Finding the right accommodation isn’t always easy for students. In this blog, we give you some simple tips to help you find the right student accommodation.
Find a place that is convenient for you to travel to your university or college.
Either choose one that is close to your campus or close to public transports. Accommodations close to a campus usually attract higher rent but it saves you lots of commute time. For example, students going to UTS should look for housing in Pyrmont, Ultimo or Chippendale. Similarly, accommodations in Kensington would be perfect for those who study at UNSW. However, if you do not mind travelling, you could save lots of money by renting in outer suburbs. Other factors that you should consider when choosing a place to live is whether it’s close to amenities such as shopping centres or if is too noisy or not. Living on the main street or next to a rail line could be very noisy so make sure you check the noise level in the room you want to rent carefully.
Find a place that offers full utilities.
When enquiring about a room for rent, check if there is Internet in the house, if you will have access to the kitchen, shared or private bathroom. Most places now have Internet, but it’s worthwhile checking if there is a limit on downloads or restricted access during certain hours. Some places offer rents that are inclusive of all bills, others don’t. So clarify what’s included in the rent and negotiate well before signing any contract.
Types of accommodations
There are many types of share accommodations available for students. Choose the one that best suits your lifestyle and budget. You can rent a unit, townhouse or a house together with a few rents. This may be the most economical option but it takes longer time to find one and requires long commitments from all of your friends to rent the place for at least 6 to 12 months. Also, you need to have enough money in the bank or regular income to secure a lease of a whole property.
Alternatively, you can search for a room for rent. Many professional couples or personals lease out one of their spare bedrooms for students. Sharing with a working professional is often less fun but quieter than sharing with your peer students.
Beware of SCAMS.
If you are searching a place from interstates or overseas, it’s best to ask a friend or relative or a representative from the university to inspect the house on your behalf. Never make payment in advance or send out any passport copies prior to inspections, never give credit card details over the phone or via email for accommodation payment purposes to unknown third parties. It us reported that many scammers take advantages of international students who desperately look for a place to live before coming to Australia.
These scammers post very nice photos of a place that they do not own or live in and advertise it for rent. When students make enquiries about the place, they would lure students to sign in a contract or to send them identification documents.