4 key things to consider when searching for student accommodation in London

Finding a place to live in London as a student can be quite daunting — and this is especially true if you're an international student.

To help you, we’ve rounded up the four most important things to consider before you start your search below. And with our top tips, you’ll be settled into your new home in no time!

When to start looking for student accommodation in London

Depending on the type of accommodation you choose (don’t worry, we explain the different types of student accommodation in London below), the landlord, agency, or university will start advertising rooms at different times of the year.

If you want to stay in university-owned student accommodation, you can normally apply as soon as you’ve accepted an offer. But it’s worth noting that this is only usually allowed if that specific university is your top choice.

Privately owned student residences like Beaumont House are a bit different. You can contact us at any time throughout the year to reserve a room — whether you’ve decided where you want to study in London yet or not. Unlike university-owned accommodation, you can even apply for a room at Beaumont House when you’re waiting for offers.

If you want to rent a house or flat privately as a student in London, you won’t need to search for a room until the summer before you start your course. Houses in London are usually not advertised more than one or two months before they become available. In this fast-moving rental market, if your course starts in September, you won’t need to start your search until around June.

Our top tip: If you do accept an offer to a university and want to stay in their halls, it’s worth setting a reminder to apply for a room as soon as you can. These rooms are in high demand, and many students don’t get their first choice of room or halls.

Picking a location to live in London as a student

When it comes to deciding where to live in London, nothing substitutes some good old-fashioned research before arriving in the city.

Websites such as Rightmove, Zoopla, or Spareroom can be a useful place to start. If you don’t have a specific area of London you would like to move to in mind, use your college/university as your desired flat location. You can then move the radius gradually out from there to explore areas nearby. This will help you understand the types of properties available near your university/college, how much it generally costs to rent in that area, and what the surrounding neighbourhoods have to offer.

Comparing and contrasting different flats of the same size and/or number of rooms in different areas will give you an idea of whether the rooms you find are a ‘good deal’ or not. However, it’s important to bear in mind that in London, areas that may seem directly next to each other can vary dramatically in price. This is standard across the city.

Another thing to keep in mind when looking through these sites is reviews and ratings from previous tenants. This will give you a better idea of what to expect from the flat itself and the neighbourhood as a whole.

Our top tip: If you find an area you like, but would still like to know more about it, research the location on social media. You can try this through hashtags (e.g. #BondStreet or #NottingHill) and location tagging, and by browsing the accounts of restaurants and cafes in the area. This can give you an inside look at what the area is like from day to night!

Different types of student accommodation in London

Some students choose to rent privately (through a private landlord or agency) rather than living in halls of residence or student-specific housing.

If this is the case, when you start researching online, you’ll notice that some properties are managed by agents and some by private landlords. Agents tend to advertise on sites like Rightmove, Zoopla, and On The Market. For private rentals, it will be a bit more ad hoc, and you will find these landlords on websites like Gumtree, Spareroom, OpenRent or Houseshop.com, as well as private Facebook groups.

There are of course advantages and disadvantages to renting from both private landlords and agencies. Some students choose to rent through a private landlord as they don’t charge agency fees and many don’t need reference checks.

But with this, comes risk. While private landlords are regulated, it can be tough for local authorities to ensure landlords are compliant with legal obligations. You’ll need to do your research to make sure your landlord is meeting the requirements that will keep you and your money safe.

With agencies, you can have the peace of mind that they’ll have all the paperwork, rules, and regulations in place. Saying this, agencies usually come with a hefty agency fee. And in some cases, tenants can wait a long time before any issues that may arise in the property are solved. It really depends on what you are looking for and what your budget is.

If you're a first-year student or an international student moving to London, the most suitable option for you might be to live in housing designed specifically for the student community. There are a few ways you can do this. Some universities offer on-campus accommodation for their students, and some offer accommodation close to campus instead.

However, slots for student housing offered by universities are often very limited due to high demand. And in some cases, university halls of residence can be outdated.

Another option to consider is renting private accommodation designed specifically for students, such as Beaumont House. With private residences designed specifically for students, you get the benefits of university accommodation — such as living alongside your fellow students — with many other benefits that university-owned residences don’t usually offer.

At Beaumont House, these benefits include everything from high-speed WiFi and 24-hour security services to our own International Student Services and a prayer room with an ablution area.

Our top tip: If you want to share a private rental with roommates, some of the websites offer services like Spareoom’s ‘Buddy Ups,’ which allow you to connect with other room-seekers in the area.

Use social media for research and tips

One of the most helpful things you can do as a student preparing to move to London is to join student Facebook groups. This will not only help you connect with like-minded students and discover where your student community studies and socialises, but it can also help you decide where in London you should live.

There are plenty of student groups on Facebook that cater to international students looking for housing in London. As well as advertising various properties (if you want to go down the private landlord route we described above), these groups are a helpful hub of tips and advice from other students who have gone through it all before. They can offer information on the best bars, cafes and restaurants with student deals near your university/college, and even just some logistical tips about banking, transport, and more.

Our top tip: Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to learn all about living in student accommodation in London and how to get the most out of student life in the city!

Putting a little bit of time and effort into the research described above before you head to London will help you find a new home that best fits your needs and budget. It may seem daunting at first, but once you start your search, you’ll likely be so excited about moving to London, that your search will become stress-free!

To check room availability in our beautiful building, or to find out more, contact us or give us a call on +44 (0)203 195 3214.