House Hunting

Living with friends can be lots of fun but you will all have to clean up and pay bills, so try and share with friends who are responsible and considerate too.

Before you sign a contract double check with your friends that you still want to live together and that no one is having second thoughts!

Accommodation is available at any time of the year but the busiest house hunting months are normally October to January, and July to August. You should start house hunting as soon as possible because student housing market is highly competitive.  

If you wait until Easter or the summer you may find it difficult to secure accommodation.  If you are definitely staying in Manchester/ Salford, or you have an unconditional offer, then it is best to secure an accommodation you like sooner rather than later.

Decide what is most important to you. Is it Location? Price? Size? House, Flat or Private Hall?  Make a ‘wish list’ and work out what your priorities are before you start house hunting.

Work out a budget and decide how much you can afford to pay in rent and living costs.

Average Rent Levels

This is how much you can expect to pay for student accommodation in Manchester. The average rent levels based on last year's figures  to give you an idea of what you can expect to pay.

These figures are from the Manchester Student Homes 2022-2023 advertising period and are to be used as a guide only.

Download a copy of the Average Rent 2022-2023 document here.

Bills Inclusive

This will vary between amongst landlords and depends on the energy contract(s) landlords are in.  Speak with the landlord(s) for more information, the cost of a bills inclusive contact should cover Gas, Electric, Water, Internet and TV Licence but this will depend on how much you use called a fair useage clause or a cap.  Adverts show what bills are included and whether there is a cap or not.

Some landlords offer bills inclusive contracts, but it may work out cheaper to manage the bills yourself.

Bills inclusive does not normally mean unlimited use and most landlords will include a fair usage clause in your contract, please see the Contracts & Deposits section.

Lots of students live in South Manchester in areas with good transport links to the Universities such as Fallowfield, Rusholme or Victoria Park but there are plenty of other areas that are popular with students.

Please see our Area Guide for more information.

Transport

How far will you be from bus, tram and cycle routes? Oxford Road and Upper Brook Street have regular bus services to the Universities and the City Centre.  The nearest train station to the Oxford Road University Campuses for The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University is Oxford Road Station.  Whilst the nearest tram stop is St Peter's Square.

• Bus - Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM)
• Tram - Metrolink
• Cycling - TfGM Cycling
• Train - Piccadilly Station, Oxford Road Station, or Manchester Victoria Station
• Transport Salford - Travel and Transport
• Taxi - Street Cars is an University Approved taxi company

Our standards are much higher than the requirements of other accommodation websites because we only want students to rent from good landlords and agents. Make sure they are accredited by Manchester Student Homes.

Try to go to property viewings as a group and be aware of your own personal safety. Make sure someone knows where you are and take your phone with you. Think about how safe the area feels. Would you feel safe night walking alone?

You can also pop into our office to pick up freebies such as light timers, safety information, personal alarms and much more.

If you want to know how many crimes have been reported in a particular area, you can put the postcode into the Police Crime Map.

What to look out for.....

Take your time and look in every room. Ask lots of questions and speak to the current tenants if they are at home. Ask yourself...

• Are there any signs of damp, disrepair or pests?
• Do the doors and windows look secure?
• Is there a burglar alarm, smoke alarm and security lighting?
• Are the furniture and carpets in good condition?
• How many bathrooms / toilets are there?

There are lots of things to look out for, a full Property Viewing Checklist and Tip Tips are available to download.

If you are interested in a property and wish to reserve it so that you can read over your contact, get your contract check by us, or to get guarantors to sign your guarantor forms, you may be required to pay a holding deposit, sometimes call a holding fee. Some points to consider:

• Holding deposits are usually equivalent to 1 weeks rent, this is the maximum that can take
• Payment via bank transfer is best.
• You should be sending payment to the landlord or agent.
• Ask for a receipt as proof of payment, it should include information such as date of payment, amount paid and the property address.
• The holding fee will reserve the property for 14 days.

Please don’t give any money or personal details to anyone until you are 100% sure that they are legitimate. Only sign a tenancy agreement when you and all your housemates have viewed the property and have all read and understood the contract. Don’t feel under pressure to sign a tenancy agreement or part with any money.

Manchester Student Homes offers a free contract checking service and you can also ask the landlord to complete the paperwork at the Manchester Student Homes’ office in The University of Manchester's Students' Union.

Further guidance about Rental Fraud can be found here.