Posted 1 day ago
Wed 26 Nov, 2025 10:11 AM
As conversations around next year’s housing have begun for some, we kicked off our first Housing events of the year in November with the Halls Community Fair and Halls Housemate Mixer.
At the Halls Community Fair, you submitted your housing questions and told us what you want to know more about. Whether you came along to the Community Fair or not, the below Q&A covers lots of topics around housing, applying, landlords, bills and more.
We received a total of 55 submissions from you. We asked you to let us know what topics are most important to you and here are the top three results:
“Knowing how to find reliable landlords and housing”
Liverpool Student Homes (LSH) is your go-to provider for approved private accommodation. LSH is a university support service for student housing in Liverpool. All of the properties that they advertise are accredited which means that they meet a certain criteria and standard of quality.
Finding your housing through Liverpool Student Homes gives you peace of mind when it comes to signing a contract. Need help understanding your contract? LSH even offer a contract checking service.
Properties for 2026/27 will launch on Liverpool Student Homes’ website from 1st December onwards. Houses will continue to be advertised in the new year and throughout next term meaning that you don’t need to rush into booking a house before the winter break.
“Recommended areas to live in Liverpool”
Liverpool Student Homes have their very own Liverpool area guide to make the search easier for you! There are a few options of areas to live in e.g. city centre, Kensington, Wavertree and Smithdown area.
Smithdown/Wavertree is around 3 miles from campus (near to Greenbank Student Village) or the likes of Kensington is a 10–15-minute walk from campus.
Click here for LSH’s area guide!
“Expected housing costs”
According to Liverpool Student Homes, rent levels are higher in the city centre, starting from around £85 per person per week but typical average rents are around £150 per person per week. In Kensington you can expect around £111 per person per week and Smithdown/Wavertree at £121 per week (based off adverts from 2024).
Also look out for the length of the contract vs the cost per week and work the total for the year instead to give you a more accurate picture.
Your questions answered 🏠
University Halls
Yes, of course! The Accommodation portal will open in late January 2026 and you’ll need to apply for first year accommodation again. Once the portal opens, submit your application as soon as possible as rooms are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Find the link to the
application portal and find out more about applying here.
Once
the Accommodation portal opens in January 2026, you’ll need to apply online for
University of Liverpool Halls again. We always recommend submitting your
application as early as you can as our room are allocated based on the date of
application (the sooner you apply, the better).
The
application takes just minutes to do and you’ll need your student ID number to
hand.
You’ll
hear back from the Accommodation team shortly after you apply – find out more here.
Got
a question about living in University Halls? Get in touch with our
Accommodation Team accommodation@liverpool.ac.uk.
Private Housing
When
you start your search and sign up to a contract depends entirely on when you
feel ready. You’ll find 2026/27 properties on LSH’s website from 1st
December onwards so you can come back after the winter break and consider your
options.
Liverpool
has more than enough student housing meaning that you don’t need to worry about
it “running out”. This is just one
housing myth which often means students sign contracts before they’re ready.
From
1st December 2026, you can search through all of your options on LSH’s
website here.
Signing
a housing contract is a big deal, it’s a legally binding contract after all.
Liverpool
Student Homes help you sign with reassurance as they run an accreditation
scheme meaning that the accommodation providers on their website meet a certain
standard of quality. Find
out more about their accreditation scheme here.
For
a full list of accredited landlords and agencies, click
here.
When
doing a house viewing, it might be tempting to prioritise things like the size
of bedrooms or how comfy the bed is, but it’s important to pay attention to
lots of other practical elements such as security, appliances, plumbing. Here’s
a few questions to think about:
·
Do the windows and doors seem
secure?
·
How do the current tenants find
living there?
·
Are bills included and is there
a cap?
·
What is the local area like?
·
Is the property in good
condition?
Check
out Liverpool Student Homes’ property viewing checklist for all the green flags
you should be looking out for – click
here!
Hopefully your experience will only be positive but
if you find that you’re having issues with your landlord or provider, Liverpool
Student Homes can help you out.
Booking with an accredited provider via Liverpool
Student Homes gives you the reassurance that you’ll have access to free,
confidential housing advice throughout your tenancy. If there are breakdowns in
communication or disputes, LSH can liaise between you and your landlord if you
give permission to do so. Find
out about their housing advice here.
If your provider falls short of their responsibilities
outlined in the LSH standards, you’ll have a formal means of redress and LSH
can investigate the issue and help you and your landlord come to a resolution.
If
you’re not sure who you want to live with, don’t worry as there’ll be opportunities
to meet new people and find housemates next semester.
The
Halls Life team will run a Find a Housemate Mixer in February 2026 so check
your Friday ‘what’s on’ email for updates and keep an eye on our Instagram
@livunihalls.
The LSH Message Board is also a great way to look for house mates, here you can either start with your own post or respond to someone else’s who are looking.
There’s no
recommendation on how many people you should live with, it’s entirely up to
you. You can search for individual rooms in a shared house or look for a certain
sized property with your friends.
Houses and
flats can range from 2-8+ bedrooms. When it comes to searching on LSH’s website, you can
filter for the right sized property for you.
If maintenance
issues come up during your tenancy, it’s important that they are reported
immediately to the landlord. The tenancy agreement will usually outline that maintenance
issues are both the responsibility of the tenant and landlord.
LSH recommend
that you submit your maintenance issue to the landlord via email so that there’s
a log of your conversation. Reporting it sooner rather than later is in the
best interest of you and the landlord.
What next?
Remember, there's no rush to rent. Do your research, digest all the information that's out there and remember that there'll be plenty of housing available after the winter break.
Stay tuned on Halls Life and the Friday what's on email for details on next semester's Housemate Mixer in February 2026!
Got a question? Get in touch with Liverpool Student Homes via 0151 794 3296 or email LSH@liverpool.ac.uk
You can also pop into the office and speak to the team at 5 Oxford Street, Liverpool L7 7HL (near Abercromby Square).
