6 Vital Things to Know Before Choosing Student Accommodations
So, if you have landed on this article, it is safe to assume that you are on the quest for student accommodation. However, as you would have figured out by now, the job is not that trivial. You would be confused in between so many options, they would all seem good, and they would none seem perfect. Hence, how do you make the right decision?
To help you decide faster, we are going to list down 6 things you have to know before you finalize:
- Who’s the landlord? It becomes crucial to know who runs the brand when you would be staying in the product. As marketing as that sounds, it is how it is. For them, the student accommodation might just be a business, and for you, it would be your home. So, you should do a background check on the landlord, more so, if they are going to be in the same property as you. You can even read about them online, verified portals such as Iglu would suggest reputed student accommodations. Click here.
- Who’s the manager? In case the property owner doesn’t live there, you would be dealing with a manager. The manager’s background check is equally important. Moreover, you can look around for what the other people have to say about them, and you can talk with the staff as well to find out more.
- What’s covered in the rent? Although most student accommodations have the price of food, electricity, and water covered in the rent, there may be some exceptions. Thus, always a good idea to ask about that! You can even find out what are the other utilities included in your rent, such as perhaps an indoor swimming pool or gym.
- What if I want to leave? You may not like the place; however, there would be some legal contract in place to hold you down and bind you to the accommodation. Some places would let you leave with just a week’s notice while others may have a clause or bond for 12 months. You need to speak to the landlord or the guardian to figure out what happens when you do not feel like staying the course of the agreement, are there any expensive charges involved, shall you break the contract? Or do you have to inform them? If the notice period exists, how well before you move out, should you inform?
- Are there any added charges? You would also like to have a clear picture of expenditure before you move in. For instance, would your meals be covered, if not, then you would have to pay for that? Would they cover the laundry fees too? These may sound trivial but would help you avoid future confusion, debates, and bitter experiences.
- What does the place feel like? Notice how we used the word “feel”, and not “look”. The looks of it can be deceiving; they can even be tailored to lure an innocent student in. However, the vibes of a place, the sneaky details, the roommates’ lifestyle would give you the real naked. So, look out for the dirty corners, the hidden dust, the off-putting actions to find out what it really feels like.
Of course, it is only after you move in would you realize how the place really is, so always negotiate for a lesser rent or a more flexible contract. You can even go in for a smaller lockdown period so that if you can’t see your living there for long, you will have an option of exploring more places without facing huge monetary restrictions too.
Hope you find the right place!