Things you should know about living in a student house

Student houses often have the reputation of being dirty, messy and always having something that needs to be fixed. Although this can be true, it doesn’t have to be.

If you are having issues with your accommodation that is affecting your day to day to talk to the ResLife team: https://residencelife.lincoln.ac.uk/

The immediate upsides to living in a student house are no more paying a ridiculous amount to wash your clothes, the fire alarm won’t go off every week and you won’t get woken up by drunk students walking through the accommodation at 3 am. However, a student house has its troubles which this article will aim to highlight!

Landlords and contracts

First of all, it can be very scary signing into a student house where landlords often like to see how much they can get away with. Make sure to look at the university’s trusted landlords, as this can provide insight into which houses to avoid. It’s also important to look over your contract for things like being responsible for only your share of the rent and not anyone else’s if they refuse to pay. This was sneaked into a contract and we had to ask them to remove it again!

Additionally, asking to pay the rent in line with your student loan is also a good thing to talk about. Talking to other students about a landlord’s reputation on social media, like Facebook, can help you to decide who to live with. Some landlords can be ridiculous with the reasons for not giving back your deposit, whilst others understand that you’re not going to live in the house like it’s a showroom! Moreover, don’t be afraid to speak out if your landlord isn’t responding to maintenance requests or the property isn’t up to standard. Know your rights as a student tenant.

Responsibility and safety

Besides bad landlords, it’s also a lot more responsibility. Cleaning a whole house is a bit different to a shoebox bedroom and communal kitchen. Setting up a rota with your housemates can help to avoid arguments if someone isn’t pulling their weight, especially if you’re sharing a bathroom.

It can also be less safe. For example, making sure you always lock the door after a night out, shutting windows if you’re not in and keeping valuables out of sight, particularly if your bedroom is downstairs are little things that can prevent your house from becoming an easy target. Although crime isn’t a big issue in Lincoln, student houses are always an ideal target for robberies since everyone has their laptop, phone and iPad for example.

Convenience and freedom

Despite this, student houses can be a great alternative to halls as they provide a fantastic opportunity to live with your friends and create a space that is truly your own! They’re also typically more affordable than student accommodation and can give you some more independence. They’re also typically a lot quieter than student accommodation meaning they’re a great choice if you enjoy a good night’s sleep, particularly after exams or during freshers week!

Choosing to live in a student house depends on the type of person you are, however, they provide a good opportunity to live independently with friends and add to the typical university experience!