British Culture as a Twenty Something Student: Housing After Halls

So I’ve been gone a little while as I have been moving into my own uni house! I am now in my third year at Cardiff and this is my second house in this city. You learn so much about life after moving out of halls. Things like bills, rent, locality, fees and a million other things all become a very grown up reality. Don’t panic! It is all very daunting, but it will work out. Here are some tips of the trade when it comes to student houses.

Keep an eye out

This refers to numerous things in regards to housing. First of all, agency fees and deposits and any other charges under the sun that agents will try. Look out for agents that have the lowest fees/no fees. It is really depressing handing over £100s to an agent to stop your house being shown to other people. It is such a waste of money for you and a money making scheme on their part. Fee free agents do exist, I had one in my second year in Cardiff. He was a great landlord and had no deposits either – but my rent was higher in comparison to others. It is whatever you can afford, because it is common to see the bank of mum and dad as most students don’t have £500 spare for fees and deposits. Be aware.

Also, try different agents. In Cardiff for example, we looked with: Keylet, CPS Homes, Pinnacle and 2let2. They all offer different things: £50 for joining, free food, low rents, free t-shirts and so on, don’t fall for it. Make sure you see through their wonderful deals and look at their reliability as an agent and their extra costs. My first landlord was great, John Winter. Expensive, but reliable and my house felt safe with him. However, this year my new friends decided to go with 2let2, who have the worst reputation in Cardiff but the rent is cheap. The house is nice but when I moved in, there were so many problems to contend with. I have some lovely woodlouse friends who like to chill in my room, lounge and kitchen. We also have a damp problem, leaks, broken fans in the bathroom, a broken shower and a million other things. And surprise surprise, the agents don’t care. Our landlord herself is good, but she lets herself in and turns up early in the morning, a little odd. All I can say is, don’t expect a house like your parents’, there will be problems, and you will get cold.

Bills, bills, bills.

You will always have a bill Nazi. I bet you money, that you’ll live with someone who turns the lights off when you’re using them, or only turn on the heating when you’re moments from freezing to death. However, it is good to have a head bill keeper. Ideally someone who is most organized and not afraid to call people up to arrange bills, you need to have complete trust in them. It will be up to them to decide your monthly costs and also you will be transferring £30+ each month to them. So just be careful and be aware of how much you’ve paid and call them up if your unsure on something. If they’re doing it properly, they won’t mind.

Flatmates become Housemates

Here is where stuff gets a little more intimate. You’ll go from a flat full of people to a little house of four or five people. That’s the normal amount, you may have more or less than this but even so, a house is a different environment to halls. It will be great or you’ll make the decision pretty early on that you want different housemates for your final year. House life is much more homely than halls, but it becomes clear who is anti social, or messy or annoying. My advice is to keep it chilled. Chill out. Always. People will bug you, just ignore them. Stay in your room or go out to a friends. I let too many things annoy me, so as Elsa says: Let it go.

There is probably loads of stuff I’ve left out but just watch out for the snakes that are letting agents. And don’t look too early because you may change your mind about living situations and friends. YOU HAVE TIME.