In your first year, the University Accommodation office usually sought out your halls for you.
For the second year, most students prefer to move into private rented student accommodation. Crazy as it sounds, in order to secure the best properties, people usually start looking in November for a tenancy which starts in July.
As there is usually a team to help first-year students with their halls, it can feel like you’re on your own afterwards. Although the university can find support, you have to be more proactive after leaving halls.
Fortunately, Orange Student Properties has a highly supportive team that can make the whole process much less stressful.
Here are a few tips if you’re starting your search for a student house in Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield or Stafford. It’s particularly important to look early if you want to live in a popular location.
It's generally a good idea to start looking for a student property well in advance, especially if you're aiming for popular areas such as Fallowfield (Manchester), Lenton (Nottingham), Ecclesall Road (Sheffield) where properties are in high demand.
Orange Student Properties has houses in all these popular student areas. Due to their great location and also purpose-designed facilities our houses usually get take quickly.
It’s our aim to provide comfort and safety in fantastic locations close to campuses.
Decide who you want to live with
Deciding who you want to live with is vital and one of your first priorities. There’s no point wasting time looking at properties with 6 bedrooms if you only have 5 in your group.
Once you have agreed with your group, you can discuss what is important to each person.
Set out your budget and requirements beforehand.
Before you start looking, agree as a group and determine your budget and the features you need in a property. This will help you narrow down your options and make the search process more efficient.
At Orange Student Properties, our rents are all inclusive. The rent includes gas, electricity, water, broadband and TV licence. (Students are exempt from paying Council Tax). This means that you have one payment to make and no nasty surprises with expensive, unplanned-for utilities bills.
Some people find it’s worth researching the latest local market trends, especially in popular cities like Manchester.
Understand the local rental market trends in the area where you'll be studying. This can help you gauge when the best time to start looking for a property is and what rental prices to expect.
It can also help to network and seek recommendations. You might want to reach out to current students, alumni, or student housing organisations to get recommendations and insights about the best time to start your search and where to find suitable properties.
It is a good sign if someone is willing to recommend their landlord. Human behaviour is that we usually moan about things that are not good or working but don’t mention them when they are. Friends may not tell you about good landlords but they will definitely tell you about their bad experiences.
At Orange Student Properties we are proud that many of our tenants rent with us for a number of years. We feel this says a lot about the service that we provide.
Staying organised pays off when looking for a student house.
Keep track of your search progress, including properties you've viewed, contacts you've made, and important deadlines. Staying organised can help you make informed decisions and secure a property more efficiently.
To sum up, starting your search for a student property early, being proactive, and staying informed about the local rental market can increase your chances of finding a suitable place that meets your needs and budget.
Which locations do we cover at Orange Student Properties?
Manchester. Our houses in this city are centrally located in Fallowfield, the popular student neighbourhood. Licensed by Manchester City Council, they are also accredited by Manchester Student Homes (approved student housing).
Nottingham. These properties are centrally located in Lenton, the popular student neighbourhood. Licensed by Nottingham City Council, every property is accredited by Unipol (approved student housing).
Sheffield where we have houses centrally just off Ecclesall Road, 3 minutes walk from Collegiate Crescent Campus. Licensed by Sheffield City Council and accredited by SNUG (approved student housing).
Stafford, with properties ideally located for Blackheath Lane Campus at Staffordshire University.
Orange Student Properties is committed to providing safe accommodation for all our residents.
For your safety and security, all houses have a burglar alarm, security lighting, additional security features, smoke alarms on every floor and locks on all bedroom doors.
We’re always happy to provide advice on if and when our student properties are available. As a small family-run business, we have experience dealing with landlords ourselves, so look to make the process as positive as possible.
If you’re looking for a quality student house in Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield or Stafford, check out our latest accommodation today. Or don’t hesitate to contact our friendly team for more details on any of our properties.