Looking for accommodation might seem like a big challenge, but there is plenty of support available to help you.
Support for Undergraduates
First-year undergraduates
Accommodation for first-year students is allocated by the University’s accommodation service, Warwick Accommodation, provided the student applies as prompted during the application and admissions processes. The university aims to house as many first year undergraduates as possible. (check for Warwick Accommodation's site for info)
Second-year & returning undergraduates
The SU organises a Housing Day in conjunction with Warwick Accommodation towards the end of Term 1, to provide info on to the process of looking for accommodation for the next academic year. Currently, most undergraduate students look for their accommodation for the next academic year from November through to the start of the new academic year. Many students think that they need to find accommodation immediately following Housing Day in November – however, there is no need to panic, as good-quality properties are still available for a number of months after this event.
The main choices are between on-campus accommodation and renting through the private sector.
If you’re interested in private accommodation, look into reviews from students on their renting experience with agents and landlords on Rate Your Landlord. See what previous tenants had to say about their renting experience with the property before you sign a contract.
Support for Postgraduate Students
Warwick Accommodation does offer PG rooms on campus but on first-come first-serve basis (you need to have accepted your offer of study to be eligible). Most PG students do live off campus.
During Term 1, the SU Advice Centre and Warwick Accommodation run information sessions to support returning postgraduate students looking for accommodation.
Remember: with planning and care, it need not be stressful. It is important to understand the options available to you, as well as the various rights you have. See here for information on Looking For Off-Campus Accommodation.
An outline of the different housing choices and their characteristics are set out below. Most students at Warwick University will generally choose accommodation that falls into one of the following categories:
-
Warwick Accommodation (on-campus only)
-
Private rented accommodation – assured shorthold tenancy;
-
Living with a resident landlord.
Short-Term Lets – Placements/Exchange Students/Resit without residence
There are many reasons why a student may need to stay somewhere for a short period of time and with landlords rarely renting properties for anything less than 6 months, what do you do if you’re looking for somewhere to stay for a term or less?
Firstly, let us define what a short-term let is – one way to describe it is that it does not meet the minimum duration required for the more common assured shorthold tenancies, which is six months. Therefore, by this definition, a short-term let is simply a let for less than six months.
There are many different options depending on your requirements. When searching online refine your searches to “short-term student accommodation” or “short-term lets” followed by the area so your results are more relevant.
Do not exclude contacting your university’s accommodation team as depending on the situation, they may be able to offer you a room on-campus.
Depending on your available budget and length of stay, you may have to look into Bed and Breakfast, Hotels, and lodger options.
Below is a non-exclusive list of options but we recommend that you do your own research. If you have any questions or wish for the advice centre to check your contract/license agreements for you before you sign, please get in touch via our Enquiry Form
https://www.hometogo.co.uk/
https://www.sublet.com/
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/
https://www.vrbo.com/en-gb/
https://wearehomesforstudents.com/short-term-student-accommodation
https://www.cityroomrentals.co.uk/
https://www.unitestudents.com/short-stays
Warwick Accommodation
Most Warwick Accommodation properties are for a fixed term, which means you cannot give notice to quit and will be liable for your rent during this period (or until a replacement tenant is found for your room). Where your landlord is the University, you are likely to only have basic protections as a tenant – see here for more information.
Warwick Accommodation can be contacted by phone at 024 7652 3772 or e-mail via accommodation@warwick.ac.uk.
See here for more info relating to Warwick Accommodation.
If you have problems with your University-managed accommodation and cannot get it resolved, there is a complaints procedure for Warwick Accommodation.
Warwick Accommodation is a signatory to the Universities' UK Code of Practice, but this only applies to campus halls of residence. For more information, please look at the following link: http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-analysis/Pages/accommodation-code-of-practice.aspx
All Warwick Accommodation properties on-campus (excluding Staff and Family Housing), will come with a level of personal possessions insurance.
Assured Shorthold Tenancy
Most accommodations with a private landlord, where the landlord is not living at the property, will be an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (regardless of what the contract says). There are certain statutory terms implied in every contract for an Assured Shorthold, and these terms cannot be excluded.
The main rights of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy are:
- To live in your accommodation for a fixed period of time. For students, this is usually for 10-11 months, or it might be a periodic tenancy continuing from month to month.
- You have a right to certain information both when you pay your deposit and at the beginning of the tenancy.
- You control your home so that you can stop other people from entering freely. If the landlord does not respect this right, they might be in breach of your right to quiet enjoyment.
- There are statutory and common law rights to have certain repairs done - for more information, please see our page on Disrepair.
- The landlord cannot force you to leave your accommodation until they get a court order to evict you.
For more information on your rights as an Assured Shorthold tenant, see: http://england.shelter.org.uk/
Living with a Resident Landlord
If -
- You share accommodation with your landlord
- or -
- You live in the same building as your landlord and share accommodation with a member of your landlord's family,
- you are likely to be what is known as an ‘excluded occupier’, and have very limited rights without the legal protections that most tenants have.
If you start to have problems with your accommodation, it is important that you get advice and find out what your rights are. Generally, as an excluded occupier your only right is to stay until your landlord asks you to go, or for as long as your written agreement states. Your landlord can evict you by giving you reasonable notice (which can be verbal) and doesn't need a court order.
Useful links about accommodation and your rights
To read student reviews of agents and landlords in Warwick, check out the Rate Your Landlord website.
For more information on student accommodation:
http://england.shelter.org.uk/
For more information on your rights when renting from a private landlord:
http://england.shelter.org.uk/