vigilant on getting an insurance cover. Often times students fall prey to thieves who loot them for the modern gadgets they possess. So the student renter must add up the cost of insurance in the rent bill. Opting for a group or individual insurance policy can be fine as that will make the student secure, in case the worst happens.
Peaceful Stay
These tips can make renting of a first student property a hassle-free task. Surely the research, preparation and attention to detail entailing some hard work will go a long way in getting a great property with all the perks of private renting so that the student can enjoy a focused life at the university.
