Student House Hunting In Leeds
Leeds is a huge student city, and it is estimated that in Leeds over 27,000 students will live in privately rented accommodation whilst University is in term. Most of these will be returning students, and with deadlines looming and end of year exams to plan for, house hunting will probably not be in the forefront of your minds. It’s tough to know when to start house hunting for the looming September, and although there is huge competition for homes, you needn’t panic if you haven’t yet started the process.
According to Unipol, who provide living arrangement advice to students, the best date to commence your house hunt in Leeds is Friday 24th January. In fact, even though you might assume the sooner you sort out your living arrangements the better choice you have, Unipol state that this is simply not the case, with smart students holding off until the 24th January.
Wait until after 24th January
Be smart and wait for the date; that’s the advice provided by Unipol. Whilst some properties will be available well before this date, the vast majority of student accommodation in Leeds will be available from the 24th. Yes you’ll have peace of mind if you sort your situation sooner, however, to give yourself as many options as possible, this is the date to commence your search. As well as being the date most properties are available, this Friday is perfectly placed, as the majority of your friends will all be back in Leeds, however, lectures won’t yet have recommenced, leaving you plenty of time to plan viewings together.
Get your housemates right
It might seem obvious, but picking the correct housemates is a vital aspect of the process. Reliability is key, and it’s amazing how often you get a group sorted and find a house, only for one member to drop out and leave you back at square one. It might be tough to narrow down a group of friends, but you ought to put some serious thought into personalities. It’s great if everyone is best friends a few lectures per week, but will things begin to fall apart when you’re exposed to each other 24/7?
Don’t rush a decision
It’s an important decision, and you should, therefore, take your time with it and make sure you got it spot on. If you’re in your first year and excited about getting all sorted you might want to jump in head first, however having only known friends a couple of months, you don’t want to make your move too early, as not all friendships last. Unipol advises that you give it a few months to ensure the friendship stand the test of time. As well as suggesting you wait until the end of January to begin the house hunting process, Unipol also advises that you book plenty of house viewings with reputable letting agents like Parklane Properties who are specialists in student accommodation in Leeds. Make sure you have a shortlist to choose from and make sure that everyone is happy with the houses you select. Don’t just panic and secure a deal for the very first place you see.
