How To Avoid Hidden Costs When Renting as a Student

You’ve gotten into your first-choice university, you are excited about the course, and now, you have to find somewhere to live.

As many as 85 percent of students move away from home to attend university in the UK, with the majority living on campus in the first year. Of course, there is limited space on campus, meaning that a lot of students will move into a shared home.

This sounds simple, but as any former student will tell you, it is a bit of a learning curve! Moving away from home is expensive, stressful, and it can seem like some student landlords are all about making money.

So, how can you ensure that you avoid hidden costs when moving into rented student accommodation?

Challenges That Students Face When Renting

Before moving on to how to avoid hidden costs (and save your maintenance loan as a student), some of the challenges of being a student need to be explored, to showcase why students struggle to rent and why keeping an eye on the pennies is paramount.

Limited Budgets

There are many estate agents in the UK, like Zest, who have a section dedicated to students on their website. However, a lot of students struggle with minimal budgets and are relying on student loans, parental support, or even part-time jobs. This makes affordability an issue, and unfortunately, rentals for students around universities can be high.

Lack of Rental Experience

This is often the first time a student is renting, and so, they may be vulnerable to unfair terms of a tenancy, as well as poor-quality housing or even exploitative landlords.

Poor Housing Conditions

Out of desperation, many students will move into a student property that is poorly maintained and will overlook issues like damp, poor heating, or even broken appliances like ovens.

Short-Term Contracts & Instability

Another factor is that many student rentals are short-term and follow the academic year, which adds pressure to find new accommodation. The end result is students becoming stressed about housing, which can cause problems with studying.

Avoiding Hidden Costs

With those complications in mind, what are some of the best tips for avoiding hidden costs when you are renting?

Read the Lease Carefully Before Signing
It sounds obvious, but when you are desperate for somewhere to live and to settle in, you may skip over important areas in the rental or tenancy agreement. Check for terms and conditions like early tenancy termination fees or additional charges for cleaning at the end of the tenancy. If there is any vague language, be sure to ask for clarification. A couple of common phrases to look for include “reasonable costs” and “administration fees.” Be sure to get all clarification from either the landlord or the lettings agent in writing.

Ask About Utilities and Extra Charges Upfront
In some cases, a student’s home may come with electricity, water, internet, and heating included. In others, these are charged separately, so ask before you sign the tenancy agreement how these are charged. Some shared homes will require you to set this up yourself, which may involve deposit fees.

Check Deposit Terms and Inventory Reports
As is the way with student rentals (and standard rentals), a security deposit can become a hidden cost if it isn’t handled properly. Many students have paid deposits only to find that at the end of their lease, the deposit has vanished as it wasn’t held in a legally-binding scheme. So, confirm that the deposit is protected in a government-approved scheme and request a letter of inventory and photos when you move into the home. This will prevent you from losing your deposit at a later date if there is pre-existing damage that you could have been charged for.

Understand Maintenance and Repair Responsibilities
It is common for students to be surprised by unexpected repair bills when something in the home breaks. So, ask whether the landlord is responsible for repairing appliances, as well as overseeing plumbing repair, and who is responsible for other areas like pest control. Be aware of the rules around the garden’s upkeep, as well as rubbish disposal and furniture replacement, as all of these can add to living costs that you weren’t expecting.

Remember, even if you are brand new to renting and you feel worried about your landlord as a student, you have rights! There are lots of rental companies online that can offer you and your fellow students suitable accommodation, without you needing to settle for subpar properties.