ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT

FROM YOUR WELFARE & EQUALITY OFFICERHOUSING

Don’t let yet! This supplement is in no way telling you to start looking for houses this week– in fact it’s doing the complete opposite. Are you being told by letting agencies that there will be no good houses left if you don’t start looking now? Or have you got people in the years above you telling you similar things? Ignore the rumours! There is a vast amount of accommodation in Newcastle so there’s no need to rush in and sign a contract so early If you have a specific house on a specific street you wish to sign for then yes, you need to sign up for it in order to secure it, but otherwise it is advisable to take your time. Lots of nice houses are still available right up until the summer, so ideally concentrate on your January exams and then perhaps start to look.

Before you start looking…

Who? Deciding who to live with is a big decision and is not something to rush into. If you’re a fresher, then you’ll only have known your friends for just over a month! This isn’t a sufficient amount of time to gauge whether you wish to legally bind yourself financially to people you don’t really know. The students you live with in Halls arn’t usually of your selection and whether you get along now, it isn’t an indicator that you’ll definitely get along in a few months.

As University life settles down, some students gravitate to friends on their courses and/or clubs and societies. Not living with certain people doesn’t mean you’re not friends. You can visit friends; it doesn’t mean you should live with them. It could even end up that you lose a friendship. Think about who you are going to live with very carefully!

‘DONT BE FOOLED DONT RUSH IN’This week is Housing Information Week, so along with the Student Advice Centre’s events, I have produced a two part housing supplement containing all the information you need to know about renting in the private sector. Moving into a rented property is a huge part of your time at University. It can be a pretty complicated process, especially if you have never done it before.

The first part of the supplement will first of all tell you that there is no need to rush into finding a house. There are many things you have to consider, which this supplement will help you think about.

The second part of the supplement will be issued after the January exams, which is a time when you can perhaps start looking for a property, but there is still no rush! It will contain all the information you need to know from when you first start looking around houses, right up to then signing the contract, with top tips from students who have been through the process themselves.

Even if you’re a second or third year and you’ve already been through it all before, I’m sure there will be some things you may still be uncertain of. So take a read of both parts and you can rent your next house feeling much more confident that you know all your stuff on housing.

Don’t be fooled, don’t rush in, and please don’t worry! There’s plenty of advice available at your Students’ Union to help you if you need it.

Olivia Jeffery, Welfare & Equality Officer 14-15

Flat Mates To avoid stress and heartache, if you’re choosing who to live with, it’s worth considering the following:

What are your priorities?Think about what the most important traits in a housemate are– is it someone who’s tidy, fun, enjoys similar hobbies or doing a similar course?

How much privacy do you need? Some people will happily never close their bedroom door, whilst others really value their own space and possessions. By working this out before you move somewhere you can prevent a lot of tension.

What are your bad habits? Everyone - including you - has different habits and tastes. You need to make sure you recognise this, and then if you can live with them, learn to be tolerant!

Early bird or late owl? You might want to think about whether you mind what time people go to sleep and wake up as a factor in your compatibility as housemates. Be honest about your interests and what you want out of a housemate, it’s better to not live with a friend who’s not going to be a compatible housemate, than risk ruining a friendship.

CHECK LIST

1. Who are you going to live with?

2. Where do you want to live?

3. What type of property do you want to live in?

4. How much are you willing to pay?

House Share There are also other options to living with people you have already met, so do not worry if you are in a position where you are not quite sure who to live with. There may be other students in your position, so you could look into finding a house share. George Snape, 2nd year Town Planning undergraduate, tells us about his experience of a house share.

what are your experiences of getting a house share?Yes of course. During my first year at Newcastle, I was one of the unfortunate ones who didn’t get offered very good accommodation. I got offered a shared one bed room couples flat in Ricky Road which was made in to a twin bedroom. I weighed up the pros and cons of taking this option but decided it was a bit risky.

How did you go about looking foryour house share?I took my search to Facebook, where thankfully there were many other people in my position and many who didn’t even get offered accommodation. Somehow a group of seven of us got together on Facebook and seemed to get on quite well and started searching down privately rented accommodation within the Jesmond area. Next thing I knew, two days later i’d met up with these six other random people who were going to be my housemates for the year. We signed up for the house and then all went to Nandos to celebrate.

Do you have any advice you would like to give from your experience?The main message from me is not to be nervous about moving in to a new house with people you don’t know, I think mine are probably friends for life now. Another tip is let one person set up the house account and everyone else pay money in to the account. It makes paying the bills a lot easier!

Here are a few other ways you can look for house shares:

www.nusuforum.co.uk

‘Find a Flatmate events' (arranged by University Accommodation Service)

Robinson library notice boards

Corner shop notice boards in student areas (for a low cost)

School notice boards (ask at reception)

Fancy living in your own place?Perhaps you would like to live on your own? Whilst it can sometimes be a little more expensive, students often tend to shy away from this because of what they believe people will think rather than the cost. Here a few benefits to living by yourself:

• Having your own space allows you to be able to live the way you like to without having to tidy up around yourself for other housemates. You can have your own space to do your work without having to think about clearing up your papers!

• The rent may be more expensive, but the bills are cheaper as you are just paying for yourself using the electricity/gas.

• You can still meet neighbours or have friends round when you like.

• If you drive, the parking space would be all yours without having to fight over who has the parking permit.

A few last words of advice on decidingwho to live withTry not get swept along with what everyone else is doing or saying and consider your own needs.

Another reason for not looking too early is that people’s circumstances can change. If you sign a contract and then something unexpected happens, it is a lot of hassle to try and sort out.

Do not sign something just because you are panicking about not getting somewhere to live or being left out of a group. You have plenty of time and so does everyone else!

Where?

There are plenty of different places for students to live in Newcastle:Jesmond is one of the largest student areas of Newcastle and first years are very quick to hear that this is the place to rent a house. However, it is not for everyone.

Consider what your budget is and look in areas that offer properties in that bracket. Rent prices in Jesmond are at the top end of the scale of what you can expect to pay in Newcastle. You may well pay £80 or more a week for a property in Jesmond when you could get something equally good if not better for £65 in another area.

But it is not just the rent that you need to consider to watch your pennies. How much is travel likely to cost you? This can make a big difference to your budget.

What other things do you want to consider when moving into a new area? How is it the nightlife and what local amenities are there?

Do you want to live in a private residence in the community or in a private Hall provider similar to university residences?

Read a little bit about each place and perhaps when it comes to viewing houses, book in viewings in different places so you can decide which you like best:

City Centre accommodation is often situated above shops or in purpose built residential blocks. This area has become popular with students because of the convenient location and access to facilities. Rents range from £65 - £110 per person per week.

Fenham lies to the west of the University, close to the Medical School. It provides students with a more affordable housing option. Rents range from £50 - £60 per person per week.

Gosforth is situated a little further out of the city. It has excellent bus and Metro links into the city centre and good local shopping facilities. Rents vary from £55 - £65 per person per week.

Heaton is a large area with good local facilities and bus routes into town. It has a long tradition of housing students. There is a large amount of available properties in this area so rents have not seen as rapid an increase as in other locations and are currently £50 - £60 per person per week.

Jesmond is close to the University (depending on where in Jesmond you live) and is served by the Metro. Like Heaton, it also has a wide range of shops, bars and facilities. Rents currently range from £65 - £85 per person per week.

Sandyford is very close to the University and city. Rents are between £65 - £75 per person per week.

What type of property?“Although it might seem like a great idea at the time to get as big a house as is physically possible, just remember: it takes more energy to heat bigger rooms. Smaller rooms will heat up much faster than larger ones, and will cost you a lot less in bills in the long run.” (Rob Kealey, 2nd year Chemistry)

“I’d always recommend maisonettes if there’s 6 people or so - they’re warmer therefore saving money on heating.” (Iws Maria Soroka, Marketing graduate

CITY CENTRE

FENHAMGOSFORTH HEATON JESMOND SANDYFORD

How much are you willing to pay? Remember, it isn’t just the rent prices you have to consider when looking for a house. When you sign a contract, the price you pay per week doesn’t usually include bills.

For bills, try and budget somewhere around £10-15 per week at most. To keep costs down, you just have to be quite sensible with usage of gas and electric, for instance turning things off/rather than leaving them on standby, having heating at a reasonable level but also shutting windows or just be a classic student and pile on the layers of jumpers.

Don’t forget, you will be expected to provide your own bedding, along with kitchen utensils, crockery and small kitchen appliances such as kettles and toasters. Maybe check around the property and ask what is included so you know how much you would have to buy if you were to move in.

The Student Calculator allows you to find out how much money you will have by inputting what income you have and what will be coming out. Have a go and see if you can afford a certain property in a certain area (www.studentcalculator.org).

Can you afford it?It’s all well and good working out what you can afford for the next academic year, but what can you afford when you actually take the house off the market? This is an important issue to consider, as you’re expected to pay fees upfront when you sign a contract.

Here is a breakdown of some of the fees you’ll probably have to pay before your contract begins:

One month’s rent in advance

Deposit

Before you move in, you’ll have to pay a tenancy deposit; usually equivalent to one month’s rent. This will cover the costs of any damage you cause or any unpaid rent when you leave.

Your deposit will be returned to you at the end of your tenancy if there is no outstanding rent to be paid or damage to the property.

Agency/admin fees

The agency usually charge for their services, such as showing you around different properties, credit reference checks, gathering guarantor information.)

Nearly all contracts are 12 months long, meaning you have to pay for the months you could be at home during non-term time. Always consider this when budgeting for the year!

Know your rightsTalking about legislation and fees may not be the most exciting part of house hunting, but it is improtant for you to understand what you’re paying for before handing out the cash. Here are the facts plain and simple:

What an agency can charge forIn England and Wales, an agency can charge an unlimited fee once a client has signed a contract to accept the tenancy of a property. Most agencies that do charge will expect to be paid the equivalent of one or two weeks’ rent plus VAT. The agency can ask the client to sign an agreement promising to pay this fee if and when the agency has found her/him suitable accommodation and the client accepts it. This request is legal provided no money is paid by the client before s/he agrees to take the property.

An agency can only make a charge of this kind when it has found a client somewhere to live and the client has agreed to rent the property.

Administrative chargesIn England and Wales, an agency is also allowed to charge a client for extra services it provides, but only if the client requests these services or agrees to the agency supplying them. For example, an agency may negotiate the terms of a tenancy agreement with a prospective landlord, draw up the agreement, and compile an inventory. The agency can ask the client to pay for this, whether or not s/he finally takes up the tenancy.

Holding depositsAn agency is allowed to charge a holding deposit if a client has agreed to take a property but has not yet signed a contract to take up the tenancy.

What an agency cannot charge forUnder the Accommodation Agencies Act 1953, it is illegal for an agency to ask for money for:

registering a client

supplying a list of available properties.

Being clear about chargesFrom 1 November 2013, adverts for rental properties have had to include information about non-optional charges. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled that it is unfair if costs are not clearly stated up-front.

Non-optional charges such as administration fees, charges for inventories and reference checks, must be clearly stated on websites and other media. In practice, this means that non-optional charges that can be calculated in advance (fixed fees) must be included with the asking rent. For example, ‘rent £1,000 per calendar month and £100 administration fee per tenant’.

If a non-optional charge cannot be calculated in advance because, for example, it changes according to individual circumstances, the advert must give enough information to let a client know how further charges will be calculated.

Adverts should make clear whether charges are per tenant or per property.

Who’s managing you?Not sure on who actually manages the property? Here is a simplified version of the possibilities:

A LANDLORD can manage the property by his/herself.

A LETTING AGENCY can find a tenant for a landlord, sign them up and then pass it on to a LANDLORD to manage.

A LETTING AGENCY can find a tenant for the landlord, sign them up and then pass it on to a MANAGING AGENCY to manage.

What can I do to make sure I am not paying unreasonable/unfair fees?• Deal with an agency that has membership of a reputable self-regulatory body

• Speak to a number of agencies to get a feel for what are typical fees.

• You will normally be asked to register. You may be required to provide a reference, or the agency may wish to run a credit reference check on you. By law, you should not be charged for registration.

• Be clear before you decide to register what charges you will be expected to pay, when you will be expected to pay them, and exactly what the charges are for.

• Always view the property before entering in to an agreement. For safety reasons, do not go alone.

• Any claims an agency makes about the accommodation and its facilities are regulated by the Trade Descriptions Act 1968. A false statement could lead to their prosecution.

• Obtain an example of the type of tenancy agreement you will be asked to sign and seek advice on any clauses you do not understand before you sign.

• Totalise costs: what are their charges? What is the rent? Does it include any services? Do you have to pay the water rates and how much are they? How much do they want for the security deposit?

• Do not pay a holding deposit unless you are sure you will want the property.

• Speak to the Student Advice Centre (SAC). They can advise on how you can report illegal charges, false statements or any sharp practice.

q&A, Sara Macauley.

2nd year Media, Communication and Cultural Studies

When did you start house hunting?

I started looking for houses around the end of November I think.

How many properties did you look at before signing?

I looked at 3 properties in Jesmond and Sandyford.

What do you like about the property?

I live in West Jesmond and absolutely love how close it is to all the bars, shops and the Metro. My house is also quite modern and well furnished so it was easy to make nice and cosy.

What would you do differently if you were looking again?

If I was looking for houses again I’d definitely leave it a bit later to search, there really is an unnecessary rush in first year to choose your housemates and house and it’s all made much easier if you have a bit more time to think about it. I’d say one hundred percent leave it until after Christmas.

So hopefully now you’re more clued up on moving into the private rented sector. There’s no need to think about starting the process yet, but when it comes to the New Year and you think it is the right time to look, watch out for the second part of this supplement for house hunting advice, and information on the moving in process.

In the meantime, if you would like more information, you can attend the following events:

Student Advice Centre’s Events for Housing Information Week Monday 3rd November:

Live Q&A sessions

11-12 and 6-7pm.

See website for sign up instructions www.nusu.ac.uk/sac.

Tuesday 4th November:

Housing Information stall

in the green cube at NUSU Reception 11-3pm.

Live Q&A 6-7pm.

Wednesday 5th November:

Housing Information presentation in the History Room,

Level 1 NUSU

6-7pm (pre-book)

Thursday 6th November:

Housing Adviser drop-in 10-4pm at the Student Advice Centre.

Live Q&A 11-12 and 5-6pm.

Or you can contact myself or any of the other contacts listed below

Welfare and Equality Officer

Can signpost you to find the help you need, and also offers a confidential listening service if you would like to discuss any personal issues about housing issues or housemates.

Olivia Jeffery

Email: welfare.union@ncl.ac.uk

Tel: 0191 2393917

Student Advice Centre

Our free and confidential service has a trained housing advisor and offers a housing contract review service. Website: www.nusu.co.uk/sacEmail: Student-Advice-Centre@ncl.ac.uk0191 2393979

Environmental Health Office & Pest Control Newcastle City Council0191 2787878csc@newcastle.gov.uk

Shelter North East0344 515 1601shelternortheast@shelter.org.uk

Newcastle Citizens Advice Bureau0844 499 4717citycab@newcastlecab.org.uk

Northumbria PoliceEmergency 999Non-Emergency reporting 101On Campus Police Officer - Mo Khan (PC 2538 KHAN) Telephone : 0191 2146555 ext 64235

facebook.com/nusuwelfare

@NUSUwelfare

www.NUSU.co.uk/welfare

Some of the information in this supplement has been sourced from National Union of Students website and NUSU Student Advice Centre.