“Finding Your Next Student House: A guide to avoiding mould, misery and mice!”
Imogen Farmer guides us through how things to look out for when signing a student house.
Image Credit: Jon Tyson/ Unsplash
Despite the constant corridor chatter in the first week of term about student housing, I assure you there is no need to rush into things. After all, a cockroach-infested house may have been my fate if I had signed that dotted line earlier! What is more important, is ensuring you find a house that you feel happy spending the next year in. If you can imagine those memorable movie nights in the living room, Sunday roasts in the kitchen and outdoor birthday bashes, you know you have found the one!
Despite making it sound like a marital agreement, the search for a student house should be less overwhelming. Ultimately, it is one-year contract, not a lifetime commitment! However, there are many important things to look out for to ensure a comfortable living situation:
The first thing is damp. If you are like me and have sensitive nostrils, you can detect damp through its musty smell alone. Other, more obvious signs are mould on windows, corners and ceilings. Just remember, look up as well as ahead! Living in a damp house can lead to health problems so be sure not to be trapped in these conditions.
It is also important to inquire about the inventory of the house. Whilst a 55-inch flatscreen TV may be your priority, having a suitable mattress and desk is often a necessity as a student. Personally, having a sink in each room in a house of 7 girls was a key selling point for my house as it prevents the long queue of getting ready before a night out!
Another tip worth mentioning is talking to the current tenants. Since they lack any financial motivation, their brutal honesty can be particularly helpful. In one house, I recognised a girl in one of the pictures and consequently received a lot of insight into the property after reaching out. Once they revealed the previous cockroach-infestation and reoccurring mould issue, we decided against the house!
Ultimately, the safety of the property is a major part of the decision-making process. In areas like Hyde Park with higher crime rates, it is crucial to ask about the house’s alarm system and the security of its doors. There are sometimes less obvious safety concerns to watch out for: this is coming from a girl who got electrocuted by a light switch at her first house viewing!
Finally, it’s useful to come prepared with a list of questions when viewing a house, the key ones being ‘Are bills included in the rent for this property?’, ‘Is there a deposit and how would this be paid?’ and ‘What furniture and appliances are included?’. It is likely that renting a house is one of your first big decisions and is a much weightier decision than which meal to cook or club to go to! Therefore, it is important that all these questions are covered to ensure you have made the right choice.
As your home away from home, you should ultimately feel not just safe but happy in your student house. No student house is perfect, but a few fairy lights and photographs can mask any marks or cracks – after all, home is where the heart is!