The Nottingham Student

It is all about life as a student. It is not hard but it does have its challenges like budgets, finding a good place to live and knowing the area the biggest stress is always student accommodation Nottingham student is here to help!!

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Dealing with Student letting agents.

If you are living away from home for the first time you have probably never had to deal with a letting agency before. But unless your parents have incredibly deep pockets and plan to purchase a property outright the chances are you will be renting your student accommodation and letting agencies are a necessary part of the process. In any university town or city you will probably find letting agencies that deal primarily in student accommodation. They will have dozens of properties to fill before the beginning of term and will be working hard to sign you up before another agency has chance. They will each be offering attractive deals to tempt you with, from flat screen televisions to free wifi or even ensuite facilities. But it is important to do your research and not be instantly sucked into signing a contract only to find you could have got a better deal elsewhere. Most agencies will advertise their properties online, this is a real advantage to you as a potential tenant as it gives you the opportunity to have a good look at what is available before you decide which agents to contact. The website will usually give you details of exactly what is included in the rent and what will be billed as extra. This information is really important when you are working out a budget and although luxuries such as new TVs are very appealing, they are only there to allow landlords an excuse to charge more. More important factors to consider are the location of the property, it’s overall condition, it’s surroundings and the facilities included in the price. This may be your first encounter with a letting agency but it is something you will need to get used to as it probably won’t be your last! Finding a good agent may not be easy so ask around for recommendations from other students who are already renting in the area. This is the best way to find an agent that provides good student accommodation and also good service.

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Look after your student accommodation deposit!!

Once upon a time student accommodation had a reputation for being a bit grotty and drab. It was all to common to find mould around the windows, stains on the carpets and mismatched furnishings and nobody really expected anything more. But times have changed and student properties now are generally very nice, and landlords now have legal responsibilities that they must abide by if they wish to let a student property.

To get a student property up to a lettable standard may cost the landlord a fair amount of money. They may for example have to buy new carpets, new appliances or maybe fit a new kitchen or bathroom and this is why they may be excused for getting more than a bit annoyed when the property is not looked after by the students living in it.

Of course it is perfectly understandable that when you chuck a bunch of twentysomethings into a house together away from mum and dad for the first time, they are going to go a little bit mental sometimes. There will be drunkenness, there will be parties and inevitably there will be accidents and things will get broken. But that does not mean it is ok to go around deliberately damaging things and expecting the landlord to foot the bill.

When a property is let a tenancy agreement is usually signed, and a deposit, or a bond is usually paid. This is a sum of money that is set aside by your letting agency and at the end of your tenancy, if the landlord is happy with the condition of the student property the deposit will be returned. If however the property has not been looked after to an acceptable standard the landlord is within their rights to retain the deposit to repair any damage that has been caused.

Take a look here for more info on deposit protection

I used a reputable letting agency in Nottingham for my student accommodation, to find out more click here.

A certain level of wear and tear is expected, a new carpet may be slightly matted near a doorway for example, but cigarette burns or excessive staining would be seen as neglectful. A small scratch on a worktop may be an accident, but carving your name into it is vandalism and obviously completely unacceptable.

All landlords really expect is a bit of common sense and respect for the property. In most cases the deposit is returned with no fuss, but you shouldn’t bank on getting it back if you have not taken reasonable care of the student property,

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Moving out of student accommodation

There seems to be a lot of information available for students looking to move into accommodation away from their family home. There isn’t much information regarding moving out of the rented accommodation at the end of your tenancy. So what do you need to consider?

Most contracts will stipulate the expectations of your management of the property while you are living there. For example, who is responsible for cleaning the windows, yourself or the Landlord? Who is responsible for the upkeep of the garden area if applicable? It is important that you are aware of your obligations from within the contract prior to actually moving into the property so that you can ensure that they are upheld throughout your tenancy. Most contracts are standard but there will, no doubt, be some differences amongst contracts and some of these may need a little more attention. Do not forget you always have available from UNIPOL and the national union of students when you need it.

Odd (but often standard) clauses included not being allowed to dry washing outside of the property and not being allowed water beds or fish tanks in the property! It isn’t unheard of for musical instruments to be detailed as items excluded from being kept in the property. So make sure you read the contract properly – if anything like this pops up which is a concern, discuss it with the Landlord. It is easier to discuss these items with the Landlord at the outset of the contract than have to explain why you have done something within the house which is clearly stipulated as a no no. Often these clauses are standard and there is usually scope to make changes in the contract according to your needs. However, do be cautious if the Landlord isn’t happy to make these changes – it is usually for a reason and if you decide you are going to sneak a puppy in to the house without your landlord’s permission and he turns up to repair a leaky tap then you will have some awkward explaining to do. Be sensible and realistic.

Depending on how long you are renting the property for, the Landlord will expect a reasonable level of wear and tear. By reasonable, if there is the odd light mark on the carpet or a few marks to the walls after a years tenancy, this would probably be acceptable. A large stain on a carpet caused by a spillage not cleaned up or kitchen worktops covered in knife marks because you didn’t use a chopping board are not general wear and tear, but neglect of the property and you will be expected to pay for (at least some of) the damage out of your deposit. Imagine if the property was your own – how would you expect it to be treated by those renting it from you? Don't forget your student accommodation letting agent is there to help you and will assist with any help or questions that you require.

The Landlord may have taken an inventory of the property – this will detail items in the house and the condition they are held in. If there was an inventory taken, you will have signed this at the outset of the tenancy along with the contract. The inventory will detail the items supplied within the property (e.g. dining table, sofa etc) and the condition of them. So it may state ‘Brown sofa with some signs of wear but no large stains’. It may also detail the condition of the property, for example ‘some pin holes to kitchen wall but otherwise no marks’. If the Landlord has lots of properties of is part of a lettings agency, this will help them to remember what the property looked like when you moved in and will also allow them to deduct money from your deposit if there is substantial damage. you shoukld always make sure your deposit is protected in a deposit protection scheme

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Students in Nottingham – Alternative’s to going clubbing in Nottingham!

Going out to town or the student union is a big part of most student’s life in Nottingham. With a wide range or bars and clubs to suit all tastes and budgets, Nottingham is well known for its fantastic nightlife. However, by nights out it town can get expensive or repetitive and so here are some alternatives you may not have thought of trying to entertain you.

Have a house party. This may not be popular with the landlord of your student property but can be a cheaper alternative to a night in town. It is a particular good idea for celebrations such as birthdays, Christmas and Halloween. To cut cost get all your guests to bring theie own drinks and some snacks. It is also a good idea to lock your bedroom doors and make sure any breakables are put away. Also important that you ensure you don’t upset the neighbours -  hopefully they are students too and you can just inivte them round.

Karoke. Check out your local pubs and see if any karoke is going on. Great for a cheesy alternative to a night out. If you are not up for singing in public Sing Star is a great alternative.

Comedy. Nottingham is a location on the tour list of every big comedian. Check out who is on at The Royal Concert Hall or The Capital FM Arena. Unfortunately tickets often go on sale over a year in advance and can be quite pricey. A cheaper alternative is comedy clubs like Jongleurs, Just the Tonic and The Glee Club. If you are lucky you might get to see a big name trying out material for their tour. I was lucky to see Jack Whitehall a couple of years ago at Just the Tonic and it is great to see comedians in a smaller venue. There are often cheap tickets available if you search with your NUS card and once you have bought tickets you are likely to receive offers by email.

Go for a meal – Grab a group of friends and go for a meal. Mid week is probably the best time to go as this is when all the best offers are on. Look on sites such as Vouchercloud for offers before you go to get the best deal.

Bowling – Nottingham has 2 bowling alleys. One is located just off Clifton Boulevard (The ring road) next to showcase Cinema. The other is located in the city centre on Belward Street. Look online before you go. Student nights are sometimes available with cheaper rates for students. One recent offer was £2 per person per game on a Thursday night with a valid NUS card.

Gigs – Nottingham plays hosts to many big stars at the Capital FM Arena and Royal Concert Hall. Keep an eye out online or sign up to email alerts as tickets sell out fast. Rock city is another popular location for gigs for less mainstream artists.

Cinema – Make the most of your NUS student card to go to the cinema for cheaper. Have a look online for different cinemas around Nottingham as the prices for students vary.

One for the girls – Have a pampering night. Buy yourself some face masks, manicure sets, self tan etc and treat yourself to a night in. Stick on some cheesy music and open a bottle of wine and end with watching a film in your pj’s!

Get involved in Uni Sports– You don’t have to be an expert to get involved. Look out for ‘fun leagues’ where it is all about taking part and having fun rather than the score. Examples include netball and five a side football. Even if you are not very good, it is a great atmosphere and you may be the proud winners of a wooden spoon!!

Study – You could spend your Saturday night in catching up on reading or writing essays. Only Joking!!!!

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Saving Money – a Great Night’s In in a Student House

I am currently in my 3rd year of studying History at Nottingham Trent University. I have found one of the toughest things about being a student is lack of money coupled with the desire to have fun. Therefore I am currently trying to find ways of still having fun without going out into town as often which costs a lot. I currently live in student accommodation in Nottingham with 4 other girls and we are all trying to cut down on our spending but still want to have fun and do some new things. I am going to share with you of a few of the ideas we have for having fun in our student home instead of going out.

One thing me and my friends all love to do is go to the cinema, but even with student discount, this can be an expensive night out. Instead we have signed up to love film a get a couple of films through a month for about a £5 per month, which works out at a pound each or 50p a film. Every couple of weeks we have a house cinema night where we put on the film, make some microwave popcorn, crack open a bottle of wine or 2 and chill out in our pj’s to watch a film. Much more comfortable and chilled out than the cinema and lots cheaper. This is especially good during the winter months.

As student house are that they are often close together, it is easy to invite friends round for an evening in, which we do often. Although the neighbours might not appreciate wild house parties, inviting a few friends round can be a cheap night and can be just as fun as a night in town. One night we decided to have a cocktail night where everyone coming got into pairs and each pair had to provide a bottle of spirits and a mixer(e.g. apple juice, lemonade etc). Between 10 of use this gave a massive range of drinks to experiment to create some good, and some not so good, cocktails for about £7 each. This would be the same as the cost of one cocktail in many bars in Nottingham. We also bought some straws, cocktail umbrella, cocktail shakers and other accessories from pound shops in town. It was a great night (though not so great with the hangover the next morning!)

If your student property is near to a park, we could walk to the Forest Recreation Ground from our student house, this is a great place in the summer. We had a great afternoon with a picnic (including a couple of cheap bottles of wine) and a game of rounders with a group of friends. Again another cheap but fun afternoon/evening.

Another idea we had was to bring our old board games from home and have a weekly games night. Might not sound like fun but it is surprising how easy it is to change any childhood game into a drinking game. For example, a game of Snakes and Ladder could have the rules that you have to drink a shot if you got down a snake and can nominate someone else if they go up a ladder. Use your imagination! TV programmes such as X Factor can also turn into good drinking games if you all drink every time certain things happen (e.g. a drink for every sob story told during the auditions) Use cheap supermarket spirits mixed with cheap mixers or cheap wine also works! Much cheaper that a night in town but makes TV and board games much more interesting!

My student accommodation in Nottingham, like many others, was located near many take away shops. Me and my friends love a takeaway treat now and again but have learnt to look closely at the offers and deals and order from these to save money. If there is a 2 for 1 deal on a Tuesday only for example, make this your takeaway night.

I have found that saving money doesn’t mean you need to be bored. Living with my friends is fantastic and I have learnt we can have just as much, if not more, fun staying in wearing our pj’s just by using out imagination. Obviously we still have nights out in town. But cutting out one night out a week has made a big difference already.

[mimattictheory]

Top tips for finding student accommodation in Nottingham

Getting your student accommodation sorted long before the new term begins should be your top

priority. Oh I know it’s boring and you would much rather be hunting down the best bars and

clubs but needs must, so the sooner you get sorted the better! So here is a short and simple

guide to get you of on the right track and hopefully find the perfect student property that meets

your needs and expectations and also keeps Mum and Dad happy too.

Firstly decide on a budget. Once you know how much you have to spend on rent you can easily

begin to eliminate those properties that do not fall within your budget. Nottingham has a wide

range of properties available with rents starting from as little as £40 a week. But read the small

print. If a property is advertised for £80 but it includes gas, water and electric then this may in the

long run work out cheaper than the £40 a week property. Once you have worked out a budget

have a good look online at the student accommodation available from several different letting

agencies. Using an agent is a great way to minimise the stress and inconvenience that can

sometimes be associated with renting. They will negotiate terms with the landlords, handle the

rents, arrange any maintenance required and generally oversee the whole process on your

behalf. But remember they are working for the landlords as well as you, and they may well be

making commission on the properties they let. So be sure to get all the facts and ultimately make

your own mind up about who is offering the best deal.

Something else to think about is how many people you would like to be sharing with. If you are a

fairly private person you are unlikely to enjoy sharing a house with a dozen other students.

Although this may be a cheaper option it’s perhaps not the best choice for you. In a big house full

of students there is never a moments peace. Forget the lie-ins or quiet nights in front of the TV,

someone will always be on the go. And as for the mess…...do you really want to be washing in

someone elses scummy bath water or cooking in a kitchen that hasn’t seen a dishcloth in

weeks? Some people can live like this, others can’t...you need to find your limits before you get

stuck in a real hell hole!

The location of your student accommodation is really important. Nottingham is a fairly compact

city with a good bus network and a tram system that is currently being extended, but you can

avoid spending too much on travel costs simply by finding somewhere to live close to where you

will be studying. For Nottingham Trent University or those medical students frequently training at

the Queens Medical Centre you may want to consider a house share in Clifton, Lenton or

Dunkirk. For Nottingham University which is in the city centre, Forest Fields and Radford are

within walking distance as are several new apartment blocks built primarily for student

accommodation. By basing yourself in the city centre you are right in the thick of the action. you

will not need to worry about taxi fares home after a night out and you have everything from

cinemas and bowling alleys to shops, bars and even Central library right on your doorstep. For

convenience the city centre is probably the best place to be.

So theres a few things to think about as you look for student accommodation in Nottingham.

What is your budget? Who do you want to share with? and where do you want to be? Work out

the answers to these questions before you go any further.

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