Private Housing: All You Need To Know

There are a lot of options available for living in Portsmouth, but if you want to move into a private house with your friends, you might find it different from having lived in halls. The culture might be different, but so are your rights. Let’s break down some tips to live successfully in a student house.

Life could be a dream?

With the right housemates, sure. Most people get on really well with their housemates, and live for multiple years in the same house with the same people. But unfortunately, that’s not automatically guaranteed. Sometimes it’s easier to be friends with people than to live with them - maybe they have some annoying habit that you didn’t know about, or if it’s someone you’ve only known for a few months, they might be a completely different person in a year’s time. Don’t rush into things - try to get to know the people you want to live with in other ways. If you already share a flat in halls with them, maybe keep an eye on how they keep things in the kitchen, or their room, or if not, see how they keep their own room or kitchen clean. Is there something else that might be a problem? Maybe they absolutely hate Christmas, and you’re a real Die Hard Christmas fan (get it?) - you’d rather know that now, then when you’re fighting over decorations on December 1st.

Maybe take some time to sit down with your future flatmates and talk about the sort of place you’d like to live. How you’d split bills, chores, etc, if anyone is allergic to anything, or how you’d like your house to look on the inside. It might be a lot easier to decide if you’re all compatible if you’re all on the same level. And if you’re not, that’s okay too. Again, you’d rather know now, than three months into a year-long tenancy agreement.

Finding your area?

If you are absolutely certain who you want to live with, great! The next step is figuring out where you want to live - but it’s not just the area that you want to think about. It’s the house itself, too.

It could also not be a house. If you and your housemates would be more comfortable in a flat, that might also be a good shout. You tend to find more flats in busy areas - bear that in mind that this may not be suitable for everyone. Even if your flat has lift access, maintenance may mean that your disabled housemates can’t leave, which could be problematic. While most flats do specify whether they're for students, consider whether you'll all need furniture as well - and if so, how to transport it. An unfurnished apartment on the seventh floor may be a struggle, especially if there's no lift.

Everyone will have different opinion and preferences, and a good compromise is needed if you all want to get along. Do your housemates want a garden? Or maybe close access to certain facilities, such as a pharmacy or a local shop (or the pub. We wouldn't complain either). Are you okay with upstairs neighbours? Would you all rather live a few floors up? Everyone is different, so discussing this with your housemates while you're all property-hunting will make it easier to decide what kind of place you all want.

You might also want to think about the area, too. If you're all on the same course, realistically you'll probably want somewhere close enough to your building to save time on those frenzied mornings. (Here's a tip - consider local bus routes. Somewhere further away might be cheaper, and you might well be able to hop on at point A and hop off at point B with no problem. And our free University Bus could help with that, too.) If you're not all on the same course, then try to figure out where the middle is between all your buildings, and look around in that area. Our campus isn't that big, and most of our buildings are fairly close together, but obviously that depends on if any of your crew have mobility needs. If one of you is in St George's and one of you is in Park, you might need to work together to make sure you can both get to class on time. 

Quality control?

The most important thing about moving into a student house is knowing your rights. Most student landlords have been doing their jobs for years, and know how to make everything hunky-dory for you and your crew - so probably nothing to worry about, but it’s important to check anyway. There are other rules, too, for if your accommodation is classed as a HMO - that means House of Multiple Occupation. Halls of Residence are not HMOs because they’re controlled by a central educational establishment (the university) rather than a singular landlord, and as such, they manage things slightly differently.

Regardless of HMO status, each property should have a smoke alarm on every floor, and a carbon monoxide detector wherever there’s a fireplace. If you are in a HMO, your landlord is legally required to fit some kind of fire extinguisher on each floor. Private landlords have to give at least 24 hours notice before their arrival, apart from in emergencies. Gas and electrical appliances have to be checked regularly, too - again, this is ensured in halls, but if you’re looking for a house, maybe ask your landlord about that during your viewing. Your landlord is responsible for any faults with the structure of the property. This includes the essentials, like sinks, baths and toilets, pipes and wiring, heating and hot water - including the boiler. 

And finally, your landlord is legally obliged to place your deposit in a government-owned deposit scheme within 30 days of them receiving the payment. If you think your landlord has breached any terms of your contract, feel free to get in touch - our Advice Service is happy to help, or alternatively you can contact your local Citizen's Advice Bureau.

Phew.

I've got the power!

Or - you will, once you figure that out with your housemates. A lot of student properties are already set up with suppliers, such as gas, electricity, and water - but some aren't, and if not, it should specify that this is your responsibility.

This might seem fairly daunting - truthfully, it's a lot easier than it sounds. Take some time to sit down with your pals and have a look through packages. And we know it's all really expensive - you must all be sick of hearing about the Cost of Living Crisis. (Or "cozzie livs", if you're that way inclined. Luckily, we have articles about that, too.) 

Some places offer a "bill aggregation" service, where they shop around for the best deals for you, and you just pay them the costs - including a small fee for labour. These can be a good idea for the busy bees among you, but bear in mind it can be more expensive than just shopping around for yourselves, and you always want to make sure the service you're using is trustworthy. There are certain websites you can use to check the legitimacy of certain services.

However you want to pay, maybe consider setting up a direct debit - it sends a set amount of money to a set place once per a certain amount of time, so you can set it to pay your rent and bills every month if you're likely to forget. If you are sorting the bills yourself, it might be an idea to work out the best way to pay - whether you all do a month each, or maybe one person takes care of a certain utility, and everyone just gives them the money. It's honestly all cool how you want to do it, as long as everything gets paid on time and everyone is happy.

And, finally, and probably most importantly, as a student you're not liable for council tax, so contact your local council to gain an exemption.

It might seem like a lot to think about - but don't worry, you've got plenty of time. As always, we're here to help if you have any questions. And if it doesn't go so smoothly, check out our Sort it Out service, which can help figure out conflict or difficulties between households - so you really can rest easy. 

And now that we've unpacked all that - and set up the electricity - go pop the kettle on. Might be time for some housewarming.