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The recent pandemic has left all aspects of society with choices to make and challenges to overcome.
That is particularly evident in the student sector, where the usual joviality of fresher’s week and the social awakening young people enjoy being severely curtailed. The press is full of horror stories discussing students guarded in halls of residence, unable to socialise or get the most from their experience.
The BBC reports that many lectures have been done remotely, which has left students as virtual prisoners in their rooms, with little prospect of enjoying their time away from home. There is also the conundrum of next year – how does a student begin to find suitable accommodation for their second year, and what special considerations might have to be factored in?
With life going on, not entirely as normal, the considerations are certainly different to most years. So, we have put together a brief guide to dealing with the various parties you will need in the current pandemic, which should help deliver something akin to a normal experience once we emerge from these troubling times.
Letting Agents
There are several avenues you may choose to take to find a house, but almost certainly you will find yourself dealing with a letting agent. The student housing market can be tough to negotiate at the best of times, with Letting Agent Today explaining how illegal fees have been a problem in some areas. With the pandemic, many students have been trapped in contracts they cannot get out of, lumbered with high charges for the duration of the term.
Letting agents may be keen to get you into accommodation early, especially with the uncertainty of the market. Do not be rushed, and do not be fooled by the myth that if you do not find a house early, you might struggle. Take your time, as you would any property decision, and choose your agent carefully. Look for an established name with plenty of properties on their books, which indicates experience and know-how when it comes to dealing with student lets. Here at Uniacco we have over 1,300 properties worldwide, and plenty of experience across different cultures too, enabling us to be reactive and effective with the service we deliver.
Landlords
It is not always easy to choose your landlord wisely, there might be times when private landlords may be looking for a quick deal to ensure their house is taken, and might not provide the right services which will lead to the pressure that students will need to face. To find the right landlord, you need to perform a proper research about the landlord that comes with a lot of hassle before shifting. But, at UniAcco all the registered property managers make sure that the experience of students staying at the property is completely seamless. Students are provided with all the necessary facilities and amenities with a good environment and friendly people around them. While looking for an accommodation through UniAcco you need not worry about any obstacles or hurdles being faced in your study abroad journey. To find the right private landlord, a variety of home insurance options on HomeServe shows how landlords can purchase policies which are specifically designed for them, offering protection to tenants in the event of a breakdown. This is a surefire sign of a decent landlord, who is keen to deal with problems and issues quickly and efficiently.
Housemates
In the past, you may have found housemates by joining up with people from nights out or societies, but those social aspects have been taken away this year. You may like the people in your accommodation right now, but you may feel you need to branch out. Choose wisely, and again take your time. If the people in your halls are not for you, try to find someone that is – it might be wise to buddy up with someone you like from a course and go from there. Do not be afraid to have strangers in your house either, some groups often advertise single rooms to fill up a house without a problem.
