“When studying abroad, more and more students choose to live in off-campus student accommodations. After all, a comfortable life is what everyone yearns for. So when renting a student accommodation London, what issues should international students pay attention to? The following is for you Introduce these costs.
1. Recurring credit check fee (Credit check fee)
Landlords often run credit checks on prospective tenants in order to avoid them defaulting on the landlord; despite this, there are some agents who charge a hefty credit check fee. In general, a credit check report is around £100, but some agents make tenants pay more. What’s worse is that some agents will show you many properties and then ask you to do multiple credit checks, which is completely unnecessary, because the credit check will only tell the landlord the tenant’s previous credit history.
2. Non-refundable administration charges
An international student once reported to us that she was charged a handling fee of 210 pounds by the agency because she thought the house was already hers. Then her agent told her that the landlord accepted another offer, but her handling fee cannot be refunded to her. Other worse cases have also occurred, with the tenant even paying £540 in processing fees.
You should refuse to pay the closing fee until you are sure the property is yours. You may not have to pay any fees if you are dealing with a private landlord. Some sites where you can find this type of landlord are Moveflat.com (London only), Gumtree.com, loot.com, spareroom.co.uk, or easyroommate.co.uk. You can even find houses on social networking sites like Facebook, Weibo (twitter in China). If you are a student, your university will have contact details for your private landlord. In Scotland, there is no tenant fee.
3. Unprotected deposit
Landlords are required by law to protect tenants’ deposits in one of three programs: Deposit Protection Scheme, My Deposit and Tenancy Deposit Scheme. Still, some landlords won’t do this.It is very important to determine which project they use to protect your deposit before signing the contract, and ask them to produce evidence to prove that your deposit has been protected, which can avoid future disputes. Every deposit protection program has a free appeals service that you can use if the landlord willfully withholds the deposit. Look for a website that will help you. To check if your deposit is secured, ask your agent for a reference number and call them yourself.
While university-owned or purpose-built accommodations are popular choices, exploring off-campus housing options can offer additional benefits. Renting a private apartment or house can provide more autonomy, privacy, and flexibility. It allows you to choose a location that suits your preferences and offers a wider range of options in terms of size, amenities, and price. However, keep in mind the potential challenges of searching for off-campus housing, such as dealing with landlords, negotiating leases, and organizing utilities. Conduct thorough research, visit potential properties, and ensure you understand the terms and conditions before committing to an off-campus housing arrangement.
If you have any questions about student accommodation in London, UK, please call Xiaoju, and we will arrange professional consultants to answer you in detail. “