If you're interested in living off-campus, there are a few more things to consider. Start looking early, to do your research and reduce stress as it may take longer to find accommodation. Take a look at the information below to help you find a place smoothly.
Finding Accommodation
Finding private housing in student areas can be tricky, especially in London. Brunel supports students find accommodation and there are lots of other resources you can use to help find your next place:
Brunel Student Lettings
You can use the Brunel Student Lettings service which advertises properties near Brunel for full-time students, key information includes:
-
Areas include Uxbridge, Cowley, Yiewsley, West Drayton and Hillingdon
-
Contracts are usually 51-52 weeks
-
Rent is paid to the University in four instalments, as you would if you were living in halls
You can apply through their website - Brunel Student Lettings. And you can learn more about the terms and conditions here - Conditions of Applicationdocument (24/25).
If you have any questions, contact the Student Living Team:
-
Phone +44 (0)1895 267100
-
Email - bca@brunel.ac.uk
Letting Agencies
You can also property letting agencies to view a wider variety of options. Be sure to check if they are members of a professional body and legitimate.
Take a look at the Interactive London Rental Map to get a better idea of the type of accommodation you can get and the price range across different areas in London.
The most common websites where you can search for a property to rent are the following:
-
Zoopla - A private property portal, with properties to rent direct from landlords and agencies
-
RightMove - A private property portal, with properties to rent direct from landlords and agencies
-
SpareRoom - Geared towards moving into an existing shared flat, but there are sometimes whole properties listed as well
-
OpenRent - A direct to landlord letting service
Staying Safe
When you are looking for a privately rented property, make sure you are contacting legitimate landlords and estate agents to avoid a housing scam.
-
All lettings and estate agencies and property managers should belong to either The Property Ombudsman scheme or The Property Redress Scheme.
-
You can check if your letting agent complies with the schemes here -TPO Members or if they were expelled for failure to comply -TPO Expelled Members.
-
As landlords are not generally caught by the definitions of letting/estate agents or property managers you should be extra careful when signing a contract with an individual landlord.
To learn more about avoiding scams, take a look at our How to Avoid Fraud page for more information.
Union's Housing Fair
The Union's Advice Service hosts a Housing Fair for Brunel students at the end of November.
It's aimed at all students, where you can meet local letting agents like NuPad, Nexus Student and Brunel Student Lettings who will be presenting properties just for you. You can register for private rental properties at the fair, as well as speak with Citizens Advice and Shelter to discuss any housing issues you may have.
It's a great opportunity to learn all about deposits, rental payments, tenancy agreements, your rights and responsibilities, utility suppliers, and tips for moving in/out.
Finding flatmates
Unlike university accommodation and halls of residence, if you are privately renting with other people, you will need to organise this group. Many people will want to live with others, whether its to meet new people or to split bills more economically. Here are some different ways of meeting flatmates:
Facebook Groups
-
Brunel Student Lettings, run a Facebook group exclusively for Brunel students to meet others and find flatmates - Find a Flatmate
-
There are lots of other Facebook groups helping people living in/around London to buddy up e.g., 'gals who rent', 'MatesPlace' and '@friends0ffriendz'
Housing Sites
-
SpareRoom also has a feature where you can upload an advert and describe what accommodation/flatmates you are looking for
-
Novus Homeshare scheme - It is an affordable service that matches people who have a spare room and require extra support around the house (Householders), with individuals looking for affordable accommodation and willing to provide help at home (Homesharers) - Find out more at Novus Homeshare
Moving In & Out
Use our Property and Moving In checklist to help you identify the needs for your property and what you need to do once you've found a place. It is shown below and you can download a copy here Property & Moving In Checklist - feel free to print it out or come to our office for a copy.
If you're moving out, use our tips below to prepare and organise yourself!
Checklist
Make sure to clean thoroughly and leave the property in good order; check your contract to see the cleaning standard expected by the landlord/letting agency expect to make sure you get your full deposit back
Check your inventory, make sure everything is in good order.
Take your final meter readings for gas and electricity
Get in touch with your utility providers to inform them when you will be leaving so you are no longer liable for the bills once you have left. If applicable:
Contact anyone that may hold personal details, such as banks, HMRC, insurance companies to change your address back
Make sure all Window and doors are locked and all appliances are off
Give your keys back to the landlord/letting agency safely
Your Guide to Council Tax
Council Tax is a local taxation system set by local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales. It is used to pay for local services that they provide, such as rubbish collection, the police and the fire brigade, and Adult Social Care. It is based on the value of the house, flat or other accommodation in which you live.
Are students exempt?
All full-time students are exempt from paying Council Tax; if you exclusively live with other full-time students you will not need to pay council tax. There are no age limits therefore full-time mature students are included.
-
If you live with adults who are not full-time students, they will still need to pay for Council Tax but, they might be able to get a discount as not everyone in the household is required to pay
-
In most cases, part-time students are not exempt but this may vary depending on your specific situation e.g., studying 20+ hours p/w. You should check with your local council
-
If there is only one person in your household who is not exempt and will have to pay the bill themselves, they can apply for a single-person discount of 25%
You can find out more about who is required to pay and who is exempt here - Council Tax - How it works
Who counts as a full time student?
For Council Tax, you will count as a full-time student if:
Therefore, by the criteria on the Government's site discounts for full-time students, part-time students may also qualify for exemption depending on your course.
Final Year Students
If you are a final year student and living in privately rented accommodation off-campus, you may be required to pay a portion of your property's council tax after you finish your course.
-
You will not be eligible for the Council Tax expemption after your course end-date as noted on your eVision profile. This is usually the day after the universities summer term finishes around early June but may differ if you are a postgraduate.
-
Private accommodation contracts are usually longer than those proivded by halls of residence, therefore you will likely need to pay the end portion of the council tax for the year
-
If you are planning on further study you will have to pay for the summer months between you current degree ending and starting a new one. As you are technically not a student, you're no longer exempt therefore required to pay over the summer
-
If you're taking some extra time to finish your studies over the summer, this usually counts as outside of course time so it is likely you are not exempt but you should check the end date stated on your eVision
Saving Money on your Bills
As the cost of living crisis continues to have an impact on students, we have compiled a list of a few money saving tips to help save those all-important pennies!
Tips
Keep warm in bed, by moving it away from the window and consider if you can turn the heating off at night once you are in bed
Block out drafts around windows and doors, by putting up heavy curtains and rugs
Move furniture away from radiators to stop heat from being blocked
Turn your thermostat down by a few degrees, and try to layer up to keep warm
Turn lights off when they are not needed
Turn off your electrics from the source when you’ve finished using them, such as not leaving your tv on standby
Make sure your radiators are working correctly, do they need bleeding? If they are not emitting heat correctly this could cause you to turning up the thermostat, increasing bills!
Check if your electricity is cheaper to use during certain hours, this would be the best time to possibly wash clothes
If you need any further assistance, or have any questions, please get in touch and our advisors will help. It is really important that you do not ignore a bill that you receive, even if you believe you are exempt.
If you have any questions we've not addressed, get in touch - advice@brunel.ac.uk.