Student housing

[cymruambyth]

I'm hoping for Planb's help on this!

My baby is looking for his house rental for next year at uni. He has found a great place that seems too good to be true. It's an independent landlord with several properties, on Facebook and Twitter. He wants £100 deposit, reduced rent for 8 weeks of the year. The rent does not include utilities, water or broadband.

Is is there anything I should be looking at, other than reading contract with a fine tooth comb?

thanks

[Deepie]

Re: Student housing

Sounds reasonable to me....is the deposit going to be held with in a DPS ?

[cymruambyth]

Re: Student housing

Sounds reasonable to me....is the deposit going to be held with in a DPS ?

now that is where I have some concerns, as the deposit contributes to the first month's rent.

[Deepie]

Re: Student housing

now that is where I have some concerns, as the deposit contributes to the first month's rent.

I Can't see how that will work.......

[PlanB]

Re: Student housing

I'm hoping for Planb's help on this!

My baby is looking for his house rental for next year at uni. He has found a great place that seems too good to be true. It's an independent landlord with several properties, on Facebook and Twitter. He wants £100 deposit, reduced rent for 8 weeks of the year

I think I know why you're asking this. Didn't you have a rental deposit problem with another one of your babies last year

http://forums.all-about-debt.co.uk/s...l=1#post307795


I haven't seen the ad but it all looks perfectly normal and above board to me. I expect the £100 "deposit" will be a holding deposit just in case you change your mind nearer the time. It probably won't be refundable if you pull out (check the small print). Basically it's £100 to bag the house. I think when it says it'll contribute towards the first months's rent that may mean you pay less rent in the first month because the Landlord already has £100 of your money. See it as being off-set against the rent if you like.

There will probably be a formal "deposit" against dilapidations and breaches of contract equal to one month's rent payable at the time the tenancy agreement starts. That has to be placed in a Government backed scheme within 30 days from receipt.

The eight weeks' reduced rent will probably mean the Landlord is insisting on a 12 months' tenancy agreement but knows that most students bugger off after exams finish in the summer and don't return until October for the next term. Or if they don't want to return to the same house the Landlord knows he won't get a short-let to fill the summer gap before the next academic year starts hence the insistence on a 12 month AST. It's also often a time when the Landlord will do redecoration and major maintenance so they know that will be intrusive and a rental discount seems appropriate.

Actually I think this sounds like a savvy Landlord with a professional approach. He knows his market and knows what will and what won't appeal to students. If he's 'allowing' the students to pay their own utilities and Water Rates then he's obviously not a dodgy Landlord who is sub-letting a council property which would mean he would need to keep all bills in his name to avoid detection.

What we need to look at is the timing of the signing of the AST. If you don't sign now(ish) the Landlord can always let it to someone else. Once both sides sign there is no going back. But then I think you already found that out the hard way last year

The best properties get snapped up early in the year before exam results are out and a new wave of students (who aren't taking a Gap Year) rush to find accommodation in the university towns which they didn't think they were going to live in. Once clearing has begun there's nothing left worth having.

[cymruambyth]

Re: Student housing

Thanks PlanB. I've seen pictures etc, it seems great and I think it's a shock to my system as eldest son thought about uni accommodation in May and was just grateful to find a room! There are no letting agents and several properties on the portfolio, it's almost as though he can remember being a student or was a parent!
The property lists were only listed on Sunday and already 2 that the group were after have gone, so fingers crossed for tomorrow. I'll update with result or questions

[PlanB]

Re: Student housing

I'll update with result or questions

I look forward to that

The thing is what my baby (now 29 but I still pay her mobile bill and car insurance ) or your baby thinks is ideal is not necessarily ideal to us grown-ups even though we are paying or in the very least subsidizing it. From memory my daughter's ideal accommodation was anything as far away from me as possible

[cymruambyth]

Re: Student housing

My youngest has learnt from watching all his brothers make cock ups and recognises that occasionally I may possibly know what I am talking about!

[PlanB]

Re: Student housing

My youngest has learnt from watching all his brothers make cock ups and recognises that occasionally I may possibly know what I am talking about!

Dream on

[cymruambyth]

Re: Student housing



Okay I'll qualify that to say that he likes to make me think that I possibly know something!

[cymruambyth]

Re: Student housing

Blooming landlords . They gave the tenancy to some students who managed to get in earlier! The next house has. £200 per person arrangement fee in addition to big deposit. .
plus, job son bad a contract for has just fallen through.........

[IF]

Re: Student housing

I am sorry Cym

[Deepie]

Re: Student housing

Blooming landlords . They gave the tenancy to some students who managed to get in earlier! The next house has. £200 per person arrangement fee in addition to big deposit. .
plus, job son bad a contract for has just fallen through.........

Landlords !!!!!! somebody has to do it

With these things you have to get in quick..........if you leave it then all you will get is all the properties that nobody wants............

[PlanB]

Re: Student housing

Landlords !!!!!!

[PlanB]

Re: Student housing

Blooming landlords . They gave the tenancy to some students who managed to get in earlier! The next house has. £200 per person arrangement fee in addition to big deposit. .
plus, job son bad a contract for has just fallen through.........

Don't fret Cym There will be loads of students who get 'sent down' so won't be returning to their accommodation for the next academic year which makes room for the next wave.