Permanent Accommodation
Before you start looking for permanent accommodation be sure to decide the kind of accommodation you want to live in, your budget, and your personal preferences. There are two types of accommodation most common amongst students: student accommodation providers, and privately rented flats and houses. Please read the information below carefully to familiarize yourself with what is available.
Student Accommodation
Student accommodation providers are buildings provided solely for full-time students, and they are more commonly known in the UK as Halls of Residence. This is a popular choice for first-year students looking to meet new people and socialize with other students. You can book a variety of different rooms including entire studio flats, or single or twin bedrooms, and then share bathroom, kitchen, and living facilities. Each provider will have a different options available.
Prices quoted will normally include all utility bills (water, electric, and gas), kitchen facilities, wireless internet, in-house maintenance, and (in some instances) contents insurance. The buildings have secured entry, and there are staff members to assist you with any queries or concerns. If you are interested in living in student accommodation it is important that you book as soon as possible as the rooms can go very quickly during term time.
* Please note: It is important to keep in mind that most Student Accommodation providers will ask for the rent upfront for the year or in large installments unless you can provide proof of income within the UK, or a UK guarantor. A UK guarantor is someone who resides permanently in UK and will guarantee all rent payments in the event of default.
Top 6 providers walking distance to Hult London campuses:
Other providers in London:
Check out Rightmove. Rightmove is a great website which allows you to find any type of accommodation and also has excellent tips for Student Housing.
Private Flats and Houses
Renting a flat in London can be a stressful endeavor if you are not organized and prepared. Make sure you do some research before you arrive in London. Please read the following information carefully if you are considering renting a property in London.
Requirements for renting a property:
Requirements will vary amongst estate agents and landlords but you will be in a strong position if you have the following ready before you arrive:
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Hult acceptance letter or proof of study letter - You should have received an acceptance letter from Hult admissions, and a proof of study letter can be obtained after you have registered on campus.
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Employer or character reference - This may not be required but still useful to have. Landlords and the agents representing them will want to know they are dealing with reliable individuals
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Bank statements - Bring several copies of recent original (no scans or photo copies, or printouts of online accounts) bank statements to show that you have enough funds to cover a few months’ rent in advance.
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Enough funds to pay a few months up front - Unless you can provide a UK Guarantor*, you may be required to pay a few months in advance. It is unusual that you will be required to pay more than 6 months in advance. This is a common requirement for international students. Some estate agents will be able to accept Credit Cards but there may be a charge.
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Passport - Proof of identity
*Please Note: In the UK, students renting a private flat or house may be required to provide a UK-based guarantor (a UK guarantor is someone who resides permanently in UK and will guarantee all rent payments in the event of default.) or pay rent a few months in advance.
When to start looking
In general, flats don’t normally go on the market until approximately 1-2 months prior to the desired moving date. This is due to the notice periods that tenants must give prior to vacating a property. Most property listings will indicate from when the property is available. Even though you may not be moving for several months, it is always a good idea to search for flats to see what kind of prices to expect. Searching via major property websites (listed below), will give you flat listings that have been posted by local estate agents and will be a useful indicator of rent prices.
Useful websites for your flat search:
Which areas of London should I look at?
The University of London Housing Office recently polled thousands of students to find out where they all rented properties. Below are some of the top areas (including their postcodes) of London where students tend to live. Keep in mind the postcode of both Hult campuses (WC1) when searching on Google Maps:
- *Camden (NW1) - see Camden on Google Maps here
- *Islington (N1) - see Islington on Google Maps here
- Whitechapel (E1) - see Whitechapel on Google Maps here
- Finsbury Park (N4) - see Finsbury Park on Google Maps here
- Holloway (N7) - see Holloway on Google Maps here
- Hampstead (NW3) - see Hampstead on Google Maps here
- London Bridge/ Waterloo (SE1) - see this area on Google Maps here
Camden and Islington are probably the most popular areas for students due to its proximity to Central London and Universities. Some areas within Camden and Islington are walking distance to the Hult campuses.
Make sure you use a Letting Agent who is a member of at least one of the following professional bodies:
- Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA)
- National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS)
- National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA)
Flat share/House Shares
Looking to share a house/flat with other people? The websites below may be worth looking into (sites specializing in people looking for students have been marked with an Astrix"*"):
Please note: Be careful of these websites and ones such as Gumtree. They have many properties and generally have very good, genuine people renting their properties. However, there can be fraudulent adverts on this site. We strongly recommend that you do not agree to rent a room or a property without viewing it and do not send any money to secure a room without seeing it and meeting the landlord or agent first.