Check out your most common housing questions asked...

From landlords and bills to viewings and housemates, thinking about next year’s housing can be pretty daunting. After all, signing a contract is a legally binding document so you want to make sure you’re making the best possible decisions.

For those of you considering next year’s housing already, we asked you what you’d like to know more about to prepare you for your search at the Halls Community Fair earlier this month. 50 of you submitted a suggestion so we’ve rounded up all your queries and put them together in one handy go-to guide.

1) When is a good time to start looking at housing?

The answer to this one is simply whenever you’re ready. Liverpool has so much student accommodation so don’t be tempted to believe myths such as ‘student housing will run out’.

The first few months of moving into halls are all about settling in so don’t feel a pressure from others to book next year’s housing already. Liverpool Student Homes is a university scheme that helps students find approved accommodation in the private sector. Their advice is that signing up to a tenancy agreement as early as October/November isn’t always the best idea as you haven’t got to know your roomies well enough.

Liverpool Student Homes will start advertising 2024/25 properties on their website from 2nd December which means that there’s no need to rush into signing a contract just yet. Signing up to housing through Liverpool Student Homes will give you the reassurance that you can get support should you need it during your tenancy.

There will be student accommodation available even after the Christmas break so don’t feel pressured to sign up to anything just yet. Take your time, get to know who you want to live with and know that there’s help out there.

2) What's the best way to find student housing?

Liverpool Student Homes’ website is the best place to start with your search. You can filter for accommodation type, area, budget and contract type.

You can also pop into the Accommodation Fair in the Guild on Tuesday 19th November 11am-3pm to research your options and chat with accredited providers who Liverpool Student Homes work with. There’ll be no pressure to sign up to anything, just a chance for you to get to know what is out there.

3) What are the best areas to live?

There are plenty of student friendly, popular areas to live in around Liverpool such as city centre, Smithdown, Wavertree and Kensington. Liverpool is a fairly small city which is well connected so that no matter where you live, you’ll only be a short bus ride or walk away from campus or the city centre.

Check out the student area guide here.  

4) What are some red flags to look out for when doing property viewings?

Property viewings are exciting! You’re about to see your potential new home but don’t let that take away from some of the things you need to keep an eye out for.

Is the property in good condition and well looked after? Do you spot any signs of mould? Do the windows close and lock? Are the furnishings in good condition? Is there a burglar alarm? Is internet access included?

As well as important decisions such as who would have which bedroom, these are just something the things you might want to think about when it comes to viewing a property. Write down what is a priority for you before you go so that you don’t get distracted and forget anything on the day.

Liverpool Student Homes have written a handy property viewing checklist so you don’t need to.

5) Any advice on how to find reputable landlords?

You can book secure, accredited private housing through Liverpool Student Homes’ website. The team have an accreditation scheme which means that they have set criteria that landlords must meet.

Booking next year’s housing can feel like a pretty big step so give yourself that peace of mind by securing it through Liverpool Student Homes. Booking accredited properties also means that should something go wrong in your house, you’ll have LSH’s support and advice.

Liverpool Student Homes even offer a contract checking service so they can help you know what’s really included in your rent.

6) How can I get an idea of average rent, prices, bills and typical budgets?

Average rents from listings on LSH’s website in March 2024 come out around:

·       Kensington - £111 per person, per week

·       Smithdown/Wavertree – £121 per person, per week

·       City Centre - £150 per person, per week

These prices include gas, electric, water and internet (your utility bills). Check out more advice on bills and cost of living here.

7) Where can I meet people to live with?

It’s ok if you don’t know who you want to live with yet. Don’t feel pressured to join a group of people you don’t know very much. If you’re going to live with a group of people, you want to be sure that you’ll get on well.

There is plenty of time to meet people and find housemates before you need to make that decision on who you want to live with.

The Halls Life team will run housemate mixers throughout the year with the first one taking place in November ahead of Liverpool Student Homes releasing their properties from 2nd December. Grab pizza and meet other students thinking about next year’s housing too on Wednesday 27th November, 6pm in Vine Mezz. Click here for details!

LSH also run an online forum where you can post and search for others to live with. You can find out about their housemate meet-ups via the website too.

8) What can I expect in terms of facilities in private houses?

It can depend on the type of property and your budget. When you search on Liverpool Student Homes’ website you can filter for the likes of bike storage, onsite parking, onsite laundrette, gym, lift and even whether the property has a dishwasher! Consider what matters most to you and what you’d want to prioritise.

9) Any advice on dealing with landlords and what to do in situations such as mould, having pests etc?

Hopefully your experience will be positive only but if you do run into any issues, you can contact LSH for support.

The Guild also have an advice team you can contact via guildadvice@liverpool.ac.uk. You can check out their online advice here.

10) Can I live in University Halls in my second/third year?

Yes! University of Liverpool halls are definitely an option for you. You’ll just need to apply for accommodation when the portal opens in early 2025. You can find out more about returning undergraduate accommodation and chat with our team here.